Nolan Smith was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2019 class, choosing the Georgia Bulldogs. Even though he didn’t play much his first 2 seasons in Athens, he stayed with the Dawgs and became an impact player for Georgia’s back-to-back national championship-winning squads.
Now he’s a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, as he was chosen with the No. 30 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night in Kansas City.
Smith dealt with an injury at the end of the 2022 season, missing every Georgia game in November, December and January. But he was still an important leader for Kirby Smart’s team, becoming an extra coach on the sidelines.
Now, though, Smith will be eager to get back on the field as a player this coming fall, proving he deserved to be such a high draft pick.
Smith will be counted on to shore up his new team’s pass rush. Even as a freshman, he was a monster for opposing offensive linemen to handle:
Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith demolishes the right tackle for the sack.
This was his freshman year. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Lr7zRRAN6h
— WBG84 (@WBG84) April 9, 2023
When brute force doesn’t work, Smith has plenty of finesse in his game, too. Here, he uses his hands to create separation, leading to a sack against Clemson:
Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith jabs well inside against Clemson OT Jordan McFadden and displays good hand fighting to beat the block and get home for the sack. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/TXxsS3AWvM
— WBG84 (@WBG84) April 10, 2023
Will he become an immediate impact player in the NFL ranks? We’ll find out this fall!
In 4 years with the Bulldogs, Smith played in 38 games, compiling 110 total tackles (20 for a loss), 12.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
