Nolan Smith Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image Courtesy of Brett Davis/AP Photo)
School: Georgia (Senior)
Position: EDGE
HT: 6’3
WT: 238 lbs
Sideline Prospect Ranking: #28
Nolan Smith is a unique talent on the edge. Coming out of high school, Smith was a 5-star recruit and instantly earned significant playing time on a defense full of NFL caliber players. Smith is not only a great talent for that Georgia defense, but he also has the unreachable traits that coaches and scouts look for. Nolan Smith, undoubtedly, has the highest motor in the draft. He plays with an intensity that is simply one of one. He never takes a play off, never slows down, and refuses to be stopped at the initial point of attack. He has become a natural leader for not only the Georgia defense, but the entire Georgia team and community. While the season-ending injury to his pectoral muscle that derailed Smith’s 2022 campaign was unfortunate, he has handled it with a great deal of maturity and has been supportive on the sideline everyday for his teammates. His 2022 season was cut short, but Smith still started eight games for the Bulldogs, making a significant impact in all of them. While he doesn’t have the most intimidating frame in the world for an edge rusher, he is able to use speed and flexibility to shed blocks around the outside shoulder of offensive linemen. With his flexibility and bend comes elite lateral quickness and a quick change-of-direction ability. He has amazing bend and uses leverage well to combine with his speed to get around the edge. Even with his small frame, he still has impressive strength around the edge. He is relentless in pursuit and has the ability to push back linemen, knocking them on their back. Smith’s greatest strength is his run defense. He is an extremely intelligent and instinctive player in the run game, which projects him to be a three down defender at the next level. Smith also has the ability to drop back in coverage as a weak side linebacker, taking away the shirt to intermediate areas of the field. He has great eyes for his position and reads and diagnoses routes well.
While he does well for his size at the position, his smaller stature still limits him as an edge rusher. He relies too heavily on his speed and is not a physically imposing force. While he is a great run defender, Smith hasn’t put up the pass rushing numbers that scouts look for in edge players. Most of the undersized defenders that succeed in college due to their talent, often struggle to find their footing at the next level because they don’t fit the mold of any one position. On film, he has his initial move at the point of attack but struggles to break out a variety of pass rushing moves after the counter block. Most of his pass rushing moves are all footwork and he lacks the hand discipline and skills to shed blocks using his upper half.
Nolan Smith is, without a doubt, a top tier edge in this year’s draft class. However, size and injury concerns may cause him to slide down some draft boards. While he will take some time to develop into a more complete pass rusher, he will be an instant impact right away on any defense.
Scheme Fit: Blitz Heavy Odd Front
Ideal Role: EDGE
Best Team Fits: PHI, LVR, LAC
Player Comparison: Hassan Reddick
Player Grade: 83.5
