Nolan Smith

[xwalker]

Nolan Smith might be a Super Star in the NFL but it seems like a very high risk pick in the 1st round.

Wherever the Cowboys have him ranked, some 3-4 teams probably have him ranked higher.

• Risk
  
  • He would be a fun player to have on the roster but the risk worries me.
  • The risk would be lower if he was an option to play LB, but he does not have 4-3 or 4-2-5 type LB experience.
  • He did drop into coverage a fair number of times, but he didn't have the complex assignments of a 4-2-5 LB.

• Production
  • Nolan Smith has wow measurables but limited production.
  • Yes, Georgia rotates their DL, but...
  • Some Georgia defensive players in recent year have not yet lived up to their draft status.
  • Yes, he had a good sacks to pass rush attempts ratio, it's a limited sample size with 3 sacks in 8 games for 2022.
  • Just 1 more or 1 less sack would radically change that ratio.

• Game Footage
  • In reviewing game footage, Smith flashes wow plays with his athleticism.
  • He is strong for his size and holds up in run defense quite well.
  • I don't see the freakish power/size ratio of Parsons, but he is strong.
  • His burst such as when chasing a scrambling QB is not like the Parsons super human burst.
  • He is intense for the first 3 seconds, but often lets up if the play goes away from him.
  • There were many times I thought he had a good chance to chase down the QB from the backside, but his effort was limited.

Final College season stats. Smith's stats scaled up to 13 games.

Nolan Smith​	2022​	SR​	13*​	23​	29​	11.4​	4.9​	1.6​	0​
Micah Parsons​	2019​	SO​	13​	52​	109​	14​	5​	5​	4​

​	Nolan Smith​	Micha Parsons​
Height​	6022​	6031​
Weight​	238​	246​
Hand​	9​	11​
Arm​	32 5/8​	31 1/2​
Wingspan​	81​	78 7/8​
40 Yard Dash (ET)​	4.39​	4.36​
20 Yard (ET)​	2.51​	2.58​
10 Yard (ET)​	1.47​	1.59​
225 Lb. Bench Reps​	​	19​
Vertical Jump​	41 1/2​	34​
Broad Jump​	10'08"​	10'06"​
20 Yrd Shuttle​	​	4.4​
3-Cone Drill​	​	6.96​

 

[AsthmaField]

I love Smith, and a lot of what I love about him has to do with what is between his ears.

The guy loves football. He eats and sleeps it. He is tough and never complains, no matter what the team asks him to do. He goes 100 MPH all the time and is such a great team leader that they walked him out to coin flips in street clothes when he tore his pec. The entire locker room loved him and were still cheering him on, even at the combine.

The guy is going to be great to have on your team.

He does have elite athleticism, but what I love so much is his toughness and grit (he 2-gapped his whole career at Georgia). He was strong against the run at his size. The guy sticks that foot in the ground and just refused to move.

I really like to see college production to go with elite measurable but in Smith’s case, there are understandable reasons for why he didn’t have a ton of sacks.

I just think this kid can do whatever you ask him to do and he will do it like it is the best thing in the world. Give him to Quinn and he would cause problems for offenses.

As you can tell, I really like him… you’ll have a difficult time trying to get me not to want him to fall to 26.

 

[cnuball21]

His stats are a volume thing. Ex - Will Anderson had 350+ more snaps in Smiths last full healthy season. He also had a 25 % pass rush run rate which is absurd. It’s just how UGA operates.

I have zero concerns about his production. If you have concerns around how he fits in? That’s fair. I see him playing WILL in base and rushing in nickel / dime. Aka Barrs role from last year + pass rush duties.

Different prospect - but with someone this dynamic you just freaking figure it out. It’s like passing on Watt bc we weren’t sure he could put his hand in the dirt.

 

[Aven8]

Since the combine I’ve been all about this guy with a few others. He’s a freak. Having said that I don’t know what DQ would do with him?

 

[beware_d-ware]

His stats are a volume thing. Ex - Will Anderson had 350+ more snaps in Smiths last full healthy season. He also had a 25 % pass rush run rate which is absurd. It’s just how UGA operates.

I have zero concerns about his production. If you have concerns around how he fits in? That’s fair. I see him playing WILL in base and rushing in nickel / dime. Aka Barrs role from last year + pass rush duties.

Different prospect - but with someone this dynamic you just freaking figure it out. It’s like passing on Watt bc we weren’t sure he could put his hand in the dirt.

Perfectly said.

 

[cowboyec]

if he's there at 26...it would be very hard to pass him up.
i'd turn that card in and move on happily to rd2.

 

[xwalker]

His stats are a volume thing. Ex - Will Anderson had 350+ more snaps in Smiths last full healthy season. He also had a 25 % pass rush run rate which is absurd. It’s just how UGA operates.

I have zero concerns about his production. If you have concerns around how he fits in? That’s fair. I see him playing WILL in base and rushing in nickel / dime. Aka Barrs role from last year + pass rush duties.

Different prospect - but with someone this dynamic you just freaking figure it out. It’s like passing on Watt bc we weren’t sure he could put his hand in the dirt.

I had no concerns about TJ Watf but he was 6-4, 252 with long-ish arms.

If Smith can play as a 4-3 (4-2-5) LB then the risk is much much lower.

 

[xwalker]

I love Smith, and a lot of what I love about him has to do with what is between his ears.

The guy loves football. He eats and sleeps it. He is tough and never complains, no matter what the team asks him to do. He goes 100 MPH all the time and is such a great team leader that they walked him out to coin flips in street clothes when he tore his pec. The entire locker room loved him and were still cheering him on, even at the combine.

The guy is going to be great to have on your team.

He does have elite athleticism, but what I love so much is his toughness and grit (he 2-gapped his whole career at Georgia). He was strong against the run at his size. The guy sticks that foot in the ground and just refused to move.

I really like to see college production to go with elite measurable but in Smith’s case, there are understandable reasons for why he didn’t have a ton of sacks.

I just think this kid can do whatever you ask him to do and he will do it like it is the best thing in the world. Give him to Quinn and he would cause problems for offenses.

As you can tell, I really like him… you’ll have a difficult time trying to get me not to want him to fall to 26.

The upside is very high. If Quinn likes him then I trust Quinn/McClay.

If he can play LB and rush the passer like Parsons in 2021, then I'm all in, but I don't know if that's an option.

Maybe my expectations were too high because I knew his measurables before studying the game footage.

I had heard that he was a 100mph player but I didn't see that on all snaps.

Also there were times when he had beaten the OT around the edge but then seemed to lose significant momentum. Plays where it appeared he would easily get a sack or at least a QB hit but he just seemed to stall out just a couple of yards away from the QB. Made me think of Almost-Anthony a decade ago.

 

[reddyuta]

imo drafting an amazing athlete who is also a good pass rusher is never a bad thing,i think some team will see him as a starter at RDE and draft him ahead of us.

 

[cnuball21]

I had no concerns about TJ Watf but he was 6-4, 252 with long-ish arms.

If Smith can play as a 4-3 (4-2-5) LB then the risk is much much lower.

Me either, but they’d have different roles.

I wouldn’t ask Smith to play 4-3 Edge all the time.

 

[darthseinfeld]

The upside is very high. If Quinn likes him then I trust Quinn/McClay.

If he can play LB and rush the passer like Parsons in 2021, then I'm all in, but I don't know if that's an option.

Maybe my expectations were too high because I knew his measurables before studying the game footage.

I had heard that he was a 100mph player but I didn't see that on all snaps.

Also there were times when he had beaten the OT around the edge but then seemed to lose significant momentum. Plays where it appeared he would easily get a sack or at least a QB hit but he just seemed to stall out just a couple of yards away from the QB. Made me think of Almost-Anthony a decade ago.

They seem to like McDonald, who has a similar build amd skill set. However McDonald is probably more of a natural 7T. As for Smith, I think he would do very well in Dallas in mismatchs Parsons creates. He would be a very difficult player for a weak pass protector to keep in front of him without help. We already have that guy in Sam Williams, but both players have potential (as does McDonald) to be able to create mismatchs on there own.

Id be stoked for either a Smith or McDonald pick at 26. McDonald is probably a cleaner projection as a pure 7T, but both players have very high football character and should develop well

 

[AsthmaField]

The upside is very high. If Quinn likes him then I trust Quinn/McClay.

If he can play LB and rush the passer like Parsons in 2021, then I'm all in, but I don't know if that's an option.

Maybe my expectations were too high because I knew his measurables before studying the game footage.

I had heard that he was a 100mph player but I didn't see that on all snaps.

Also there were times when he had beaten the OT around the edge but then seemed to lose significant momentum. Plays where it appeared he would easily get a sack or at least a QB hit but he just seemed to stall out just a couple of yards away from the QB. Made me think of Almost-Anthony a decade ago.

Yeah, I trust Quinn if he likes Smith (or not).

I know he played 2-gap defense, which would cause significant delays on him attacking the ball.

Basically, it comes down to what you said… if Quinn wants him, then he likes him and has a plan. He will take him if available… if he’s there and they pass, then he won’t be a good fit in this defense. Frankly, either wouldn’t surprise me.

I do think he’ll be gone by 26, so it likely won’t matter. But yes, I agree… his college tape doesn’t knock your socks off.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Yeah, I trust Quinn if he likes Smith (or not).

I know he played 2-gap defense, which would cause significant delays on him attacking the ball.

Basically, it comes down to what you said… if Quinn wants him then he likes him and has a plan then he will take him if available… if he’s there and they pass, then he won’t be a good fit in this defense. Frankly, either wouldn’t surprise me.

I do think he’ll be gone by 26, so it likely won’t matter. But yes, I agree… his college tape doesn’t knock your socks off.

Whats you take on Will McDonald

 

[AsthmaField]

Whats you take on Will McDonald

I like him a lot. I like Smith a little better but McDonald is a very good athlete and pass rusher.

I’d be damn happy to have him added to the pass rush.

It wouldn’t surprise me if McDonald ended up the better pro pass rusher. But yeah, they’re close IMO.

 

[cnuball21]

They seem to like McDonald, who has a similar build amd skill set. However McDonald is probably more of a natural 7T. As for Smith, I think he would do very well in Dallas in mismatchs Parsons creates. He would be a very difficult player for a weak pass protector to keep in front of him without help. We already have that guy in Sam Williams, but both players have potential (as does McDonald) to be able to create mismatchs on there own.

Id be stoked for either a Smith or McDonald pick at 26. McDonald is probably a cleaner projection as a pure 7T, but both players have very high football character and should develop well

Love McDonald…he was so poorly used in that scheme though as they run a 3 man front and he was asked to 2 gap a lot.

Didn’t get to pin his ears back a lot but when he did the traits pop IMO.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Love McDonald…he was so poorly used in that scheme though as they run a 3 man front and he was asked to 2 gap a lot.

Didn’t get to pin his ears back a lot but when he did the traits pop IMO.

Love those 34 inch arms too. Light but plays heavier kind of like Lawrence at 240 at BSU

 

[cnuball21]

Love those 34 inch arms too. Light but plays heavier kind of like Lawrence at 240 at BSU

Yea, you can see his length and how his scheme made him strong against the run.

He’ll need to bulk up but not a ton.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Yea, you can see his length and how his scheme made him strong against the run.

He’ll need to bulk up but not a ton.

I think he can bulk to 260 and keep his explosiveness. Even at 250 he would be ok. His 250 would be like 270 for other players

 

[cnuball21]

I think he can bulk to 260 and keep his explosiveness. Even at 250 he would be ok. His 250 would be like 270 for other players

I agree, I think at 250/255 he’ll have plenty of power. Like Smith he plays way bigger than his size.

 

[AsthmaField]

Whats you take on Will McDonald

And there is a better chance for McDonald to be there at 26…. I’d be very happy with that pick.