Nolan Smith

[McKDaddy]

1) Where do you have him ranked?

2) Where do you think he is picked?

 

[Malhavoc]

I think he goes in the top 15 picks. Maybe to the Eagles.

 

[rambo2]

If he is there at 26 and Robinson is off the board. I think there is a good chance that the Cowboys take him.

 

[J12B]

I'm not sure Edge Rusher is the best pick at #26 with Micah, Ware, Williams, Armstrong and Fowler how much play time will Smith Nolan get?

Not a knock on the player, but for a first rounder we need someone who can contribute right away.

Yeah, he'll probably be able to replace Ware eventually but Sam Williams very well could be the DE2 next season if he progresses.

Think the team needs to address another position in Round 1.

And yes, we can never have too many good pass rushers, but a lot of other positions need attention too first imo.

 

[McKDaddy]

I'm not sure Edge Rusher is the best pick at #26 with Micah, Ware, Williams, Armstrong and Fowler how much play time will Smith Nolan get?

Not a knock on the player, but for a first rounder we need someone who can contribute right away.

Yeah, he'll probably be able to replace Ware eventually but Sam Williams very well could be the DE2 next season if he progresses.

Think the team needs to address another position in Round 1.

And yes, we can never have too many good pass rushers, but a lot of other positions need attention too first imo.

That is all legit but I think he would be BPA. Kinda why I wanted to get opinions. I believe in BPA ... but sometimes it does put you in awkward situations.

 

[xwalker]

1) Where do you have him ranked?

2) Where do you think he is picked?

1) Where do you have him ranked?
I really don't know. He has insane potential but if he proves too small to be a full time DE, then what?

He did drop into coverage a significant number of times in the games I watched, but it was more like 3-4 OLB coverage responsibilities than the more nuanced responsibilities of an off-ball LB.


2) Where do you think he is picked?
Before #26. Some 3-4 team will find him impossible to resist.

 

[McKDaddy]

I really don't know. He has insane potential but if he proves too small to be a full time DE, then what?

Yeah, that is sorta what worries me. Is he one of those great athletes that is difficult to find a role for?

 

[xwalker]

Yeah, that is sorta what worries me. Is he one of those great athletes that is difficult to find a role for?

If he drops to #26 then multiple other teams had concerns about him. It would mean that both 3-4 and 4-3 teams passed on him.

Pass rusher is a position that is always in high demand. If one with his freak athleticism drops then I gave to wonder why...

 

[AsthmaField]

1) Where do you have him ranked?

2) Where do you think he is picked?

I have Smith ranked somewhere in the teens and I think he could go as early as the top 10, although I could see him sliding down as low as Pittsburgh at 17. I don’t think Smith gets by Pittsburgh if he’s available there.

I’ve been on record as saying I think there is a very good chance that Smith gets picked by Philly at 10. He fits a lot of what Howie wants in an early round pick.

1. Howie had about a decade of missed first picks (seriously, you can look it up), ending with WR Reagor instead of Justin Jefferson. The Philly fans were about to run him out of town. They wanted him to trade up for Lamb, which he tried but was unable to do… or take Jefferson. He took Reagor, lol.

Howie then, starting in 2021, just started picking big SEC school talent with his early picks. And of course with his history of WR choices (JJ Arcega Whiteside when the fans were screaming for DJ Metcalf) and of course Reagor…he just decided to trade for one (AJ Brown) instead of trying to draft another.

• In 2021 he picked Devontae Smith in round 1 and Landon Dickerson in round 2, both from Alabama.
• In 2022, he traded up for Jordan Davis from Georgia in round 1. Traded a first for and paid $25M/year to AJ Brown (out of the SEC by the way). And Picked Nakobe Dean from Georgia in the 3rd round. The 2nd round pick wasn’t from the SEC, but Howie didn’t choose that guy, Kelce did. He had Kelce scout centers in the draft to replace him when he retires. Kelce chose Cam Jurgens, and Howie just turned in the card.

So, Howie has simply played the odds on getting good players by drafting early from the SEC. It has been relatively successful, so I think he’ll stick to that by taking Nolan Smith at 10. If a wrench gets throw into that it will be because Jalen Carter, another Georgia player, slides or Howie trades up for him.

2. Howie loves taking guys who lit up the combine like Smith did with his testing. In 2022, Jordan Davis ran really fast (for a fat guy) at the combine, and Howie traded up(!) for him. He did that despite Davis being a part-time player with stamina issues, who has never had much success rushing the passer. It was a crazy trade up but Howie did it. I promise you Howie never trades up for a 2-down run stuffer without Davis running so fast at his weight.

3. Finally, Roseman loves positive press. The constant praise he gets for drafting in the trenches will keep flowing if he drafts Nolan Smith (or Jalen Carter).

Put all of that together, and it is like catnip for Howie. I don’t think he will pass on Smith if he’s there (unless it is to trade up for Carter).

Unfortunately, picking Nolan Smith will be a lot better pick than getting Jordan Davis was. Smith will slide right into the pass rushing role that Reddick played last year. He will fit like a glove. Davis was waayyyy over-drafted, especially considering Roseman gave up additional draft capital to trade up.

Also unfortunately, Carter will be a very good pick as well… even with a trade up. That is the type of DT you trade up for, not Davis.

Howie really needs to hit on that 10th pick from New Orleans because he gave up a really, really good receiver in Olave at pick 11 to the Saints. He is going to be a superstar and the Saints have him on a cheap rookie contract for 5 years… which is notable in part because Philly is paying AJ Brown $25M/yr now.

However, it does look like Roseman probably will get a good player at 10, if he takes either Georgia player.

 

[beware_d-ware]

He seems like such a Philly player. They love adding athletes to their trenches.

If he makes it past them, I'll bet he's gone by pick 15. It's kind of a weak class at the top, and athletic pass rushers usually go fast.

 

[Majic]

I would be amazed if we pick him and would be amazed if Eagles don't

 

[Zekeats]

1) Where do you have him ranked?
I really don't know. He has insane potential but if he proves too small to be a full time DE, then what?

He did drop into coverage a significant number of times in the games I watched, but it was more like 3-4 OLB coverage responsibilities than the more nuanced responsibilities of an off-ball LB.


2) Where do you think he is picked?
Before #26. Some 3-4 team will find him impossible to resist.

We should be a 3-4 team with Parsons and Sam Williams already. Then if a guy like Kancey was there you could take him and put him at DE on a 3-4.

 

[morasp]

I'm probably old school but I'm not a big fan of underwear Olympics gold medalists with average production moving up that far.

It was just their rookie seasons but the stats are an interesting comparison:

Travon Walker round 1 pick 1
College 33 tackles 7.5 TFL 6 sacks
NFL 49 tackles 5 TFL 3.5 sacks 10 QB hits

Aidan Hutchinson round 1 pick 2
College 62 tackles 16.5 TFL 14 sacks
NFL 52 tackles 9 TFL 9.5 sacks 15 QB hits

Sam Williams Round 2 pick 56
College 57 tackles 15 TFL 12.5 sacks
NFL 22 tackles 10 TFL 4 sacks 9 QB hits

 

[cnuball21]

Top 20 talent. Eagles at 10.

 

[tm1119]

He kinda reminds me of a smaller Anthony Barr where he’s a bit of a tweener between 3-4 OLB and 4-3 LB.

10-15 years ago when 3 LB’s were actually on the field I think he could have been a very good/great SLB in a 4-3 that plays the run well and occasionally rushes the passer with short zone coverage responsibilities.

 

[McKDaddy]

Appreciate all the responses!!

Seems like there are quite a few very enticing prospects who also have serious questions. Wonder if teams will opt for safer options and we might see some high profile prospects dropping further than imagined.

 

[McKDaddy]

So, Howie has simply played the odds on getting good players by drafting early from the SEC.

Hey, there were a lot of years we would have been way better off had we done that rather than try to outsmart everyone by drafting guys from Sister Mary's School of the Inferior!!

 

[CowboyoWales]

1) Where do you have him ranked?

2) Where do you think he is picked?

I'm an advocate of Defenses working as a unit.....if we had DT's that could assist in double teams he'd be potentially devastating. However, he'd be swamped on an island with our interior.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I'm not sure Edge Rusher is the best pick at #26 with Micah, Ware, Williams, Armstrong and Fowler how much play time will Smith Nolan get?

Not a knock on the player, but for a first rounder we need someone who can contribute right away.

Yeah, he'll probably be able to replace Ware eventually but Sam Williams very well could be the DE2 next season if he progresses.

Think the team needs to address another position in Round 1.

And yes, we can never have too many good pass rushers, but a lot of other positions need attention too first imo.

Shhh...you're making too much sense.

 

[Beaker42]

I'm probably old school but I'm not a big fan of underwear Olympics gold medalists with average production moving up that far.

It was just their rookie seasons but the stats are an interesting comparison:

Travon Walker round 1 pick 1
College 33 tackles 7.5 TFL 6 sacks
NFL 49 tackles 5 TFL 3.5 sacks 10 QB hits

Aidan Hutchinson round 1 pick 2
College 62 tackles 16.5 TFL 14 sacks
NFL 52 tackles 9 TFL 9.5 sacks 15 QB hits

Sam Williams Round 2 pick 56
College 57 tackles 15 TFL 12.5 sacks
NFL 22 tackles 10 TFL 4 sacks 9 QB hits

I’m more than taken aback by Hutchinson’s stats. I really didn’t think he would do this in the pros so early.