Nolan Smith, the Georgia OLB, sits at No. 13 on the consensus board across 27 public boards. The tier model reads him as a role player — 14% elite, 33% starter.
Physicality
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: “He can get off the mark as a rusher, but lacks the counters and contact balance to consistently assault the pocket at a high rate.”
Production Context
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: “Lower weight class edge defender with the toughness to mix it up with bigger players.”
Production Context
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: “Smith is hard to move off of his spot due to his technique and leverage, and he can be disruptive when firing into gaps.”
Sources · 4 · quotes 2
The report above is our synthesis. These links preserve the research trail; quoted language below remains the source's own.
- Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
- Bucky Brooks, NFL Network
- Lance Zierlein, nfl_com_zierlein
- Bucky Brooks, nflcom_bucky_brooks
“…Lower weight class edge defender with the toughness to mix it up with bigger players. Based purely upon his sleek but smallish frame, one might expect him to be more effective as a rusher than run defender but the opposite is true. Smith is hard to move off of his spot due to his technique and leverage, and he can be disruptive when firing into gaps. He can get off the mark as a rusher, but lacks the counters and con…”
“…Smith is a standup edge defender with the versatility to play multiple spots on the second level. The Georgia star could fill a void as a DPR (designated pass rusher) or play in the box as a run-and-chase defender. With unique traits and rare athleticism, the combine star is surging up the charts.…”
Sourced synthesis from 4 scouting sources, not original film. How these reports are written →