Georgia Bulldogs LB Nolan Smith Selected No. 30 Overall by the Eagles
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs signed the No. 1 prospect out of high school in the 2019 class, and it was elite outside linebacker, Nolan Smith.
The 5-star prospect from Savannah had plenty of hype around him when he got to Athens, and it’s safe to say Smith lived up to the hype.
The pass-rushing, run-stopping edge defender came back for his senior season last year because he wanted to be a “Georgia legend”, and that’s exactly how he’ll be remembered.
Smith flew up NFL Draft boards this spring after running a blazing 4.39 40-yard dash. He also showed off his 41.5” vertical. Both of those measurements are the best among “defensive lineman” in this year’s combine.
After a brilliant four-year career where he helped the Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships, Smith was selected in the 1st round of tonight’s NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, who now have +330 odds to win the NFC once again according to FanDuel.
His college coach Kirby Smart said Thursday that Smith was critical to Georgia over the last four years.
“Nolan brings a lot of energy. He's a super speed guy. He effects the quarterback. He has a lot of energy. He will be a great special teams player. He was pissing off the offense during practice,” Smart said.
No program in college football is producing elite defensive linemen like Tray Scott and the Georgia Bulldogs right now, and Smith is the latest to hear his name called in the 1st-round.
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The 6-foot-3 235-pounder was a multi-year starter at Georgia who saw his senior season cut short after he tearing a pectoral muscle against the Florida Gators in late October. As a senior in 2022, Smith started in eight games, making 18 tackles, seven TFLs, three sacks, and 16 QB hurries.
For his career, Smith made 114 tackles, 21 TFLs, 11.5 sacks, one INT, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one blocked punt. He was one of college football’s top EDGE defenders against the run, but he showed time and time again that he can shed blocks and attack the quarterback as well.
The 5-star high school prospect had a 5-star career in Athens, and there’s a good chance he’ll have a 5-star career in the NFL.
2022 Georgia Bulldogs DL Nolan Smith
Started at LB in eight games...had 18 total tackles and a team-high 16 QB hurries before going down with an injury in Florida game...three tackles, one for lost yardage, in win over Auburn...had two unassisted tackles and a team-high three QB hurries in season-opening win over No. 11 Oregon...one QB sack that forced an intentional grounding penalty in win over Vanderbilt...tackle for lost yardage and a QB hurry in win over Samford...named to preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defender)...second-team pre-season All-America selection by Athlon Sports.
2021 Georgia Bulldogs DL Nolan Smith
Played in 14 of 15 games, starting in all 14...finished with 56 total tackles, fifth most on the team...also finished with 9.0 tackles for lost yardage (second on team), 3.5 of those coming on QB sacks, along with 27 QB pressures...led the Bulldogs in tackles (8) in Capital One Orange Bowl win over Michigan...also had a career-high seven QB pressures vs. the Wolverines...three tackles, one for loss, two QB hurries and a pivotal play of Georgia’s win over Missouri, when he blocked a second-quarter Tiger punt that resulted in a safety...four total stops in win over Florida...added three career firsts vs. the Gators: forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception, all in a 39-second span of the second quarter...twice named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week: vs. USC and Florida...had four tackles, one QB sack (8-yard loss) and two QB hurries in Georgia’s win over #3 Clemson...team-high eight tackles in win over South Carolina...caused a fumble and also assisted on a sack that resulted in a safety vs. the Gamecocks...named one of three team captains for the Vanderbilt game.
2020 Georgia Bulldogs DL Nolan Smith
Played extensively in all 10 of the Bulldogs' games...first starting assignment of the season in win over Tennessee...finished with 22 total stops and 20 QB pressures...credited with a career-best six tackles at Arkansas, including 1.5 stops for 14 lost yards...also had four QB pressures vs. the Razorbacks...had three stops and a pair of QB hurries in win over Auburn...four tackles and a QB pressure vs. Alabama...had three tackles in win at Missouri, including the Bulldogs' lone QB sack of the game.
2019 Georgia Bulldogs DL Nolan Smith
Co-winner of Defensive Newcomer of the Year, given at team’s post-season awards gala...played in all 14 games and finished with 18 total stops, including 2.5 sacks for 19 lost yards...also had 15 QB pressures, fourth-best on the team...three tackles and a QB pressure vs. Georgia Tech...two stops vs. Missouri included a QB sack for a 9-yard loss...had 1.5 sacks vs. Murray State...enrolled at UGA in January and participated in Spring drills.
IMG Academy (FL) LB Nolan Smith
Coached by Kevin Wright…one of four finalists for the Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top senior offensive and defensive linemen…247sports.com five-star prospect, top-ranked prospect nationally…PrepStar Magazine five-star prospect, #2 prospect nationally, #2 WR…ESPN.com five-star prospect, #2 prospect nationally, #2 defensive end prospect nationally, #1 prospect in Florida...Rivals.com five-star prospect, #5 prospect nationally, #2 player in Florida…had 47 tackles, 14.5 for a loss and 6.5 sacks in his senior season…USA Today All-USA first team and #2 on the USA TODAY pre-season Chosen 25…as a junior, he had 41 tackles, 10 TFL, four sacks, two fumbles recovered, an interception, a fumble forced and a blocked punt…2017 MaxPreps Junior All-American Team First-Team offense…transferred to IMG Academy in January of 2017, after two years at Calvary Day, where he played DL and RB…2016 All-State Class A-Private First Team defense by both the Georgia Sports Writers Assn. and AJC…2016 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American Team Second-Team defense…defensively, he amassed 75 tackles – 16 for a loss – to go along with 27 QB hurries, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt as a sophomore…offensively, he led the team with 712 rushing yards and scored 12 total TDs.
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