Georgia's Most Important Players: Nolan Smith

Georgia is coming off a year where they lost eight defensive players to the NFL, which can be tough for a team to bounce back from, especially when five of those players were first-round talents.

However, retaining a veteran and one who is comfortable in a leadership role certainly softens that blow and that's exactly what Georgia got back in Nolan Smith.

It's those same characteristics that make Smith one of Georgia's most important players in 2022.

Smith, who was eligible for the NFL draft this past offseason, elected to return to Athens for another season. The former No. 1 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class is coming off his best season yet at Georgia and looks to continue to build off of that.

Last season, Smith racked up 53 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, had one interception, and forced three fumbles, all of which were career-high numbers for Smith. Those may not be the most eye-popping stats for a player who was ranked as the best prospect in his class, but heading into his senior season there are certainly a lot of positives for him to build off of.

There have been some questions about the amount of success Smith could have as Georgia's starting JACK linebacker due to his lack of length and maintaining the necessary weight for one to be successful at that position. Despite that, Smith has continued to show consistency in setting the edge as a run defender and other times just finding a way to make the big play when the Bulldogs needed it.

It's his general effort and pad-level that allow him to succeed according to Dawgs Daily lead editor Brooks Austin:

"Nolan is such an interesting evaluation considering the history of recruiting rankings. He wins on the collegiate level with a tremendous amount of effort, pad-level, and keen instincts far more often than anything God-given or physically imposing. He's an elite run defender that can tend to get swallowed up by lengthier offensive tackles. Though it's clear he's a leader on tape. First to key, first to move, first to speak."

The most interesting thing about Smith however is when you speak to sources inside the building, it was Smith who often called defensive stunts and schemes on the fly a year ago. He's wise beyond his years with regards to applying defensive schematics and doing so on the fly.

There is a lot of value in having a player who not only has a lot of experience on the field but understands what is expected of him and is willing to hold not just himself but his teammates accountable as well. It is a presence that the Bulldogs will certainly need on defense this year and it's exactly what Smith provides for his team.

Smith has been a busy man during this offseason as he has not only begun his summer workouts in Athens but has also been seen working with Chuck Smith, otherwise known as "Doctor Rush." Chuck Smith is a known developer of top-class edge rushers and works with numerous current NFL players.

2022 withholds a major opportunity for Smith to up his draft stock and prove his ranking as a recruit was no fluke. He will have his biggest role yet as a player on Georgia's defense and will without a doubt be one of the Bulldog's most important players during the 2022 season.

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