'Dynamic' Eagles Draft Pick Nolan Smith is Toughest That Oregon OL Faced
Before outside linebacker Nolan Smith was a first-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, he was wreaking havoc off the edge for Georgia during back-to-back national championships.
The 6-3, 238-pound Smith, a five-star recruit, made an impact as a true freshman in Athens and only ascended thereafter, becoming a staple off the edge and starting the last 22 games he played.
One of those was the 2022 season opener, when Smith's Bulldogs dominated Oregon en route to a 49-3 victory. The final score speaks for itself, but so does Smith's play, as he racked up three quarterback pressures in just 15 pass rush snaps while adding two tackles in run defense.
Oregon faced several ranked opponents who featured strong edge rushers throughout the 2022 season, but according to starting left tackle T.J. Bass, Smith was the toughest he saw.
"He's just a dynamic edge rusher," Bass told SI's Eagles Today at the NFL Combine. "I struggled more against quicker guys, and he was pretty quick."
Bass, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors in each of the past two seasons and started 34 consecutive games; he played against more than his fair share of talents but clearly thinks highly of Smith ... and for good reason.
Smith, 22, ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the Combine, a numerical value that only further asserts the athleticism he put on tape. Across his four years at Georgia, Smith played in 46 games, logging 21 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks on a deeply talented defense.
Of course, Philadelphia is already quite familiar with the Bulldogs' defense, as it's drafted defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, linebacker Nakobe Dean and cornerback Kelee Ringo in addition to Smith over the past two years alone.
In essence, there's plenty of the "Dawg Mentality" - now only further strengthened by the addition of the "dynamic" Smith.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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