Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith is one of the top prospects, regardless of position, as the college football season progresses and we look ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft. With several Bulldogs defenders departing Athens to become first-round picks in this past April's draft, Smith is now looked at as one of the leaders and best players on what is another stout unit. He's coming off a season of career highs in tackles (56), tackles for loss (9.0), sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (three).
Below is a comprehensive draft profile for Smith, including his high school and college accolades, scouting report and NFL prospect outlook.
Note: This profile will be updated as more information becomes available.
Background
- Age: 21
- Year: Senior
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 235
- Hometown: Savannah, Georgia
- Interesting fact: No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2019 (247Sports Composite)
CBS prospect ranking
Position: No. 4 EDGE | Overall: No. 24
247Sports profile
High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
Class: 2019
Composite Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0.9994)
- National: 1 | WDE: 1 | Florida: 1 | All-time: 20
High school accolades: First-team All-American (MaxPreps), first-team All-USA (USA Today), first-team junior All-American (MaxPreps), second-team sophomore All-American (MaxPreps), 2016 All-State Class A-Private first-team defense (Georgia Sports Writers Association and the Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Check out Nolan Smith's full 247Sports profile, here. For his MaxPreps profile, click here.
College stats
| Year | Games | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7 | 16 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 14 | 56 | 9.0 | 3.5 | 3 |
| 2020 | 10 | 22 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 18 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 |
College Accolades
Honors
- 2019: Co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year (team awards banquet)
Notable statistics
- 2021 (vs. Michigan): Career-high seven QB pressures
Initial scouting report
"Smith has a relatively thin frame, which may limit his contributions at the point of attack. He does a good job using his hands to get off blocks and is relentless in pursuit. One area of his game that could improve is his overall strength and turning speed to power in his rush. The Georgia native shows good change of direction and first-step quickness." -- CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards (Oct. 4)
