2023 mock NFL Draft 3.0: Final 11th-hour edition (with trades)
EDGE. Bulldogs . Nolan Smith. 18. player. 814.
On the clock: Pick No. 18: Detroit Lions – Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Mock Draft 1.0: Drew Sanders, Linebacker, Arkansas
Mock Draft 2.0: Drew Sanders, Linebacker, Arkansas
Aidan Hutchinson looks like an excellent EDGE to build the defense around, but Detroit needs some more help to push them over the line in the fight to win the NFC North. Nolan Smith is a boom-or-bust prospect, but he has some exciting physical talent that led him to rise in this draft class.
Smith is a freak athlete that turned heads and set records at the NFL Combine. While Smith never had the production of a first-round pick at Georgia which will unsettle some given the Bulldogs’ deep amount of defensive talent, his physical abilities leaped off the charts during his workout.
😳 Per the NFL Network, Nolan Smith is the heaviest player to have a vertical over 40" & a 40-yard dash less than 4.4 in NFL combine history.
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) March 3, 2023
Nolan ran an official 4.39 40-yard dash and jumped a 41.5" vertical at 238 lbs.
pic.twitter.com/eEJFYr6CrP
Smith does have some concerns, however. He’s undersized for an EDGE at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds and had only three sacks for the Bulldogs in 2022. Given the size and production issues, there’s a bit of a low floor for Smith in the NFL.
The upside is huge though given his historic athleticism. With Hutchinson taking on the bulk of attention on Detroit’s defensive line, Smith would land in a good situation where he could both bulk up physically and develop his moves on the field. Smith is a strong run defender, so he can contribute in that regard right away in 2023.