Pick 8
- 16,116
- 20,143
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
With the 8th pick of the NT NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select...
Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia
Summary: A home grown Georgia prospect. Nolan Smith is a lower weight class edge defender with the toughness to mix it up with bigger players. Based purely upon his sleek but smallish frame, one might expect him to be more effective as a rusher than run defender but the opposite is true. Smith is hard to move off of his spot due to his technique and leverage, and he can be disruptive when firing into gaps. He can get off the mark as a rusher, but lacks the counters and contact balance to consistently assault the pocket at a high rate. Smith falls below the size standards some team might have for a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he plays team-first defense with quality technique that should help him translate to the pros. With 39 sacks total over the last 2 seasons (league worse), Smith is expected to make an immediate impact to a struggling defense.
Strength:
Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia
Summary: A home grown Georgia prospect. Nolan Smith is a lower weight class edge defender with the toughness to mix it up with bigger players. Based purely upon his sleek but smallish frame, one might expect him to be more effective as a rusher than run defender but the opposite is true. Smith is hard to move off of his spot due to his technique and leverage, and he can be disruptive when firing into gaps. He can get off the mark as a rusher, but lacks the counters and contact balance to consistently assault the pocket at a high rate. Smith falls below the size standards some team might have for a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he plays team-first defense with quality technique that should help him translate to the pros. With 39 sacks total over the last 2 seasons (league worse), Smith is expected to make an immediate impact to a struggling defense.
Strength:
- Plays with a team-first mindset and plus toughness.
- Attacks pulling blocks.
- First with hands to separate and stay ready.
- Rare point of attack leverage strength for his size.
- Cuts a tight, efficient track to the ball in pursuit.
- Potential to become a bend-and-flatten rusher.
- Agility for more creative edge-to-edge attacks in the future.
- Slender through waist and hips, with a need for more mass.
- Unable to generate speed-to-power conversion.
- Rush plan can be monotonous and lacking counters.
- Squared up punch from tackle can derail his pass rush.
- Unable to control block and shed quickly.
- Exerts excessive strain to battle tackles at the point of attack.
- Very average pursuit speed for a smaller player.