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Nolan Smith Could Be Quick 2022 NFL Draft Riser If He Declares

By Jacob Schyvinck

Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith (4) after the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game between Georgia and Alabama in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. Alabama won 41-24.News Joshua L Jones
Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith (4) after the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game between Georgia and Alabama in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. Alabama won 41-24.News Joshua L Jones /
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Should he declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith could become a quick riser.

It’s no secret that the edge class for the 2022 NFL Draft is a stacked one. With guys like Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and George Karlaftis headlining, and risers like David Ojabo and Jermaine Johnson II, it’s a class that will have studs fall into day two come April in Las Vegas. There’s another who could make a quick rise through the process should he declare, and that’s Georgia’s Nolan Smith.

The Georgia defense makes it hard to stand out on, as there are studs everywhere that make up one of the best units remembered. The front seven is especially dominant, with Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Jalen Carter. Their rotation up front across the board makes it hard to get a ton of snaps every game, and that’s where Smith could fly a bit under the radar.

Smith was a high recruit in his class as the number two recruit nationally and the top player in the state of Florida. He’s played in 38 games so far, and only has 7.5 sacks through the regular season of 2021, along with just 10 tackles for loss. But again, with Azeez Ojulari there last season plus this season’s rotation, it’s been tougher for him to get in the national spotlight.

If Smith declares for the 2022 NFL Draft, teams will like what they see and he could be a quick riser. He’s extremely quick, explosive, and bendy at 235 pounds, and can look like he’s been shot out of a cannon when he gets into the backfield to create pressure.

He may need to bulk up a bit to fit more defenses in the NFL, but it shouldn’t be a huge issue, especially with how well he stacks up as a run defender at his size. Smith plays low with good leverage, hand placement, and power to hold the edge and sometimes push tackles back.

That combination of speed, bend, and power is a combination that isn’t very common for a player of the size of Nolan Smith. He could be a big riser throughout the 2022 NFL Draft process with his testing numbers and when scouts get to the tape.

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