The NFL Draft kicks off with its opening round on April 27 in Kansas City, so Rivals is taking a look back at its projected first-round picks when they were high school prospects. We move on to our projected No. 8 – Georgia edge/outside linebacker Nolan Smith, who was a five-star in the 2019 class.
Smith is yet another alum of the Rivals Camp Series – in fact, six of our top eight NFL Draft projections competed in and helped make their name at Rivals camps.
NFL DRAFT REWIND: No. 1 Bryce Young | No. 2 CJ Stroud | No. 3 Will Anderson | No. 4 Will Levis | No. 5 Tyree Wilson | No. 6 Jalen Carter | No. 7 Anthony Richardson
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 No. 8: LB Nolan Smith, Georgia Â
Where they were ranked: The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star linebacker was ranked second overall in the 2019 class behind only LSU signee Derek Stingley Jr. Smith, Ohio State signee Curtis Grant and Oklahoma signee Mike Reed were the three highest-ranked linebackers in Rivals' history dating back to 2002.
Recruitment: Smith committed to Georgia early, but that’s really when his recruitment started to take off. Alabama tried to flip him constantly and Clemson was in the mix for a long time while Tennessee, Penn State and Ohio State – among others – were also in the mix. The IMG standout definitely took visits and played the game for some time, but in the end stuck with the Bulldogs.
Biggest draft question: Is Smith big and physical enough to take on NFL offensive linemen? That will be the question NFL decision-makers will have to determine if someone decides he’s worthy of a top-10 pick.
Memories: There are a ton of memories from Smith during the recruiting process because he seemed to be everywhere - at the all-star games, at camps, at all the big events. He especially made a massive impression during games when IMG Academy played.
What stood out most about Smith was just how much he seemed to love being around the game. He would chat it up with anybody. He would be engaged in conversation all the time, focused on drills, and he was an especially good teammate.
I remember numerous times standing on the IMG sideline during games and it was always Smith who would be upbeat and looking forward to the next drive. He was always encouraging the offense from the sideline – and it was usually not too tough because IMG was way ahead.
On the field, he was relentless. The five-star played outside linebacker, but he also came off the edge and had a nonstop motor to make plays and cause havoc.
What’s interesting now is that Smith, despite all his ability and production during his time at Georgia, is seen as a little bit of a tweener. How does he fit in an NFL defense coming off the edge at only 238 pounds? The other elite high first-round picks such as Will Anderson and Tyree Wilson are 253 and 271, respectively.
Smith’s demeanor, focus and personality will be contagious in an NFL locker room. Even if he’s not the absolute desired physical size, he’s going to run through a wall for anybody and be productive when he’s on the field. Taking a shot on him this high would be a wise move, especially for an Atlanta Falcons team that needs help where Smith can provide it.
