Nolan Smith Has More Upside Than Micah Parsons

Game film of Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith has made a believer out of me.

Wow.

I haven’t seen this combination of speed, burst, effort, and athleticism like this since Giants’ linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

Sorry Micah Parsons, you have what it takes too in terms of raw ability, but I’d rather have Smith who comes without the mouth and doesn’t pick and chose when he wants to play.

I need guys like Smith who show a consistent desire to win on game film.

Smith’s performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, despite recovering from a torn pec in November, was all I needed to see.

Smith is officially now on First Round Mock’s first-round value board top-5.

How do the numbers stack up?

For starters, Parsons (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) ran a 4.36 (40-yard-dash) at the NFL Scouting Combine prior to the 2021 draft. Smith (6-foot-2, 238 pounds) posted a 4.39.

Here’s an interesting fact – – Parsons and Smith both posted 6.5 sacks their final two college seasons, and Smith had more pressures (47 vs. 36).

I also don’t want to hear anything about Smith’s “less than ideal arm length.” Smith’s measured 32 5/8 inches, while Parsons’ measured 31 1/2 inches.

Parsons 10-yard split time was 1.59 seconds, Smith’s was 1.52 seconds. Parson’s vertical was 34.0 inches, Smith’s was 41.5 inches. Parson’s broad jump was 10-foot-5, Smith’s was 10-foot-8.

Even on NFL.com, the post-Combine grades are close (Parsons 6.89 vs. Smith 6.24), but Parsons’ athleticism score was 74, and Smith’s was 85.

Game changer

Smith can win the edge in the NFL, and may God have mercy on quarterbacks who roll out to his side.

The combination of blazing speed, burst and the ability to make sudden changes of direction in space make Smith about impossible to shake.

The cool thing about Smith is the Combine speed shows up on game film. He looks like he was shot out of a cannon at times.

Good against the run

This is also where Smith separates from Parsons – – his desire to play the run.

I was impressed by how hard Smith defended the run.

Tackles for a Loss will become Smith’s new mailing address at the next level.

What a difference a year makes

I am glad I looked at game film from two seasons this draft cycle, instead of one as I always had done in the past.

In my earlier article based on 2021 game film, “Bulldogs’ Nolan Smith Is Playing The Wrong Position,” I gave him a second-round grade.

I just could not get into him playing with his hand down in the dirt at 235 pounds. He disappeared too much.

I walked away thinking “they’ve got to stand him up as a rush linebacker and put him out more in space.”

Smith looked like a different player in 2022.

Send the card in. Run. Don’t walk.

#4 Nolan Smith 6-foot-3, 235 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round Top-5 (I would select him)

First Round Mock Big Board: TBD

Bust Probability: Low

Projected by 51.9% (down from 69.9% on September 24) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 7, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: Florida, Oregon, Missouri, and South Carolina (click to view games watched to form this evaluation).

2021 stats: 55 tackles (31 solo, 24 assists), 1 pass defended, 1 INT, 3 Forced Fumbles, 3.5 sacks (27 pressures georgiadogs.com)

2022 stats: 18 tackles (14 solo, 4 assists), 1 pass defended, 3 sacks (28 pressures (nfldraftbuzz.com)

Note: Missed 1 game in 2021. Missed 7 games in 2022, but posted the same kind of pressure stats.

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Linebacker who can run like the wind with an athletic frame and long arms. Flip flops from side to side. Fast first step as a pass rusher. Uses hands well. Showed swim and head fake pass rush moves. Can dart through the backdoor of the pocket or squeeze through inside gaps and spring in like a coil. Creates pressure and disruption. Elite adjustments in the pocket. Quick close. Can get hung out to dry sometimes on the edges, as he is setting it up. Can slice inside against the run, or chase down outside. Strong disengagement. Solid wrapping form tackler.

Final words

Smith is a generational prospect. That’s only the second time I’ve used that term. It’s not a matter of where he can be lined up, it’s a matter of building a defensive scheme around him.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.