The 2023 NFL draft is just over one week away, and we here at Commanders Wire will look to profile multiple 2023 prospects daily leading up to day one of the draft.
We will focus on prospects who could be available for Washington and who fit a position of need. Our prospect profiles will not be exclusive to projected first-round picks only but also players who will be selected on the second and third days of the NFL draft.
The Commanders are first on the clock at No. 16 overall.
Today, we profile Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith.
The numbers
Size: 6-foot-2, 238 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds
Arms: 32 5/8″
Hands: 9″
Vertical jump: 41 1/2″
Broad jump: 10′ 8″
10-yard split: 1.52 seconds
Scouting report
Nolan Smith didn’t have that one year at Georgia that you say, “wow.” However, the Bulldogs often rotate their defensive linemen, which cuts down on individual statistics. Smith isn’t the biggest, but his explosiveness will have NFL teams coveting him as a situational pass rusher early in his career.
Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said about Smith:
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.
College stats
2019: Played in all 14 games as a freshman. Smith finished with 18 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 15 QB pressures.
2020: Played in all 10 games, recorded 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 20 QB pressures.
2021: Started all 14 games in which he played, recorded 56 tackles, including nine for loss, 3.5 sacks and 27 QB pressures.
2022: Started eight games before an injury ruined his season. He finished with 18 tackles, including seven for loss, three sacks and 16 QB pressures.
Highlights
Fit with Commanders
At first glance, picking an edge rusher in the first round makes no sense for the Commanders. However, Montez Sweat and reserves Efe Obada, James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill are all free agents at the conclusion of the season. Additionally, Washington still hasn’t decided if it will pick up Chase Young’s fifth-year option. So, Smith, or another edge rusher, makes sense.
If Smith is the pick, it doesn’t mean Washington would let both Sweat and Young walk. The goal is likely to keep one, with Smith giving them a cheaper option on a rookie deal. Smith can also provide the Commanders with a situational pass rusher on third downs in 2023.
