The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Georgia Bulldogs have had 14 defensive players selected over the past two NFL drafts, with three of those prospects being selected by the Green Bay Packers.
Brian Gutekunst selected Eric Stokes in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Gutekunst followed that up by selecting Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
A Bulldog that Gutekunst could target in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is Nolan Smith. The Georgia edge rusher checks in at No. 23 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
Nolan Smith is a DAWG😤 pic.twitter.com/RxSFWIr4eu
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 24, 2023
A five-star recruit, Smith was named Co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year after recording 2.5 sacks in 2019. The following season, Smith recorded 2.5 sacks. In 2021, he recorded 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and one interception.
This past season, Smith recorded seven tackles for loss and three sacks in seven games prior to suffering a torn pectoral muscle that ended his season.
Smith screams off the edge with a quick first step. That first step explosiveness was on full display at the NFL Scouting Combine when Smith clocked a 1.52 10-yard split. That 10-yard split was the fastest among edge rushers. He has the speed to win the corner and shows outstanding closing speed. He plays with active hands that help keep blockers out of his chest.
“Smith has an impressive long arm and the quickness and explosiveness you mentioned allows him to set up tackles outside-in and inside-out, making it hard to overset or underset against him,” Devin Jackson a college sports reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer said. “His pass rush plan as a whole isn’t refined but he uses his athleticism and lower half power to win the leverage battle against bigger tackles.”
Although he only weighs 238 pounds, Smith plays up in weight class against the run. He does not back down and sets a hard edge. He’s strong at the point of attack and can be hard to uproot. He plays with surprising power. The Georgia edge rusher has a high football IQ and is quick to diagnose plays unfolding. He has good change-of-direction skills and has the speed to chase down ball carriers.
“Nolan Smith’s greatest strength is the physicality he plays with at the point of attack,” Jackson said. “For a guy his size, you would think he would be more of a speed and win around the edge type of player, but his ability to take on pulling guards and deconstruct blocks of tackles and tight ends are impressive.”
Smith looks comfortable playing in reverse and dropping into coverage. He’s twitchy in space with smooth change of direction movements.
During his four seasons in Athens, Smith logged 373 snaps on special teams. With his straight-line speed and toughness, Smith could provide an immediate impact on special teams.
Fit with the Packers
A team can never have enough talented pass rushers and the Packers are in dire need of more playmakers off the edge.
With Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare the Packers have a solid trio on paper.
Gary may or may not miss the beginning of the upcoming season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Smith will be 31 in November and could be playing in his final season in Green Bay. Enagbare proved to be a solid rotational piece during his rookie season.
Green Bay’s run defense surrendered five yards per carry, which ranked 29th in the league. The pass rush produced just 256 pressures, and despite playing in just nine games, Gary was third on the team with 38. They need to add a difference-maker.
Adding a player like Smith could help Green Bay shore up the run defense, while also giving their pass rush a much-needed shot in the arm.
“The sky’s the limit for Smith’s potential,” Jackson said. “He’s already an excellent run defender, his natural bend and athleticism to get after quarterbacks will allow him to be used in sub packages as he continues to refine his game and develop his pass rush arsenal while adding mass to his frame. His ability to be a run stopper will allow him to get on the field more and more, and has the ceiling to be a 10+ sack a year type of player.”
With his size and arm length (under 34”), Smith may not be on Green Bay’s draft board. However, it’s doubtful that Gutekunst overlooks the rest of the puzzle.
Smith is one of the most explosive edge rushers in this draft and Green Bay’s pass rush lacked punch last season. Smith’s 1.52 10-yard split was the fastest among all edge rushers and he’d immediately give Green Bay’s pass rush a jolt.
Overlooking him because of his arm length and weight also discredits the type of leader Smith is as well. After suffering a torn pectoral muscle, Smith stuck around the team and by all reports became an extension of the coaching staff.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and with his rare explosiveness, ability against the run, and character, Smith could be one of those exceptions.
