Surprise pick at number one in this 2023 NFL mock draft
player. 814. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 20. Edge. . Nolan Smith
20. Seattle Seahawks: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Nolan Smith ran a ridiculous 40-time of 4.39. He’s a 6’2″, 238-pound edge defender with all the physical traits to make a splash as a rookie pass rusher. The Seattle Seahawks, having already selected interior defensive lineman, Jalen Carter with the fifth pick, double up on the defensive line by selecting Smith 20th overall.
The Seahawks were a dominant team at one point and did so with a great running game and dominant defense. With these two first-round picks, they begin to get back to what made them great in years past.
Smith suffered a torn pectoral muscle mid-way through the 2022 season but still produced 19 pressures in eight games before the injury. As a junior two seasons ago, he played in 14 games and tallied 28 pressures, with seven sacks.
According to Next Gen Stats, he grades out with the second athleticism score among the 2023 class of edge defenders. He was also the highest-rated high school recruit in 2019.
Smith grades out very well as a run defender as well and displays excellent technique, which has served him well. He could put on a few extra pounds to help stand up stronger against the bigger guys in the NFL but with that 4.39 speed, I don’t think it’ll cost him too much in that area.