NFL analyst on Eagles' rookie Nolan Smith: 'He’s a violent player'
One NFL analyst believes the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie has all the makings of a star player.
When the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Nolan Smith with the No. 30 overall pick, they knew he could be good.
But everything that the kid has done thus far proves that he is a star in the making.
On draft night, he asked Eagles general manager Howie Roseman for the playbook. And then, he said he was eager to play in cold weather football games late in the season. So it comes as no surprise that NFL Network and Fox Sports analyst and former lineman Brian Baldinger also believes Smith has what it takes to be a star because Baldinger can see that Smith has the nasty streak in him that will take him to the next level.
“Nolan Smith is rocked up, he’s twitched up, and he’s a violent player,” Baldinger said on a recent podcast. “I’ve watched him in special teams [at Georgia], you know, just drill guys right into the bench. Like, he’s got a violent streak to him. That will play well in Philadelphia.
“And you know, any time you can add 4.39 speed [in the 40-yard dash] to that position, it just makes your whole defense faster. It limits the amount of big plays that get made and it helps a secondary I think that needs help.”
Baldinger compared Smith to Haason Reddick. And it is a comparison that checks out when examining the potential Smith possesses and the wrecking ball that Reddick can be to any offense in the NFL.
“Reddick is an undersized kid and they know how to play him,” Baldinger said. “They play a five-man defensive front a lot of the game and Hassan gets a lot of one-on-one. He doesn’t get doubled and pushed around much and then he can use his speed.”
That is high praise for the former Georgia linebacker. But it doesn't feel too extraordinary that Smith can become a household name in the NFL. He has the physical makeup of a star, and it will come down to on-field opportunity in his rookie season to validate much of the praise he is already receiving.
Feature image via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports.
