Saints snag edge rusher Nolan Smith in recent PFF mock draft
The New Orleans Saints had to get their feet in the mud and find some defensive line help after the departures of David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle on their interior. New Orleans was able to acquire defensive tackles, Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd. That area can still use work, and the Saints will do so […]
The New Orleans Saints had to get their feet in the mud and find some defensive line help after the departures of David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle on their interior.
New Orleans was able to acquire defensive tackles, Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd. That area can still use work, and the Saints will do so at some point in the NFL draft. However, a recent mock by Pro Football Focus has the Saints addressing the edge rusher spot in the first round, and it's a complete steal.
They have the Saints selecting Georgia standout Nolan Smith.
The Saints have lost too much on the defensive line lately, and Smith is just a freaky athlete who could have a really high ceiling. The sack numbers aren’t impressive, but a 4.39 guy coming off the edge is really something. His ability to spy in a league dominated by mobile quarterbacks could be a big positive.
Damian Parson of The Draft Network said this in his scouting report of Smith.
When studying Smith, the three words I wrote down to capture/describe his game were: physical, violent, and relentless. As a result, Smith is a difficult task to block in the run game, especially for tight ends. His full-body strength is on display consistently but his base is where it begins. Smith digs his feet into the turf and creates a nearly immovable object versus the run. I appreciate the ferocity he plays with because that is not a teachable trait—you either have it or you don’t. He approaches every play with a “you can’t block me” mentality and I love it. To add to his power and physicality, he is an explosive downhill athlete. His first step, when used properly, can propel him upfield and into action quickly. His athleticism is shown when asked to drop into coverage even in small instances but he does not look like a fish out of water.
Smith was never a conference or national All-American at Georgia, but he was a steady force for four years. He had a knack for making plays behind the line of scrimmage with 20 tackles for loss. Also, he racked up 12.5 sacks which would have been quite a bit higher had he not suffered a torn pectoral muscle in 2022.
The versatility of Smith's game is unique for a defensive lineman. He logged 23 snaps in the box and 28 in the slot in addition to 1,093 on the line per PFF.
Smith would come in immediately and another force on the edge for the Saints along with eight-time Pro Bowler Cam Jordan.
