Nolan Smith?

I am far from the draft expert around these parts so I will defer this question to others. Nolan Smith has been brought up on this board a lot more since the combine. He even was our pick at 18 in our den mock draft. I personally love this kid as a prospect and think he is very undervalued in the eyes of the media/fans and will be drafted higher than most expect.

So my question is, assuming the top 5 goes like this

  1. Carolina - CJ Stroud
  2. Texans - Bryce Young
  3. Cardinals - Will Anderson
  4. Colts - Anthony Richardson
  5. Seahawks - Jalen Carter

Is Nolan Smith a possiblity at 6? Let me start this conversation by saying I am not advocating for this, yet. I would be very surprised if he made it to 18. I understand his production isn’t the greatest, but there are a lot of reasons for that. He has a fantastic work ethic, is extremely likable/good teammate, has truly elite physical gifts, and is a perfect culture fit. I also think he has the potential to be the best defender from this draft class.

I am not advocating for him at 6 because of how deep we are at edge right now. The thing with Smith is, he isn’t strictly an edge. He is an absolute force against the run and also has legit cover skills.

I know this is going to sound like a bit of a hyperbole, but I really think he can have a Micah Parsons type impact as a player. Maybe not as quick as Micah has, but I think that potential is there. The more I think about it with a clear lack of an obvious fit at 6, Nolan Smith is more of a possiblity than most think right now.

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Charles Davis came out with his updated mock yesterday and did exactly what you listed…Nolan to Lions at #6. I don’t know much about him cause he had the pec injury.

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I learned about Nolan a year ago when he was sacking U of M’s QB in the playoffs… but it was his interviews that pushed him up my wish list.

But i take him at #18. I would be shocked if he goes higher than that.

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He seems like the type of guy that, when Dan Campbell talks about the few players who “have the it factor” from the combine, Smith would’ve been in that small group. I think he’s a very real possibility at 6. And I wouldn’t hate it. When it’s the fourth quarter in tight games, the team that is fresh enough to reach the quarterback is going to win.

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What position does he play here?

I don’t think he’s exactly what we’re looking for right now.

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I’m not sure with him at 6, but I could live with it, but definitely Nolan over any CB at 6!

I wouldn’t be shocked if Seattle takes him. :eyes:

I think we would use him a lot like Dallas uses Parsons, expect maybe even a little more as a traditional LB’er.

It could happen. Not ruling anything out, but, I get beat up for suggesting a RB, because we have 4 on the roster.
OLB/Edge is among the deepest positions on the team.
Then again, we have 9 CB’s and want more, so…

Oh, then the Lions are definitely not considering him. lol

This year. How many of those edge/cb guys are not under contract for 2024? (it’s a lot)

Parsons played 738 snaps on the DLine and 171 snaps as more of a traditional stand up LB’er.

To me Nolan would probably play closer to 30-40% of his snaps as a tradional stand up LB’er due to our depth on the edge. Nolan may be the best run defender in this draft class and has some legit cover skills as well.

A pass rushing lineup of Ominsky and Pascal inside with Houston and Hutch on the edge and Nolan coming from anywhere could be scary.

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I absolutely think he’s in play. My hunch is he isn’t our first option, but if the draft fell like you had it, I think he’d be on a very short list for us.

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Yeah, I definitely agree. I just don’t know if the Lions will spend high draft capital on a guy who may be playing 40% of his snaps at LB. I wouldn’t hate it, but they’ve been pretty Billy Beane at LB since they’ve arrived.

Would also make it tough to know WHO is actually rushing… and who is dropping.

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Personally I would be shocked if we went Nolan Smith at 6. He would play the very position James Houston IV played last year while rocketing from obscurity to the all-time NFL pass rush record book. Sure, Nolan is a nice prospect and ticks a lot of DC’s boxes, but he is not going to be the pick at 6.

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I feel the same way about Nolan. And wonder if the depth we have at edge causes us to cross train him with anzalone.

Glad you started the thread though because I wouldn’t have.

I think he with out a doubt goes WAY before 18.

If those players are off the board, whos the pick then? I personally don’t think they take one of the CB’s. I think JSN could be in play. I don’t think Tyree Wilson is a great fit for us. Maybe Skoronski, but that is a ton of investment into the OLine and we won’t be able to pay them all.

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Is our plan to make him a true off ball LB like we did with Barnes? If so I would consider it. Those LBs don’t grow on trees. Parsons was a true LB at Penn St. If we just want to add him to the rotation of edge rushers we already have I don’t see it. I think it’s much easier for a LB to convert to edge rusher than turning an edge rusher into a LB. Barnes has all the skills but has struggled with the conversion.

Wilson is a better fit than Smith. Brings positional flexibility in a way that Smith doesn’t. Smith can play LB? Holmes has shown that he is willing to play money ball at LB. I don’t see Smith being the pick at all.

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