When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Nolan Smith with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, expectations were high for the Georgia product.
Instead, Smith was buried on the depth chart.
“A lot of people think you’re supposed to come into the league and dominate and do all of this and that,” he said. “I have the same hopes and dreams that everyone has for me. I want to get 10-plus sacks and do all of that. But realistically, it’s a learning curve. These guys have been in here for 15 years, these guys have been in here for a long time.”
Smith finished his rookie season with a disappointing 18 tackles, three QB hits, and a single sack.
But now with Haason Reddick out of the picture, Smith will get a chance to redeem himself this fall in the Eagles' revamped defense under Vic Fangio.
Smith couldn't be more ready for a larger workload and has bulked up from 238 to 245.
“I’m coming in a little more bulky,” he said. “… I just want to get there, just personally. Me and Coach Wash talked about it, and he feels comfortable with that. He said, ‘As long as I keep my speed, we good.’”
While Smith plans on getting bigger, stronger, and faster, he doesn't plan on changing his infectious attitude.
“I’m taking the same attitude and approach that I did last year, trying to help the team any way that I can and still be that juice, that energy guy, always picking people up,” he said. "I feel like I’ve got to be an energy guy, 1) because I’m young, and 2) I do got a lot of juice. I got some to give and for people to feed off me, like, you may be coming in with a bad day, but you’re gonna see Nolan smiling up, giddy and excited to be here.”
The Eagles don't have a clear-cut plan for Smith just yet, but he doesn't care and is willing to slide into whatever role he's asked to do.
“Whatever they tell me to do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability,” he said. “One, because I love football. And two, because I love the Eagles and Philadelphia. I’d do anything for this city. If it’s playing off-the-ball backer, I’ll do it. If it’s playing on-the-ball backer, I’ll do it.
"It really don’t matter to me. Football is football at the end of the day.”
With that kind of mindset, it's hard to see Smith let down impatient Eagles fans once again in 2024.
