2023 NFL mock draft: Philadelphia Eagles select EDGE Nolan Smith

The Super Bowl runner ups (AKA losers) are on the clock. That’s right, for the second time in our 2023 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles are ready to make their pick.

Acting as the Eagles’ general manager this year is POD commenter Sprtn66. With the 10th overall pick, the Eagles added Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee to help a defensive line that lost a few pieces this free agency. Before we get into Sprtn66’s pick with the 30th selection, make sure you catch up on the 20 picks in between with our 2023 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker.

Now, with the 30th pick in the POD Community Mock, the Eagles have selected Nolan Smith, edge defender out of Georgia.

Here’s Sprtn66 with the explanation:

“For a team coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the Eagles have a lot of needs in this draft after free agency losses this off-season. To me, the biggest need was replacing Javon Hargrave at defensive tackle. I took Bryan Bresee with the 10th pick. While many panned the pick, I felt he was the perfect complement to pair with Jordan Davis with an RAS of 9.04.

Safety was another big need, but there was no one I felt comfortable taking at this pick. I could use another running back, but I am not a fan of taking one in round one. Hopefully I can find one to pair with Rashaad Penny later. Interior offensive line is another need, I considered Joe Tippman and Steve Avila, I also considered a pure linebacker like Trenton Simpson.

“All those options, I decided to just go BPA. #16 on Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 list is Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith. Edge is definitely a need as well. Haason Reddick is 30 and on a very expensive contract. Brandon Graham is 35 and on a one-year deal. They do also have Josh Sweat and Tarron Jackson. Nolan Smith is a Haason Reddick clone with an RAS of 9.2 and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. Although small for an edge at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, he is still stout against the run. Nolan Smith is taylor made for the Eagles defense and a steal at this pick. Here’s is Daniel Jeremiah’s profile of Smith from his mock draft at the beginning of the month:”

“Smith is an undersized edge rusher with elite change of direction and burst. As a pass rusher, he has a dynamic get-off from a two-point stance, and his ability to bend and close at the top of his rush is special. He is a very loose and twitched-up athlete. When he gets upfield, he can put his outside foot in the ground and explode back inside to defeat blocks. Against the run, he’s at his best when he uses his quickness to slip blocks and penetrate. His lack of bulk shows up at times, as he’ll get uprooted. He missed a big chunk of the 2022 season due to injury. Overall, Smith has a lot of similar traits to Haason Reddick, and I believe he’ll be utilized in the same way at the next level.”

What do you make of the Eagles’ pick of EDGE Nolan Smith? Grade the pick below and share your detailed thoughts in the comment section below: