It’s no secret that Georgia freshman outside linebacker Nolan Smith has one of the brightest futures of any player on the roster. He was a freak athlete coming out of high school, having posted the fourth highest SPARQ rating in the 2019 Opening Finals. He was also rated the No. 2 player nationally, only behind fellow five-star Derek Stingley, Jr.

With half of the season now complete, how has Smith fared?

He has seen action in all six games, having his best performance against Murray State, when he had 1.5 sacks. Most recently, Smith had two tackles against South Carolina that showcased his superior athleticism, impressing head coach Kirby Smart.

"He made a heck of a play in the game, late. Effort guy. He runs that quarterback down late in the game, just extremely good effort. He had two times that he's right all over the quarterback as he's throwing the ball on boots and nakeds, and that was a really athletic guy.”

On Smith’s best plays, he can be unblockable. It’s not too often that a true freshman can make SEC offensive linemen look silly, but the even more promising aspect of Smith’s game is that he’s still has a lot to learn.

“I think he's improving rapidly,” said Smart. “He played the counter well; one of his pitfalls is going to be playing the run against big people, and he did an excellent job of squeezing and bouncing back. He continues to get better and show promise, and we're playing him quite a bit."

The playing time Smith has earned hasn’t been surprising given his talent, but it is noteworthy considering the depth Georgia has at the position. The leader of that group has been redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari. Smart says the two have complemented each other well so far.

“He can play so athletic, so fast, and so explosive, that I don’t think people account for how twitchy he is up there and really disruptive,” said Smart of Smith. “He’s a complement to Azeez, because Azeez has been a good run defender for us. Nolan has a good movement guy. He’s quick."

The two freshmen are turning into quite the dynamic duo.

“We’re really close, man," Ojulari said when asked about Smith. "It’s a brotherhood in our room. We just love each other. We fight for each other and support each other, no matter what.”