As we start our annual series introducing the newest members of the Georgia Bulldogs, we begin with the player many believe has the potential to make a quick impact - outside linebacker Nolan Smith.
The Savannah native began his career at Calvary Baptist before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he honed his skills to become one of the most sought-after prospects in the entire country. He wound up being ranked the No. 2 player in the entire nation.
At 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, Smith is already on campus as an early enrollee
What is Georgia getting in Smith?
The Bulldogs are getting a player with a number of rare attributes.
Smith is a hard worker, someone who has never taken his considerable talent for granted and has pushed himself to be the very best he can be. He could have easily coasted on his athletic gifts. That effort drove him to test at the top of the charts in the Nike SPARQ ratings, which is unusual for a player his size.
Speaking of size, once he adds additional body mass, Smith could ultimately play with his hand in the dirt. Currently he projects as a stand-up pass rusher where his quickness and speed could pay immediate dividends for Georgia this fall.
Rivals analyst Adam Gorney on Smith at the Army All-American Game: "The Georgia signee looked excellent at linebacker, he was great navigating through traffic to make plays, he is super fast tracking players sideline to sideline and he loves to hit. Then Smith went to compete in the lineman one-on-ones and even though he was undersized against some massive offensive linemen he used his speed to get to the edge and win some reps. Every time I’ve seen Smith over the last two seasons he’s a ball of excited energy, clearly loves to play the game and goes out on the field every snap to make something happen. Georgia is getting a great one."
What to expect
Smith has "star" written all over him, and there's every reason to expect him to have quite the career with the Bulldogs. Although Georgia has some talented young players at outside linebacker like Adam Anderson and Brenton Cox, we expect Smith will work his way into the lineup and provide excellent depth this fall.
Playing time prediction
Kirby Smart has never been afraid to play a true freshmen, especially those who come in as an early enrollee.
Although it's unclear exactly what outside linebacker position he will be playing, he' has the versatility to play either the Sam, or perhaps the Jack.
The outside linebacker position is one of the youngest positions on the Georgia defense, but it's also shaping up to be one of the more talented with the likes of Adam Anderson, Brenton Cox, Walter Grant, Robert Beal and Azeez Ojulari. Yet despite their advantage in terms of experience, Smith is too talented not find a way into the rotation.