Teams love to see players they’re targeting in the draft perform well at the NFL combine. It’s another box that’s checked by the prospect, either from a height-weight perspective or in terms of athleticism.
But it can sometimes be bad news, too. The Los Angeles Rams are probably feeling that a little bit with Nolan Smith.
The former Georgia Bulldog put together an incredible day at the combine on Thursday, arguably the best of any edge rusher in the class. At 238 pounds, he ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical and had a broad jump of 10 feet, 8 inches. He’s considered one of the most athletic pass rushers in the draft, which is only going to help his draft stock.
His 1.52-second 10-yard split is remarkable, too, the fastest ever by an edge rusher in combine history.
😳 Per the NFL Network, Nolan Smith is the heaviest player to have a vertical over 40" & a 40-yard dash less than 4.4 in NFL combine history.
Nolan ran an official 4.39 40-yard dash and jumped a 41.5" vertical at 238 lbs.
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) March 3, 2023
Nolan Smith's 1.52 10-yard split would be the fastest EVER for an EDGE rusher at the NFL Combine.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 2, 2023
All great news for Smith, who made himself some money in Indianapolis this week. But it’s not great news for the Rams. No player has been slotted to the Rams at No. 36 overall in mock drafts than Smith. He’s a perfect fit for them, a team that desperately needs pass-rush help and athleticism at outside linebacker.
Don’t expect to see Smith mocked to the Rams very often moving forward, though. He’s on the verge of locking himself in as a first-round pick, even with a somewhat raw skill set as a pass rusher.
Teams like to draft athletes at positions that require explosiveness, and that’s bound to get Smith drafted earlier than many expected just a few months ago.
