Opportunity Has Arrived For Eagles' Second-Year Edge Rusher

Nolan Smith is playing more and starting to show why he was a first-round pick.

Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. (3). / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - You need talent to succeed in the NFL. You also need an opportunity, and the latter has arrived for second-year Eagles’ edge defender Nolan Smith.

The 30th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith’s rookie campaign was rather non-descript as he interned behind a host of capable veterans.

The Savannah native played in all 18 games (including the postseason loss at Tampa Bay) as a rookie but played just 16% of the defensive snaps in the regular season, a number upped to 23% in the playoffs but only because Smith had to play some off-ball LB out of necessity.

In a microwave society, you can guess how Smith’s rookie season in Philadelphia was evaluated by many. Patience is more of an obstacle than a virtue in many modern quarters.

Not to veteran Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who has been around long enough to understand the start-up costs in the NFL. 

“The more you practice, the more you play, you get better. In spite of what [Hall of Fame Philadelphia 76er] Allen Iverson ever said,” Fangio explained this week. “Some guys, personnel guys around the league, they think, ‘Hey, this guy can do it. Just throw him in.’ They expect the finished product. You never have the finished product with a young player until they get enough practice time and playing time.”

The playing time is now here for Smith due to circumstance with injuries to edge rushers Brandon Graham and Bryce Huff.

In last Sunday’s win at Baltimore Smith played a career-high 58 defensive reps and he flashed in both run support and on the pass rush with a career-high eight tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.

“I just got to finish,” Smith said when asked about his performance. “Want to finish on the quarterback a little bit more. Man, [Lamar Jackson is] a good quarterback. He scrambled, moved around.”

Smith admitted that more reps helps in getting a feel for the game.

"Yeah, yeah it's real easy to get in the flow of the game,” he said. “And you really just, I wouldn't say, you let the game come to you. Man, you got to attack the game every day. And I'm just blessed to have this moment and I'm thankful just to be here."

The young Eagles’ defender also credited his position coach Jeremiah Washburn for the behind-the-scenes work in developing Smith and his pass-rushing arsenal.

“I just testify that to Coach Wash working with me every day,” Smith said. “It don't show up to the end of the [last] year but man just using my hands and him just pouring into me. Man, my coach give me everything he got, and I try to do the same on the field."

MORE NFL: Eagles Moving Dallas Goedert To IR; Add TE To 53-Man Roster