Georgia LB Nolan Smith: Falcons 'Want to Keep Me Home' in NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons have several options in the 2023 NFL Draft - could Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith be the best?

Pass rush.

It's something the Atlanta Falcons have lacked for several years - and even moreso of late, ranking last in the NFL in sacks by over 20 across the past two seasons.

The Falcons have addressed the issue to an extent in free agency, signing a pair of former New Orleans Saints in defensive tackle David Onyemata and linebacker Kaden Elliss, who had five and seven sacks, respectively, this past campaign.

But a need still exists on the edge - so how about Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith?

The 6-2, 238-pound Smith wowed at the NFL Combine, running a 4.39 40-yard dash with a 1.52 10-yard split, and had a standout career for the Bulldogs, 11 and a half sacks, 21 and a half tackles for loss and 78 quarterback pressures in 46 games for the back-to-back national champions.

Smith hails from the Peach State, something Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, who was in attendance at Georgia's Pro Day on Wednesday, noted isn't overlooked during their evaluation process.

And after his Pro Day, Smith told 11AliveNews how much he'd value staying in Georgia ... and added that it feels like the Falcons have a lot of interest in making that dream come true.

"I'm a hometown kid and it'd just mean a lot to me," Smith said. "It just seems like they see a future in me and that they really want to keep me home."

ESPN's latest mock draft had the Falcons selecting Smith at No. 8 overall - but does it make sense?

Recently hired defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen has historically run a 4-3 defense but is expected to be multiple and throw 3-4 looks.

The Falcons drafted a pair of outside linebackers in the top-100 last year in Arnold Ebiketie (No. 38 overall) and DeAngelo Malone (No. 82) and were pleased with the progress made throughout the season.

Atlanta's biggest need up front is to add a bigger-bodied defensive end, more in the mold of a prototypical 4-3 edge defender, which Smith doesn't fit - though he does play bigger than his size against the run.

The other idea some have with Smith is to move him off the ball and allow him to play as a traditional linebacker in space; his speed, athleticism and ability to defeat blocks all project nicely to the role.

However, the Falcons drafted Troy Andersen in the second-round last year and just gave Elliss a three-year contract worth $21 million ... and in the day of increasingly heavy nickel sets with only two linebackers on the field, there doesn't seem to be a need for another off-ball linebacker.

Nonetheless, Smith believes the Falcons "see a future" in him - and may just "keep him home" as a result of it.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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