6 Eagles on Thin ice Following the NFL Draft

3. Nolan Smith, EDGE

Nolan Smith is another Georgia defender although he was taken much earlier than his former Bulldog teammate, Kelee Ringo. Smith was the 30th pick overall in 2023 and the Eagles knew he would be a project player. Listed at just 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, Smith has desirable traits to get after the quarterback but even during his collegiate days, his numbers left a lot to be desired.

As a rookie, he appeared in all 17 games with no starts and hardly made an impact. Smith finished with just 18 tackles and one sack with four quarterback pressures. That's not a death sentence considering he was seen as a project but the concerns have to be growing following the Eagles' moves in free agency as well as the draft.

The Eagles re-signed Josh Sweat who was predicted to be on the way out and have Brandon Graham coming back for one final year. They also added Bryce Huff who had a breakout campaign in 2023 for the New York Jets. Huff agreed to a three-year deal worth $51 million.

Smith could still find a role on the team with that depth but he now has another project player to compete with. The Eagles selected Jalyx Hunt from Houston Christian in the third round of the draft. Hunt is a small school product with an unbelievably high ceiling. If he can develop his traits, he could not only find a role in the NFL for years to come but could make Smith an afterthought if he doesn't improve in a hurry.