Nolan Smith explains how Brandon Graham won him over with some early leadership

USA Today

2 days ago

Nolan Smith explains how Brandon Graham won him over with some early leadership Brandon Graham won Nolan Smith with some early advice, and the young Eagles star has hung onto that advice ever since.
Sometimes, we all can benefit from someone we look up to putting their arm around us. If you disagree, don't worry. You'll learn that lesson at some point, and all of this will make more sense to you when it does. Lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan Kobe Bryant taught us that we all can benefit from adopting some 'Mamba Mentality'. A franchise legend, Brandon Graham, taught us another lesson.
Flashing a smile or picking someone else up can be just as infectious.
No one has ever spent all of their time around the man affectionately referred to as B.G. by the local media, teammates, and the NFL's most loyal fan base, so as years have gone by, we've paid attention to people who have been around him at various stages of his journey.
The idea was to gather a more well-rounded picture by doing so. Who is Brandon Graham? What do the people who know him best say about him? Guess what we found out? He was never without a smile. He always had a kind word for everyone.
Nolan Smith offers his favorite Brandon Graham story.
Day five of Eagles OTAs wasn't much different than the first four. The organization is about its business. There may be a Super Bowl banner added to the practice bubble, but to a man, every Bird that talks about the recent Lombardi Trophy win has seemingly placed it in their rearview memory. Everyone says they have turned the page.
Graham turned that page and decided he'd retire, and with his exit, Philadelphia loses a locker room leader and a valuable contributor both on and off the field. The future rests in the hands of guys like Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. Both are ready for expanded roles and the chance to prove their best football is still ahead of them.
The routine is familiar. Coaches meet with the media before practice. Players speak with the media afterward. Following the June 3 session, Nolan was among the players who spoke at the podium. In an unexpected show of respect, he offered some perspective on one of the gifts given to him by Brandon Graham.
Football is a unique game. There's a blend of cooperation and competition. The veterans who help these individuals become better players may also be the ones who will one day take their positions.
Nolan Smith will never forget the impact Graham made on him. Two stories couldn't be more similar. The Eagles drafted Graham, a pass rusher, during the 2010 NFL Draft. 13 years later, they drafted another, the man who would eventually replace him.
They're bonded by great personalities, slow starts to their career, similar pedigrees, but most importantly, they're bonded by brotherhood and friendship. Smith still talks to Graham every day, and that might be the best part about both of their stories. Might Nolan play in Philadelphia for 15 years? Time will tell, but deep down, it's easy to hope he will.