Latest news with #NolanSmith
USA Today
2 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Nolan Smith explains how Brandon Graham won him over with some early leadership
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.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Nolan Smith is looking to have a Von Miller type of impact for Eagles in 2025
Nolan Smith is looking to have a Von Miller type of impact for Eagles in 2025 Nolan Smith is looking to emulate Brandon Graham in Philadelphia and told Zach Berman that he needs to be a dominant run stopper to be an elite pass rusher for the Eagles Nolan Smith: "Watching Von Miller in (Fangio's) defense made me want to be the person I am today. Relentless. Like, who is that guy? What does he do during the offseason? Why is he always at the ball? ...Coach Fangio, watching him and how he molded those guys, it's nothing for me… — Zach Berman (@ZBerm) June 4, 2025 Nolan Smith has spent his first two NFL seasons making daily improvements and developing into one of the top young pass rushers in the league. With Brandon Graham's retirement now official, the former Georgia linebacker is aware that he'll need to take his game to an elite level for Philadelphia to return to the Super Bowl. The Eagles held their fifth OTA session on Tuesday, and following the practice, Smith discussed his outlook on 2025 and what steps he'll need to take to emulate Graham's impact on the franchise. While Jalen Carter has been a star since Day 1, Smith has quietly and intensely carved out a role in the NFL. As a rookie, Smith recorded 18 tackles and 1.0 sacks in 17 regular-season games. Playing behind Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham, the former Georgia star linebacker didn't play more than eight defensive snaps in a game until Week 12. Smith's coming-out party came during the Eagles' postseason run, when the confident former Georgia star made plays in every game, including the Super Bowl 59 win. In Year 2, he became an every-down contributor for the Eagles, playing 755 snaps in 2024 and grading out better against the run (74.0) than as a pass-rusher (68.3), but still managed to generate 50 pressures according to PFF. Smith was the Eagles' best pass rusher down the stretch, and he likely gained more respect from his teammates after playing through a torn Triceps. Smith had four tackles and two sacks in the wild-card round win over Green Bay. Smith, who finished 2nd on the defense with a career-high 6.5 sacks in the regular season, had the most pressures (13) among NFL players in the playoffs last year. Smith's 4.5 sacks last postseason are the most ever recorded by an Eagle during a single playoff run.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Analyst Predicts Former First-Rounder as Eagles 'X-Factor'
Analyst Predicts Former First-Rounder as Eagles 'X-Factor' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It has only taken two playoff runs, but Nolan Smith has quickly become one of the best playoff performers in Philadelphia Eagles history. Advertisement The Georgia product has recorded 4.5 sacks in the playoffs, including 3.5 during the team's postseason run to Super Bowl LIX. That is just a single sack behind Brandon Graham all-time in Eagles history. Going into the 2025 season, the Eagles can't just rely on Smith in the postseason. After an offseason where several edge rushers left the team, Philadelphia is expecting a major jump from Smith in his third year with the team. That is why Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman called Smith the Eagles' "X-Factor" for the new year. "Philadelphia lost longtime contributors Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason, which puts third-year man Nolan Smith in the spotlight off the edge," Chadwick and Wasserman wrote. "Smith posted a solid 68.3 PFF pass-rush grade last season as he began to earn more playing time. In Philadelphia's four postseason games, he racked up 19 pressures and four sacks. Advertisement "If he can produce at that level for a full season, the Eagles will have no problem replacing their departed stars." Smith recorded a strong 6.5 sacks last year while improving as an every-down run defender. ... so it is not all just about individual numbers. But he is a first-round talent. And he now has a track record in the clutch. Will Nolan Smith be able to take the next step as a star? That's something the Eagles are hoping for as they begin their title defense. Related: Eagles Heavy Favorite To Snap Strange Sports Streak Related: Eagles A.J. Brown Makes Hilarious Admission After Viral Rollercoaster Experience This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Nolan Smith land in a PFF ranking of the NFL's top 32 edge rushers?
Where does Nolan Smith land in a PFF ranking of the NFL's top 32 edge rushers? first two seasons, Eagles' linebacker Nolan Smith landed at No. 28 in a PFF ranking of the top 32 edge rushers in the NFL While Jalen Carter has been a star since Day 1, Nolan Smith has quietly and intensely built himself into one of the top young edge rushers in the NFL. As a rookie, Smith recorded 18 tackles and 1.0 sacks in 17 regular-season games. Playing behind Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham, the former Georgia star linebacker didn't play more than eight defensive snaps in a game until Week 12. Smith's coming-out party came during the Eagles' Super Bowl run, when the confident former Georgia star made plays in every game, including the Super Bowl 59 win. PFF recently revealed their top 32 edge rushers for 2025, and Smith made the list, landing at No. 28. Smith served as a backup on a loaded Eagles defense during his rookie season in 2023, logging just 203 snaps. In Year 2, he became an every-down contributor for the Super Bowl champions, playing 755 snaps over the entire campaign. Smith graded better against the run (74.0) than as a pass-rusher (68.3) but still managed to generate 50 pressures. With Josh Sweat departing for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Smith will face increased pressure to lead the Eagles' edge unit moving forward. Smith was the Eagles' best pass rusher down the stretch, and he likely gained more respect from his teammates after playing through a torn Triceps. Smith had four tackles and two sacks in the wild-card round win over Green Bay. Smith, who finished 2nd on the defense with a career-high 6.5 sacks in the regular season, had the most pressures (13) among NFL players in the playoffs last year. Smith's 4.5 sacks last postseason are the most ever recorded by an Eagle during a single playoff run. In the Super Bowl win, an injured Smith had two quarterback hits.
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New Eagles pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari excited to reunite with former Georgia teammates
New Eagles pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari excited to reunite with former Georgia teammates After spending four seasons with the Giants, pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari has landed in Philadelphia with several familiar faces. Ojulari, 24, signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Eagles despite New York's interest in bringing him back. He was expected to receive a higher offer on the open market, but Ojulari is betting on himself to excel on a young defensive line coming off a Super Bowl. GM Howie Roseman adds Ojulari to his growing list of former Bulldogs on the Eagles roster: Jalen Carter, Lewis Cine, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Kelee Ringo, and Nolan Smith. While addressing the media during his introductory press conference, Ojulari stated he was excited to reunite with old teammates but is particularly close with Nolan Smith. "It's amazing having that chemistry and brotherhood with those guys, it's just amazing to come back here and just keep it going on," Ojulari said on Wednesday. "We got so many Georgia guys here. Nolan [Smith], that's my brother for real. All of them are my brothers, but Nolan, since we've been in the same room since Georgia, I'm probably more close with him. But I'm close with all of them – we all share that brotherhood and the relationship we have is amazing. I'm ready to be here now." Ojulari was a member of the 2020 Georgia team that defeated Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl, handing them their only loss of the season. He had two forced fumbles and three sacks in that game, including one for a safety on the final play. The Giants drafted Ojulari No. 50 overall in the following NFL Draft, which yielded immediate results. The second-round pick played in all 17 games and tallied 8.0 sacks in 2021, a new franchise rookie record. Injuries plagued Ojulari's next three seasons, as he appeared in only 29 games. Ojulari has proven to be an effective pass-rusher when healthy, and he could be a key piece of a rotation featuring Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Josh Uche. In addition to Georgia alumni, Ojulari is reconnecting with running back Saquon Barkley and cornerback Adoree' Jackson, whom he played with in New York.
