NFL Insider Projects Lions to Nab Surprise Prospect With Top-10 Pick

Getty Nolan Smith celebrates a big play for Georgia in 2021.

There have been plenty of differing opinions about what may happen in the 2023 NFL draft for the Detroit Lions, but perhaps none as interesting as a recent mock.

Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo put together his projection about what the top 10 will look like a week away from the NFL draft. He had some surprises for many teams, but his pick for the Lions may have been the most interesting.

Lombardo had the Lions landing Georgia edge defender Nolan Smith with their sixth-overall selection. Up to this point, Smith has not been a popular player in terms of mock status in the top 10, but with this selection, he sees a major nudge up the board.

Detroit has already been rumored to be hunting players for their defensive line, and Smith is the kind of talent that would be interesting for the team. During the pre-draft process, the Lions have already said to be doing homework on Smith.

It’s more than possible that Smith could be in play for the Lions, and earlier than many folks expect in the draft. Many mocks have had him going in the top 20, but Smith could now be seen as a potential top 10 prospect with this in mind.

Nolan Smith Could Have High Draft Grades

Is it a surprise to see Lombardo put Smith in the top 10 to Detroit? Not necessarily, especially as it relates to what some other insiders have been postulating ahead of the draft.

Already, Smith’s name has come up a few times as a potential surprise entrant into the top 10, so this hypothesis could jibe with some of the rumors that have already been making the rounds pre-draft.

In an ESPN insider piece presenting much of the latest draft buzz, Jeremy Fowler revealed that Georgia defender Nolan Smith could go within the top 10, and his floor could be the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick 17, just one spot ahead of Detroit’s second first-round selection. Detroit has also done diligence on Smith.

“Some scouts are giving off top-10 vibes for Smith, nothing that the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 17 could be his floor. The Detroit Lions, who have the sixth and 18th picks, have done their homework on Smith, who has improved his stock through the process. Fit will be key for Smith. Given he’s 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, playing every down as a defensive end could wear him down. Some scouts say he’s best served in a 3-4 defense as a speedy pass-rusher who can also drop into coverage,” Fowler wrote in the piece.

Detroit could need help on the edge, even after drafting Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston last season in the first and sixth rounds, which could make Smith an important name to watch in the week’s ahead. He hasn’t been on many radars for a top-10 pick so far, but that could be set to change in the days ahead.

Nolan Smith’s College Stats & Highlights

If Smith feels underrated at this part of the process, it might be more of an issue of him playing on a star-studded defense in college rather than any of his own talent.

Smith came off of a very solid career where he was Carter’s running mate with the Bulldogs, and with 110 tackles and 12.5 sacks in addition to three forced fumbles and one interception, he did a very good job making life difficult on the opposition.

With Georgia, Smith has played with the likes of Travon Walker, the first-overall selection in the 2022 draft. This year, he has had to contend with the likes of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerback Kelee Ringo, both of whom could also be first-round talents from the defensive side of the ball.

In his own right, Smith has shown that he can produce in college, and also has the right metrics physically to perhaps star at the NFL level. Does that combine to make him a top 10 pick for the Lions? In this mock, the answer seems to be yes.