Falcons land Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith in ESPN mock draft

With free agency opening on March 15 and the 2023 NFL draft kicking off in April, the Atlanta Falcons have a lot to figure out in the coming weeks. On Tuesday, the team chose not to franchise tag Kaleb McGary, meaning Atlanta’s starting right tackle will be an unrestricted free agent.

Defensively, the Falcons still need a lot of help. Even after re-signing Lorenzo Carter to a two-year deal, Atlanta must find someone that can rush the passer.

ESPN’s Todd McShay released a new first-round mock draft that has the Falcons selecting Georgia’s EDGE Nolan Smith. Smith showed out at last week’s scouting combine, and helped his draft stock in the process:

Here’s my biggest riser of the combine. I had Smith up at No. 5 in my preseason rankings, but I dropped him quite a bit after a torn pectoral muscle limited him to eight games and three sacks in 2022. He’s back up to No. 10 overall, though. At 238 pounds, he busted out a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-8 in the broad. That’s ridiculous. I love Smith’s closing burst to the QB and the way he can create havoc in the backfield as a run defender. If he works on his pass-rush moves and the way he formulates a plan on every snap, he could be a problem off the edge for opposing offensive coordinators.

Another Georgia player who could be in play for the Falcons is defensive lineman Jalen Carter. has been dropping in recent mock drafts. Once a projected No. 1 overall pick, Carter is slipping due to his recent reckless driving controversy. 

McShay has Carter dropping to the Houston Texans at pick No. 12 in his new mock.The Falcons could also consider a quarterback at this spot after it was reported that they wouldn’t be pursuing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.