I cannot wait to see what they have in store for Nolan. I love that Howie trusts his coaches and personnel to develop these young talents. As a team who isn't picking in the top-10 anytime soon, this is how you have to have sustained success. Aside from Jalen Carter, we truly have no idea if any of the top picks of the last few drafts will be studs, duds or somewhere in the middle. I think the first video I ever saw on this channel was about Nolan's feet and false steps. Hopefully, he comes full circle, so the opposing offenses are terrified to play this team week-in and week-out. If the UGA players are conditioned and ready for this year, I'll see y'all (yous?) in February at SoFi! Go 🦅

I don’t know how Smith will pan out this season or over time but, there is no doubt in my mind that he was profoundly let down by coaching and scheme last year. And he wasn’t the only one… including veteran players. It feels like he has yet to really learn how to play in the NFL.

@modestomouso1234

Ай бұрын

If anyone can fix that, it’s Fangio.

I'm a big Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis/Jalen Carter fan... I can't wait to see these Dawgs get it done this season!!!!

Great video

@EaglesXsandOs

Ай бұрын

Thanks a bunch !

I’m pulling for Nolan to get some meaningful reps and playing time.

When Nolan Smith hits you, you know you've been hit. I hope he can really make a step up in this his second year. I love his attitude and motor. My concern was with that pec injury ever since the browns preseason game. I think he and the Eagles played down a serious potentially career ending type injury. Did you notice how when he returned they magically put him on the other side of the field so he wouldn't have to lead with that right arm/pec? AM loving the vids and analysis. Keep up the good work.

@EaglesXsandOs

Ай бұрын

Interesting observation about switching sides!

@imisskatelyn9517

Ай бұрын

@@EaglesXsandOs Thanks. Hopefully he is 100 percent healthy and ready to go full tilt.

Damn, I hate to be a double commenter: FWIW, though, every player shown on that list of rookie EDGEs had down rookie years, save for WAJ. Question: Would you rather have taken JPJ and gone with a rookie opposite Huff, since we wouldn't have taken Q Round 1? Would likely also mean no Jalyx Hunt and/or no second 2025 third-round pick. I know the process for taking Nolan was sound, so I'm not too worried. Just curious how much of a ripple effect the pick had. Better ball out! Then again, if we had JPJ and trade up for Latu/Turner, we don't have the ammo (potentially) to get CDJ. So, that has to play a factor. Only because GMs, especially the best ones a la Howie, think of draft classes as a whole and are always looking towards the future. Just a lil "thought experiment," as much as I hate that phrase. Question Two: Since he has that insane closing speed and has elite bend, do you think the Birds picked him with the thought of Fangio as their DC? I forget the exact timeline of events. As you have touched on, Fangio got so many un-blocked looks for so many of his players last year in MIA.

@EaglesXsandOs

Ай бұрын

Absolutely -- his coverage ability, wingspan, and burst will be coveted by Fangio

He just get SWALLOWED UP! He has 12.5 sacks at GEORGIA

@uncletom356

Ай бұрын

Less production at a generational defense = bad omen and shouldn’t be drafted despite elite traits. Fast forward to the 94th pick in 2024: WHAT ARE WE DOING TAKING A LATE THIRD ON A SMALL SCHOOL GUY WITH LOTS OF PRODUCTION? If a bit raw and athletic a la Smith. I’m sure you, like every other Birds fan was pumped when Q “slipped” to us. EXACTLY the same scenario as Nolan last draft. If he doesn’t ball out in his rookie season, will you come back here and say, “See! That’s why you don’t draft guys from Toledo!” Hindsight, man, is it 20/20.

@shawnrobinson6641

Ай бұрын

@@uncletom356except Q dominated in college he was not only the most athletic cb in the draft but the most productive. He had like 36 pbu’s the past 2 seasons with 1 penalty

The

I hate to say it but Nolan smith might just be a bust. I know it’s his rookie year but it’s hard to see him go from this to being a versatile edge demon.

@EaglesXsandOs

Ай бұрын

This year will be a big indicator of where he will end up!

@EaglesXsandOs

Ай бұрын

This year will be a big indicator of where he will end up!

I hated this pick. Off the ball LB period

@uncletom356

Ай бұрын

Oh stop, he barely played as a rookie. Frankly, the only rookies who've impacted the team immediately in a major fashion were top-10 picks. Dude is an athletic freak. With NFL coaching, he can be great, good, mediocre or "meh." But we obviously have no idea yet, since it's May of his sophomore year. Having said that, do I wish we'd taken JPJ instead of Nolan? Probably. Would've meant a likely trade-up for Latu or Turner, though, this year. Who knows. All I do is that this team has talent dripping from every position save for iLB. And even that isn't necessarily a weakness anymore.

@SleeplessKnight122

Ай бұрын

I also wasn't a big fan of the pick, but calling him a coverage backer is objectively wrong.

@antonioholmes989

Ай бұрын

@@uncletom356 i know he barely played but going back to Georgia with all that athleticism he has 12.5 sacks in 4 years. When he dis play OT was just eating him up. I like Nolan i just hated they wasted that pick on him right there.

@TedTeddy-ej3dp

Ай бұрын

​@@antonioholmes989College stats don't mean anything. Nolan played very few snaps in Georgia, so he was inexperienced and not on the field because of their deep rotation. Carter barely produced in college, but now he's a top 10 DT in just his rookie season. College production doesn't always translate to the NFL.

@uncletom356

Ай бұрын

@@TedTeddy-ej3dp They mean something but he’s being insanely reductive with his “reasoning.” It’s as if the OC has no knowledge of traits. You know who had ELITE college production? Derek Barnett. Clelin Ferrell too. Many others. Like, the comment is dumb, but college stats aren’t completely meaningless.

I dont think this was a good pick by howie. Branch should have been drafted.

@jakewehder2198

Ай бұрын

Lmao that’s easy to say now. Similar to the discussion between JD and Hamilton.

@lordvonzus6746

Ай бұрын

@@jakewehder2198 branch was NEED for the birds. its not even so much about the player its the position. Hopefully I’m completely wrong, but i think he was drafted too high

@makai_goat215

Ай бұрын

No not true

@uncletom356

Ай бұрын

Dear lord what is with this comment section? Usually this is where smart Birds fans come. 1. You have to look at draft classes as a whole. Not each individual pick is made in a vacuum. Do you really think it was a coincidence that the DL/EDGE was taken in three out of three first-round picks in ‘22 and ‘23? (Although, JC would always have been picked due to his generational talent.) 2. Branch couldn’t have been a first-round pick due to a lack of tools. If you wanna complain about a DB, at least make it be JPJ. 3. EVERY SINGLE reputable draftnik (DJ, NFL Network, PFF, ESPN, Brugler, etc.) had this pick as the “steal of the draft.” 4. If they’d taken JPJ, it would’ve made sense, but they clearly were never going to give Reddick his giant extension. And Howie drafts for the future, as smart GMs do. 5. At the time, Bradberry wasn’t terrible. Did I hate the money given to him? Yes. But everyone else loved it contemporaneously. I wanted Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay CB), but maybe they didn’t want to jeopardize the Hargrave comp pick. 6. They were able to get future CB2 (or depth outside CB for a while, at least) Kelee Ringo with a future third round pick. 7. If they’d taken JPJ, 0% chance they’d have taken him, Q and CDJ with their 2024 assets/picks. So, the real question is: Would you prefer JPJ (or your example, Branch) over Q, CDJ, Nolan, Ringo et al.? Granted, they’d have (likely) used their ‘24 first-rounder on Latu or Turner. Which would’ve been a fairly hefty trade-up, but very doable with two seconds. So, I guess the best hypothetical would be (WITH HINDSIGHT): Nolan, Q, CDJ, Ringo and Hunt or JPJ, Turner/Latu, and like Suamataia? If you take the latter, I think that’s fair. But the former is nothing to sneeze at. Again, you cannot look at individual picks in a vacuum. Even if Nolan isn’t a stud, he was the 30th pick in the draft. The hit rate for them is not great. Lastly, look at EVERY single EDGE taken R1 last year. Save for the DROY, all of them had down years. If healthy, Nolan will be at least serviceable, if not better. P.S. Howie worked the Jets pretty good by essentially swapping a prospective second-round pick AND Huff in exchange for Reddick. (Assuming HR plays at least as well as he did last season. He’ll certainly get the playing time.) Bryce is definitely a major X-factor for this D. But I simply do not think Howie would have “only” gotten Baun as EDGE insurance if they weren’t at least confident in Smith. Steen didn’t do shit last year. Ringo barely played. And yet, all three should have major playing time. P.P.S. To have gotten the best or second best non-QB in a draft after you came within 3 points of a parade, that’s insane. Which I think is a HUGE reason why they gambled with Smith’s upside. They see how much an athletic freak in Micah can make cover up massive holes in other parts of the D. If he can be a poor man’s Micah, at pick 30, that’s a win. Point being: Howie likely trades back and plays it more conservative if he hadn’t gotten Carter. Since the draft was already a triple grabbing a talent like him, Howie went for a home run swing at 30 than a sac fly. I applaud that. Oh, and this is year three of Davis’s career, and I cannot wait to see him be his best self. You cannot expect these non-JC guys to come in and dominate from “jump.”

He's not going to contribute it took Brandon Graham 4 years