Philadelphia, PA – May 26, 2025
He led the playoffs in sacks. He terrorized quarterbacks when it mattered most. He stepped into a starting role on a Super Bowl-winning defense and never looked back. But when Pro Football Focus released their latest edge rusher rankings, Nolan Smith Jr. didn’t crack the top 25.
He was 28th.
For Eagles fans, it’s déjà vu. Another young, homegrown defender doing everything right — and still getting overlooked. “He became an every-down contributor on a championship defense,” wrote PFF’s Ryan Smith. “But questions remain about his pass-rush consistency.”
That’s a hard pill to swallow for anyone who watched Smith's rise in 2024. With Brandon Graham sidelined, the 2023 first-rounder stepped into the spotlight and delivered: 42 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 11 QB hits, and a league-best four tackles for loss in the playoffs. His motor never stopped. His speed off the edge burned tackles. His IQ in run defense earned high marks — and yet, apparently, not enough to earn respect.
“He’s only 24. He’s getting bigger, faster, smarter every week,” said one NFC scout. “That ranking’s not going to age well.”
With Josh Sweat gone and Bryce Huff still a question mark, Smith is now the most reliable edge rusher in Philadelphia’s front seven. And he’s earned that spot not by hype — but by production. He’s become the kind of player who forces offenses to shift protections, who plays all three downs, and who makes noise without saying much.
The Eagles know what they have. The locker room knows. The film doesn’t lie. But the league? Still catching up.
In a way, that’s the most dangerous version of Nolan Smith Jr. — the one with something to prove.
Philadelphia doesn’t need him to talk. They need him to attack. And if the rest of the NFL still doesn’t see it?
Well, they will soon enough.
