Georgia football's Nolan Smith wows at NFL combine with 40-yard dash, vertical jump

INDIANAPOLIS-Nolan Smith is back.

The edge rusher from Georgia served notice Thursday afternoon at the NFL combine that his speed and athleticism are elite for his position.

The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Smith, who missed the second half of the Bulldogs’ season with a torn right pectoral muscle, posted a sizzling 4.39 40-yard dash.

That’s the second fastest 40-yard time since 2003 for a defensive lineman behind only Virginia Tech’s Amare Barno’s 4.36 in 2022.

Smith’s 40 came after those in his DL group cheered down on the Lucas Oil Field Stadium surface when he posted a 41.5 vertical jump. That's in the 98^th percentile, according to Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema. His 10-8 in the broad jump was in the 95^th percentile.

Smith, from Savannah, already was viewed as a first-round draft pick by some draft analysts and his showing Thursday should have more penciling him into their first round mock drafts.

“PAY THAT MAN,” Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe tweeted after Smith’s 40-yard dash. Smith, as you might expect, decided to skip running a second 40.

Smith was visibly upset when he found out his unofficial 40 time was a 4.44.

“I really wanted to do everything full speed today,” Smith told the NFL Network. “I thought I didn’t run my best race…I thought I had a little more juice. I felt like I was going 85 percent.”

His Georgia teammates back in Athens were cheering during Smith’s 40-yard run.

Another Georgia outside linebacker, Robert Beal, had the third fastest 40 time of the defensive lineman with a 4.48.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia's Nolan Smith sizzles at NFL combine increasing his draft stock