Georgia LB Nolan Smith makes decision on NFL draft

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Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith announced on Monday that he will be coming back to Athens to play one more year for the Georgia Bulldogs.

“What a ride it has been during my Junior season. I feel I’ve grown tremendously during my time at Georgia thus far, as both a football player and as a man. I can’t express what it meant to me to bring a national championship home to Georgia. after careful consideration, I have decided to return to Georgia for my senior season and continue with what we have been building. Let’s run this thing back! Go Dawgs!”

Tons of stars from Georgia’s national championship-winning team have announced they are moving on and entering the NFL draft, but Smith, who projected as a second or third round pick, decided to stick it out one more year and improve his draft stock before making the next step.

Smith came to Georgia as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit out of IMG Academy in the class of 2019 and will be Georgia’s leading returning tackler from the 2021 season. He recorded 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and closed out the 2021-22 season with a sack of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young on the final play of the game.