Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2025 season.
25. Andrew Mukuba
24. Jahan Dotson
23. Tanner McKee
22. Tyler Steen
21. Azeez Ojulari
20. Moro Ojomo
19. Kelee Ringo
18. Jihaad Campbell
17. Jalyx Hunt
16. Jordan Davis
15. Reed Blankenship
14. Dallas Goedert
13. Cam Jurgens
12. Nolan Smith
Nolan Smith’s development in 2024 doesn’t get talked about enough.
But without it, the Eagles probably aren’t Super Bowl champions.
While the Eagles spent big money to sign Bryce Huff last offseason, it was actually Smith who became their best and most consistent edge rusher under Vic Fangio. After a slower start to his second NFL season, Smith had 10 1/2 sacks in his final 16 games, including 4 in 4 postseason games.
In the first four games of the 2024 season, Smith didn’t have a single sack or QB hit, but after that early Week 5 bye week, Smith was a completely different player.
“The next step in my game personally is just be that pass rusher and keep rushing. But be the ultimate player,” Smith said this spring. “I talked to Coach Vic (Fangio) and he always told me play the game the right way. That’s what I always tell myself, ‘Play the game the right way.’ Because I gotta crush the run in order to rush the passer. When you play the game the right way, don’t chase sacks and don’t do none of that, be a football player, truly, everything else will take care of itself.”
Not only did Smith show ability as a pass rusher but he has also been fantastic against the run. That might be surprising because of his smaller frame (6-2, 238) but Smith isn’t afraid to set an edge or to punish a pulling guard; we saw that in Super Bowl LIX against Pro Bowler Trey Smith.
With Josh Sweat’s departure in free agency and Brandon Graham’s retirement, there’s going to be even more pressure on Smith in 2025. Smith is now the Eagles’ top overhang player.
Graham won’t be around as much but his legacy lives on through Smith, who explained that when talking about his rookie season in 2023.
“It was just a learning year,” Smith said. “And, truly, a testament to Brandon Graham. You’re about to make me cry up here just because BG gave me so much just from the outside world putting so much pressure on me. ‘You’re a first-round pick, you need to do this, you need to do that.’ BG just told me, ‘Be you.’ And til this point that’s what I got on my mirror, my goals, be you.
“Nobody can make you be anything other than yourself and as long as you work and put in that dedication and that effort every day. And that’s why I work so hard. I just want to be me. And it’s not for me. It’s for B. It’s for B when he was doubted when he first got here and so was I. He just kept pushing me and he leaned into me. As we say in the south, he just poured into my glass just a little bit more. He just kept pouring into my glass and he believed in me.”
This upcoming season will be Smith’s third in the NFL, which means he’ll be eligible for a contract extension after the conclusion of the Eagles’ Week 18 game. As much as everyone has talked about the upcoming Jalen Carter extension — and rightfully so; that’s going to be massive — Smith can also earn a huge payday with another productive year.
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