Bullard isn't a clean fit as a full-time nickel and might lack the length and range teams seek from a split safety, but he's a good football player with the field awareness teams are looking for. He's going to be a little tight with lateral movements, which will create some throwing windows and missed tackles from time to time, but his route recognition and angles of pursuit help to stabilize his play. There will be some challenging matchups, but Georgia's provided the blueprint by playing him as a big nickel with run support and modest man cover duties -- NFL teams would be wise to follow suit. With the right fit, Bullard should develop into a quality NFL starter.
It doesn’t take long to see why Kirby Smart and Georgia welcomed Smith over from West Virginia when he was in the transfer portal. Smith plays the “Star” position and is like an additional linebacker in a much smaller frame. He’s at his best playing forward and has the strength to take on blockers and disrupt pass catchers underneath. Smith is compact and strong but lacks the functional height and length for downfield coverage. He plays with an NFL demeanor but will likely be typecast in a very narrow role as a sub-package safety with coverage limitations.
