Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. was arrested in Georgia last week after authorities say he was caught driving nearly twice the speed limit on a local interstate.
According to ESPN, the 25-year-old Super Bowl champion was charged with speeding and reckless driving after allegedly traveling 137 mph in a 70 mph zone. The incident reportedly occurred around 10:41 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
Smith, who starred at the University of Georgia before entering the NFL, was booked by the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office. He later posted bond and was released shortly after his arrest.
News of the arrest quickly spread online, with some fans initially questioning whether Smith’s mugshot was authentic. Social media users claimed the image looked artificially generated before The Georgia Gazette confirmed Wednesday evening that the photo was real.
The arrest adds another chapter to the growing number of driving-related incidents connected to the Georgia Bulldogs football program in recent years.
Smith was selected by the Eagles in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft after helping Georgia win back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. Since arriving in Philadelphia, he has appeared in 45 games and recorded 10.5 sacks over his first three NFL seasons.
He also played a role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the 2024 season.
While Smith is now firmly established in the NFL, his arrest has renewed attention on a troubling pattern involving current and former Georgia players behind the wheel.
According to USA Today, Bulldogs football players have been arrested at least 30 times since the program’s national championship runs. The issue became particularly alarming between January 2023 and July 2024, when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported 24 driving-related incidents involving Georgia players.
The most devastating case occurred in January 2023, shortly after Georgia celebrated its second consecutive national title. Offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in a high-speed crash that investigators said followed street racing activity.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who was also part of Georgia’s championship teams, was alleged to have been driving another vehicle involved in the racing moments before the fatal accident. Carter later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges related to reckless driving and racing.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has repeatedly faced questions about the culture surrounding reckless driving within the program. In comments made after the 2023 crash, Smart pushed back against suggestions that team policies were directly responsible.
“No policy or lack thereof policy caused this accident,” Smart told the Banner-Herald at the time.
The latest incident involving Smith comes just weeks after another Georgia player, defensive back Ja’Marley Riddle, was arrested in Brunswick, Georgia. Police said Riddle was allegedly driving nearly 95 mph while weaving through traffic on Interstate 95.
Officers later reported finding marijuana packaging and THC vape products inside the vehicle after Riddle consented to a search. He now faces felony drug charges along with a speeding misdemeanor.
Georgia officials acknowledged Riddle’s arrest earlier this month but declined to provide additional details, citing the ongoing legal process.
Smith has not publicly commented on his arrest as of Thursday, and the Eagles organization has not released a statement regarding the incident. The case remains ongoing.
