LATEST: What's the Latest on the NFL Draft Decisions for Georgia?
The University of Georgia Football team heads to South Florida this week. Once an undefeated, No. 1 ranked football team playing to win their 31st consecutive football game, the Bulldogs came up a mere three points short in the SEC Championship Game. Now, they are 14.5-point favorites in most books in Vegas, and there is a staggering difference in the number of opt-outs in this football game.
Florida State Opt-Outs in the Orange Bowl:
- Keon Coleman, WR
- Johnny Wilson, WR
- Trey Benson, RB
- Jaheim Bell, TE
- Jared Verse, DE
- Fabien Lovett, DT
Georgia Opt-Outs in the Orange Bowl:
- Zero official opt-outs as of 12/24
So... what are those Bulldogs waiting for? We have already reported that both QB, Carson Beck, will return in 2024, as will linebacker Smael Mondon. Most of the questions around Georgia's roster surround potentially high-end draft picks like tight end Brock Bowers, offensive tackle Armarius Mims, safety Javon Bullard, corner Kamari Lassiter, and wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Let's update their latest NFL Draft Intel.
Brock Bowers - First Round Eval
The question is not whether or not Brock Bowers is a first-round draft pick this year, it's whether or not he will have a chance to compete with former Florida tight end Kyle Pitts for the highest-drafted TE in NFL Draft history. He's struggled through injury this season, he's fought back from surgery, yet the latest from Bowers is still that he has not decided on his immediate future — both with the Orange Bowl and the NFL Draft. Bowers has been legendarily acclaimed for his absurd work ethic throughout his Georgia career. His position coach Todd Hartley has often talked about how frequently he had to calm Bowers down during practice because he simply wanted more reps. This is a different bread. If he does opt out, he won't be first to do so by all indications.
Amarius Mims - First Round Eval
Depending on what NFL Mock Drafts you care to look at, Mims is the only other lock to be a first-rounder this season. And like Bowers, he's also already returned to action from a surgically repaired ankle this season. Mims also exited Georgia's latest contest against Alabama due to soreness and "lack of stability" in that ankle. Sources have indicated that, if healthy in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine, Mims is expected to measure/test like the following.
- Height - 6'8
- Weight - 330 LBs
- Body Fat < 10%
- Forty Time - Sub 5.0 seconds
Kamari Lassiter - Top-45
This is where things get interesting. Lassiter is outside the immediate list of top corners in this year's draft based on all indications. Alabama's Koolaid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold are expected to go ahead of Lassiter, as could Nate Wiggins at Clemson, Cooper Dejean out of Iowa, and some boards even have Ennis Rakestraw Jr. ahead of Lassiter. Corner is a premium position, but it's not a lock that Lassiter is a first-rounder despite his incredible play this season. Additionally, sources have indicated that Lassiter truly loves playing for Georgia, and there's a rather bad taste in his mouth for a "maybe first-round" evaluation.
Ladd McConkey - Top-100
McConkey has outplayed and outperformed what anyone thought the Chatsworth, Georgia native. He was the 187th ranked wide receiver in the country in 2020 coming out of North Murray high school. He's now receiving grades as high as the top-end of the third round per sources. Additionally, Ladd has already been banged up throughout his college career, most of which he's managed to play through. There's momentum that McConkey may be headed to the NFL, especially considering some of Georgia's latest roster moves ‚— Adding London Humphreys (Vanderbilt) and Colbie Young (Miami) out of the portal.
Javon Bullard - Late 3rd / Early 4th
Bullard, like Ladd McConkey, overplayed all of the evaluation questions coming out of high school. He's been arguably Georgia's biggest playmaker for the last three seasons at the safety position — his floor is without question, but there are still questions about his ceiling. He's only going to be so big and so fast, another year of college football likely won't change that. So, the 3rd round eval is likely waiting on him no matter what. The question for Bullard is whether or not that evaluation is worth a chance at a third title in a four-year college career. Bullard is expected to play in the Bowl Game
If you've read this far, we've reported on Patreon.com/brooksaustin for several weeks now that Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, RaRa Thomas, Dominic Lovett, and Tate Ratledge are all expected to return in 2024.
Other Georgia News:
- Georgia Clinches the SEC East for Third Straight Season
- CFP Rankings Released - Georgia Remains on Top on CFB
- WATCH: Kirby Smart Talks Georgia Tech Rivalry, Updates Injury Report
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