What the Georgia Bulldogs 2026 NFL Draft Class Says About Head Coach Kirby Smart

What the Georgia Bulldogs 2026 NFL Draft class says about head coach Kirby Smart and his ability to develop players.

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

What the Georgia Bulldogs 2026 NFL Draft class says about head coach Kirby Smart and his ability to develop players.

The 2026 NFL Draft has come to its conclusion, as the league's 32 teams have made all their selections and have signed the majority of rookies that they will be debuting in the 2026 season. With so many players finding a new home in the NFL, there are a multitude of takeaways to be had.

The Georgia Bulldogs were once again extremely present in this year's draft, as they had a total of eight players selected, with an additional group of players signing undrafted free agent deals. But as the dust settles on the Bulldogs' 2026 draft class, one major conclusion can be had about the Dawgs program.

This was the 10th total batch of players to be drafted in an NFL Draft under Kirby Smart, and while the 2026 class was far from Smart's worst, it was also not the team's strongest showing. The Bulldogs produced just one first round selection for the first time since 2021, and had their least amount of players taken since 2020.

Why Georgia Football's 2026 Draft Showing is a Testament to Kirby Smart

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart gives Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne (1) a hug after the Bulldogs defeated the Gators at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, November 2, 2024. The Bulldogs defeated the Gators 34-20. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Given that the NFL Draft results were not on par with the tremendous standards set by Kirby Smart, the expectation for Georgia's on-field results last season should be that the team was also not up to the Bulldogs' standard.

However, this could not have been further from the case, as the Bulldogs were once again a top program during the 2025 season. Georgia finished the regular season with an 11-1 record and would later secure a back-to-back SEC Championship victory in a dominant win against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In addition to an impressive record, multiple players, coaches, and analysts all noted how the Bulldogs' 2025 roster was one of the more resilient and connected rosters across the sport. Which are all attributes that can be associated with elite coaching.

While the 2026 NFL Draft may suggest that Georgia's roster during the 2025 season was not as talented as previous Bulldog classes. The team's on-field results and off-field connection certainly indicate that Kirby Smart's coaching abilities have not waivered in any way.

Smart and the Bulldogs 2027 Draft class will begin their upcoming college football season on Saturday, September 5th against Tennessee State. The Bulldogs are currently undefeated in season openers under Smart.