Dawgs in the NFL 2020 Preview
Georgia football has been pretty consistent over the years of producing NFL talent and in these last four years that number has dramatically increased. As that quantity of players has increased the quality of former Georgia football players in the league has also gone up. The 2020 season is expected to be an exciting one for Georgia, but there are a lot of Dawgs in the NFL that could be getting ready for a very special season.
Georgia is very diverse when it comes to the players that they have on active NFL rosters. Thomas Davis Sr. is entering his 16th season with the Washington Football team this year and is on the verge of closing out a phenomenal pro career. Then there are players like Jake Fromm, Rodrigo Blakenship, Tae Crowder, Solomon Kindley, D'Andre Swift, Andrew Thomas, and Charlie Woerner who will all be beginning their NFL careers in hopes of being able to put together a career like Davis Sr.
Possibly the former Bulldog that has started the most attention over his short career is former running back Nick Chubb and for good reason. Last season, Chubb toted the football 298 times for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns for the Clevland Browns as well as finished the season second on the league rushing yards list. Now in his third season, Chubb is looking to solidify himself as a top-five running back in the league. Chubb's partner in crime and former Super Bowl Champion, Sony Michel, hasn't put up the numbers that Chubb has but in both of his seasons, Michel has been right on the cusp of getting his first 1,000-yard season.
Of course, the mentioning of Georgia running backs is never complete without at least acknowledging Todd Gurley. The new Atlanta Falcon running back is entering his sixth season in the league and has quickly put together an impressive career with three 1,000 yards plus seasons. A player who would like to follow in Gurley's footsteps is rookie running back D'Andre Swift who begins his pro career this year with the Detroit Tigers. Swift is expected to play a big part in the Lions offense this year and could be set to get off to a hot start in the NFL.
Although Georgia is known for the talent they produce at running back they are also are no slouch when it comes to the linebacker position either. Roquan Smith (Bears), Lorenzo Carter (Giants), Tae Crowder (Giants), Leonard Floyd (Rams), and Jordan Jenkins (Jets) all wreaked havoc in college and are still doing the same in the pros. Coaches will have a lot on their plates when dealing with former Georgia linebackers this year as always.
For a while, Georgia had one of the top five wide receivers in the league thanks to a man named AJ Green but due to injuries, he has not been able to crack back inside that list for a few seasons. Now that he has former Heisman quarterback, Joe Burrow, throwing to him maybe Green can get back to his old antics. The wide receiver position has not been Georgia's strong suit in the NFL but Mecole Hardman (Chiefs) helped reignite the flame with his 538 receiving yards and six touchdowns, as well as, won a Super Bowl during his rookie season, and is expected to have a big sophomore season for the Chiefs this year.
When you produce talented running backs there is a good chance you also produce talented offensive linemen and Georgia has plenty of those in the league. Ben Jones (Titans) is the seasoned veteran of the bunch and the rest are either just now getting their career started or beginning their third or fourth season Solomon Kindley (Dolphins) received a lot of praise during camp and ended up earning himself the starting spot at Guard. Should be a great year for Georgia offensive linemen in the league this year as always. Andrew Thomas (Giants) Isaiah Wilson (Titans) who are also rookies this season are looking to establish themselves as starting offensive linemen this year and get their pro careers off to a good start.
Probably the most well known Georgia player in the league is quarterback Matthew Stafford (Lions) who has pieced together a very solid pro football career himself and is entering his 12th season, but Stafford may have some competition now for that bright shining top spot on the list of Dawgs in the NFL. Now that former kicker Rodrigo Blankenship (Colts) has taken the starting kicker and is the first kicker not named Adam Vinatieri in 15 years to win the job, so the goggle-wearing Bulldog fan favorite could be ready to tale the league by storm just as he did in college.
The former Bulldogs are ready to get their 2020 seasons underway this year and there is a lot of potential in this league for all of the young Bulldogs that are now in the pros. Of course, if it is a player like Jake Fromm (Bills) it might be a while before they get a true chance at earning a starting spot, but for many, the upcoming season is their chance to solidify themselves as an NFL starter. Some are on the downward slope of their career and others are just getting started. Nonetheless, the 2020 NFL season looks to be very promising for the Dawgs in the NFL.
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