Four Bulldogs Included in First Round of Latest NFL Mock Draft
We are about a full month into the college football offseason already and inching closer to the NFL draft getting kicked off. There has been increased discussion about players whose draft stock has either risen or fallen since the conclusion of the season, especially after the Reese's Senior Bowl just wrapped up this past weekend.
Georgia has another long list of athletes that will be testing their luck in the draft this year, and several of them could potentially be first-round picks. ESPN's Matt Miller recently released his latest two-round mock draft, and he had four Bulldogs being taken in the first round and five total within the first two rounds.
Here is where Miller had the five Georgia players falling in the draft:
4th, Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DT
In this mock draft, Miller had the Bears trading their first overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts which is how Carter wounds up at the four spot here. Mel Kiper, another NFL draft analyst, has been on record saying Carter is the best prospect in this year's draft class and that he has a strong chance of being the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Regardless of where Carter falls in the draft, there is an obvious belief that he is one of the best defensive prospects this year. "Carter's burst off the snap has the potential to be great, and he already displays an understanding of leverage, space and timing when unleashing spin and rip moves. He should enter the NFL as a high-end starter at the position," said Miller.
11th, Tennessee Titans: Broderick Jones, OT
It seems that anytime a new mock draft is released, Jones' name inches higher and higher up the draft rankings. He did not allow a single sack during his final season at Georgia in 15 games. Jones being the tremendous athlete that he is will certainly test very well at the NFL combine which could give him that final push to earn him a spot in the top ten.
"Jones is a physical, tough offensive tackle who has quick, light feet and the potential to become better shooting his hands," said Miller. "At 6-foot-4 and 311 pounds, there will be questions about his length, but Jones was an elite left tackle in the SEC and is just 21 years old."
21st, Los Angeles Chargers: Nolan Smith, OLB
Being projected as a first-rounder is huge news for Nolan Smith considering his name is not often one that has often been projected in this range so far in mock drafts. A lot of that probably has to do with Smith missing the last half of the season due to a shoulder injury, but even in his limited playing this year, he was impressive. In just eight games, he racked up 18 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
Here is why Miller is so high on the Georgia linebacker:
"He is a versatile linebacker who is comfortable standing up or playing with his hand down and has the first-step quickness to stun blockers while also being agile enough to play in space as an off-ball linebacker."
31st, Philadelphia Eagles: Darnell Washington, TE
With the final pick in the first round, Miller has the Eagles picking up Washington, bringing the total number of Georgia players in the first round up to four. The monster-sized tight end had an impressive final year for the Bulldogs as he finished with a career-high in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. There is very little to not like about Washington from a scouting standpoint as he can both block at an elite level and be a threat in the passing game while standing at 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds.
He's viewed as one of the top tight end prospects in this year's draft and Miller has him as the second tight end off the board in this mock draft.
60th, Cincinnati Bengals: Kelee Ringo, DB
Ringo is the final Georgia player that Miller included in his two-round mock draft and has him falling to the Bengals. Ringo has been seen preparing for the draft with former NFL star Richard Sherman and reportedly was clocked in at 23.5 miles per hour while training. Miller claims that Ringo "has the best physical traits of any corner in this class" and if that's the case, the NFL combine could do wonders to his draft stock and kick him up a few notches on the list.
Other Georgia News:
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- Ranking Every Team of the Kirby Smart Era
- WATCH: Georgia Releases Highlight Reel From 2022 Season
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