Georgia Football: NFL Rookie Update on Former Bulldogs

NFL Training camps have begun all across the league, and with (9) former Dawgs beginning their careers, we take the time to update you on their status with their new team.

Deandre Baker:

Baker was the 30th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to the New York Giants, making him the highest-drafted Bulldog from last year's team. Bulldog fans will forever remember Baker as the man who never allowed a collegiate touchdown, nothing short of a lockdown corner.

Early reports out of Giants camp is that Deandre is looking the part at corner. Defensive Coordinator James Bettcher expects his defense to play aggressive, Baker should fit in perfectly.

Mecole Hardman:

Mecole Hardman never received a massive workload at Georgia, mostly due to the fact that there were always plenty of mouths to feed in the UGA offense.

Well, with the status of Tyreek Hill now being solidified for the 2019 season, some of the same issues continue for Hardman. That being said, he fits the offense perfectly, and the good news is, with Tyreek on the field Mecole will have a chance to fully learn the offense and adjust to the speed of play before being thrown to the wolves.

Riley Ridley:

Riley Ridley, Georgia's leading receiver from last season, was picked up by the Chicago Bears in the 2019 NFL Draft (joining fellow former Bulldog, Javon Wims).

Ridley has had a tough start to camp in Chicago, being sidelined with a hamstring injury. The good news for Ridley? Though the wideouts room is fairly crowded in Chicago, Allen Robinson and Javon Wims are essentially the only big-bodied receivers on the roster.

D'Andre Walker

Walker joins an elite defensive unit in Tennessee. The Titans run a 3-4 defense which will placate Walker's ability to rush the passer from the outside linebacker position.

The only problem in Tennessee for Walker, he's going to be playing behind former first-round pick Harold Landry, but the retirement of Derrick Morgan could open the door for Walker on the opposite end.

Lamont Gaillard:

Lamont was the most underrated offensive lineman in the 2019 NFL Draft in my opinion. This is a young man that had 44 career starts for the Bulldogs and was voted a team captain for the 2018 season.

He did everything he was asked at Georgia, from playing guard, to holding down the Center position for two full seasons. Lamont will have a chance to play in Arizona for the Cardinals, considering they were one of the worst offensive line units in the league last season.

Isaac Nauta:

Isaac Nauta, like Elijah Holyfield, saw his draft stock plummet after the NFL Scouting Combine back in April, but all that matters is he's going to get a shot. He's never been the type of athlete that will blow people away in shorts, but this guy just "gets it" when it comes to route running and finding holes in the defense.

Nauta has drawn attention this training camp for getting extra work after practices. The Lions have built a massive hill behind their practice field and Nauta is one of the only players seeking out the gut-wrenching work. "You got to, you got to get that extra work in man, it's all about conditioning."

Matt Patricia is licking his lips at a quote like that.

Terry Godwin:

Terry Godwin spent four years in Athens. Giving Georgia fans numerous big plays during his time. Do you remember this one from last season?

Homecoming last year was 🔥🔥
When @TerryGodwin_4 broke that tackle and scored the whole stadium lost it!! 😤 pic.twitter.com/7dKCoR7pu8
— ⚫️645 x FDE 🔴 (@Tizzle_DsM) May 13, 2019

Or what about this incredible catch from the first matchup with Notre Dame in 2017?

Well, he's back at in training camp for the Carolina Panthers. The seventh-round pick will need to continue doing so because slot receiver is one of the deeper position groups on their roster.

Elijah Holyfield:

As we talked about earlier, Holyfield's draft stock took a major hit at the NFL Scouting combine because of a lackluster 40 time. But, for those of us Georgia fans that watched him for three seasons as a Bulldog, it was never a major issue in the SEC.

Granted the NFL speed of play is much faster, Holyfield is still plenty physical and effective carrying the football. Reports out of Carolina are the exact same things we heard out of Georgia, NO ONE wants to tackle the guy. It simply hurts too much.

Jonathan Ledbetter:

If there were a roster that Jonathan Ledbetter had the best chance of making, it'd be the Miami Dolphins and here's why. Not only is it a roster that's been decimated on the defensive line over the past few years, but it's a football team that just underwent a coaching and culture change.

And what a culture setter Ledbetter is and can be. Brian Flores is a no-nonsense guy that aspires to install a hardworking, no bullcrap, type of program and Ledbetter is exactly that. He will have a great shot to make the 53-man roster.