2020 NFL Draft Stock Update For the Juniors at Georgia
We won't waste any time telling you that D'Andre Swift and Andrew Thomas are declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft - that's well known at this point - but what about the other Juniors?
At this time last year, most Georgia Bulldog fans probably didn't expect Mecole Hardman, Elijah Holyfield, Riley Ridley, and Isaac Nauta all to declare early for the NFL Draft. Mecole Hardman was really the only player that some thought might leave early.
That being said, here's everything we are hearing about the Junior's draft grades heading into the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
OT, Andrew Thomas: Thomas is currently ranging anywhere from 4th to 8th on any given NFL Draft big board and is expected to be the first tackle taken off the board this spring. It hasn't been determined whether or not he will play in the bowl game, but you wouldn't blame him for sitting it out. It goes without saying that Thomas will inevitably declare.
RB, D'Andre Swift: Swift is currently 16th on CBSSports.com's big board, 18th on Mel Kiper's, and 13th on Matt Miller's. So, safe to say Swift will likely be joining Thomas in the first round of the NFL Draft. Swift is expected to declare, and his role in the Sugar Bowl will be even more limited than the SECCG. If he even dresses.
QB, Jake Fromm: Fromm will undoubtedly play in the Sugar Bowl, so we will start there. As for whether or not he's going to enter the NFL Draft, it's still a really fluid situation. We expect the decision to be made within the next month, but a source tells The Bulldog Maven that - as of the A&M game - even Fromm's parents couldn't get him to address the decision. As of now, we still lean towards him entering the draft and foregoing his senior season. After all, he has a good shot at being the third or fourth quarterback taken. That kind of draft slot means no later than mid-second round projections.
OG, Solomon Kindley: You want proof of Sam Pittman's ability to develop talent? I give you Solomon Kindley. Solly was the only offensive lineman in the last two seasons to make a start that didn't have at least 4-stars entering the University of Georgia. Just a measly 3-star, Kindley has gone on to make 33 starts already in his career. He's rated as high as 73 on draft big boards. Kiper has Solomon Kindley as the 8th ranked guard headed into the draft. We expect Kindley to return for his senior season, but we wouldn't be floored if he declared.
OT, Isaiah Wilson
OT, Isaiah Wilson: No one in the Georgia locker room took that LSU loss heavier than the 6'7 tackle from Brooklyn. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly excited to have to answer questions. I tell you that to tell you Wilson loves being a Georgia Bulldog. He's been seen deep in the student section after Dawgs' home wins. But he's receiving quite a bit of draft buzz despite still being a rather raw product. However, you'd be hardpressed to create a player on Madden that looks like Wilson. We expect Wilson to return to Georgia to further develop into one of the highest-rated tackles in the 2021 draft.
ILB, Monty Rice: "Built like a tank" is the first thing an NFL Scout said when asked about Rice. He's had a fairly good junior campaign and is Georgia's leading tackler for the second straight season, something that has only been done by three players at Georgia since 2010. Those names? Rennie Curran, Roquan Smith, and Monty Rice. Rice is within the top 150 on several NFL Scout's big boards and Matt Miller's 4th ranked ILB. Though, we do expect Rice to come back to Georgia and play in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia will absolutely need him back with Tae Crowder graduating and Robert Beal transferring.
S, Richard LeCounte
S, Richard LeCounte: We reported earlier in the week that Richard LeCounte had a rather concerning deleted tweet. A tweet in which he simply put the "deuces" emoji. Now, only LeCounte could truly tell you what it meant, but for what it's worth #2 will be playing in New Orleans. LeCounte's draft grade has the largest variance of any of the Juniors at Georgia. Some will tell you he's a lock for a day two selection and that he's one of the few true single-high safeties available in the upcoming draft. Others will tell you that he still has tackling miscues and that he needs to add a bit more to his frame. We've leaned LeCounte leaving for a while here at The Bulldog Maven. We will stay there... for now.
Eric Stokes, Jr: Stokes spent last season being picked on due to being on the opposite of eventual first-rounder, DeAndre Baker. This year, Stokes continued to place his physical brand of football on display. We expect Stokes to return to Georgia.
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