Stetson Bennett's NFL Draft Stock on the Rise Again
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After leading Georgia to its first football National Championship in 41 years and being named the offensive MVP of both the Orange Bowl and 2022 CFP national championship game, Stetson Bennett entered the 2022 season already one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of the Georgia Football program. Nevertheless, Bennett’s diminutive size and lack of a prep pedigree contributed to persistent doubts about his viability as an NFL draft prospect. However, a Senior campaign in which he led Georgia to its second-consecutive football National Championship and, in the process, earned a trip to New York as a finalist for the prestigious Heisman Trophy, removed those doubts and positioned Bennett to be a 2023 NFL draft selection.
Yet, despite his impressive performance as a Senior - throwing for a Georgia record 4,127 and accounting for 37 total touchdowns - and his remarkable list of career accomplishments, a confluence of questionable offseason decisions and conduct created doubt surrounding his NFL draft status. Bennett received criticism for his conduct during Georgia’s National Championship celebration in Athens in mid-January after displaying what many observers perceived to be a dismissive attitude toward fans and reporters. Bennett also chose to decline a coveted invitation to the Senior Bowl, an event that provides players an opportunity to boost their draft stock by directly showcasing their skills to NFL scouts. Following directly on the heels of that decision, was Bennett’s arrest for public intoxication in Dallas.
Stetson Bennett at Georgia's Pro Day / CREDIT: Brooks Austin
However, a strong showing at the NFL Combine in March sparked a resurgence in Bennett’s NFL draft prospects. A 4.67 40-yard dash combined with an outstanding performance during passing drills at the combine once again captured the attention and interest of NFL scouts. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Bennett’s impressive combine performance has made him “one of the busiest NFL Draft prospects since the combine.” Pelissero also reported that Bennett’s post-combine schedule “includes private visits and/or workouts with 10 teams.”
Bennett’s experience as an NFL draft prospect has, in many ways, mirrored his playing career at Georgia, vacillating between highs and lows. Fortunately for Bennett, his impressive performance at the NFL combine has once again elevated his draft stock leading into the NFL draft in late April.
Other Georgia News:
- Former Georgia Bulldog AJ Green Announces Retirement
- Long List of Bulldogs Invited to NFL Combine
- What to Make of Georgia's Recent Losing Streak
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