Georgia Prospect Has Stories To Tell On Eagles Top Defensive Linemen

Several players from the University of Georigia know the Philadelphia Eagles' collection of Bulldogs well and who could join them when the draft begins on April 24.

Nov 16, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (69) celebrates after a victory over the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, a defensive tackle from Georgia was profiled, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is certainly one to watch for his talent and because he is from the fertile, target-rich campus in Athens that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has farmed so well the past several drafts.

Another Georgia prospect chronicled here at Eagles on SI after the NFL Scouting Combine is safety Malaki Starks who praised Eagles defensive tackle and former Georgia standout Jalen Carter.

Add Tate Ratledge to the mix, both in what he had to say about Carter and another former Dawg, Nolan Smith. Also, Ratledge could be an Eagles target on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

Ratledge is an interior offensive lineman, a three-year starting guard at Georgia. One draft analyst said he has a “relatively safe floor.” He is 6-6, 308 pounds and could be brought in whether or not the Eagles retain Mekhi Becton’s services during free agency.

He faced both Carter and Smith during his early days on Kirby Smart’s all-star team at Georgia.

Tate Ratledge called Jalen Carter a generational talent and said Nolan Smith, despite his lack of size plays with a physicality that “melts your face-mask off”

Said he knew they had star potential going up against them in practice everyday.#Eagles pic.twitter.com/DhCdHiNDTq

— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) March 1, 2025

“I saw (them) every day in practice,” said Ratledge during the Combine. “They made my life not so fun for three years, but both of them are tremendous football players, and seeing them do that in the league made me feel a little better about myself about what they did to me in practice sometimes.”

So what was the experience like?

“It wasn’t fun,” he said. “I mean it was fun, but I’ve had better times playing football. Jalen is obviously a generational talent. He showed that daily in practice. We’d be in the film room and I’d ask coach what I was supposed to do like technique-wise and he’s like, ‘don’t block him,’ so that’s the kind of player he is.

“Then Nolan is one of the most physical presences I’ve ever played against on a football field, so seeing them have great success is no surprise to me.”

Perhaps Ratledge won’t have to worry about blocking them at the beginning of his NFL career. He could very well join them.

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