Head Of The Class

Published April 12, 2022 | By Jason Bishop

By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Georgia may set a new school-record for more players selected in one NFL Draft this year, surpassing the mark set last season (nine) and challenging the national record of 14 sets by LSU in the 2020 draft.

There could be 14 Bulldogs selected in the upcoming draft (April 28-30) in their most recent article.

Amazingly, the Bulldogs actually have 16 players with NFL draft grades, meaning the record could be broken.

Georgia sent a program-record 14 players to the NFL combine in Indianapolis, where just weeks earlier the Bulldogs beat Alabama 33-18 in the CFP Championship Game.

Smart said he isn’t certain if he’ll make an in-person appearance at the draft, which is in Las Vegas, as the Georgia player recruiting-and retaining schedule has been booked for UGA’s busy coaching staff.

I think people sometimes get lost in the stats and they overlook the fact that Georgia’s defense was so deep. There were so many guys, they had Nakobe Dean rotating in, who was, you know, the leader of the defense, and the winner of the Butkus Award.

Scouts know about Jordan Davis because he’s 340 pounds and ran in the 4.7’s.

People rave about Travon Walker‘s physical potential. He’s a long 270-275 pound guy, runs exceptionally well, and plays the run really well. I have Walker projected as the first Bulldog off the board.

Georgia’s leading tackler Lewis Cine, linebackers Quay Walker and Channing Tindall, as well as defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt are just a few of the top names that performed during Georgia’s pro day last month.

Other prospects like George Pickens, James Cook, and Zamir White raised their draft stocks. However, Pickens and Cine seem to be two names that I feel could be on the bubble of sneaking into the first round after their combine performances.

Almost a year removed from a torn ACL, Pickens ran a 4.47, while Lewis Cine’s 4.37 forty-yard dash is enough to make many wonder if the Georgia safety has a chance of being drafted on day one.

My projections suggest four Bulldogs will be selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft – which would be another school record.

Further, there could be 10 Georgia football players selected in the first three rounds, which would be yet another school mark.

Here’s a look at where UGA players are expected to be picked in my most recent mock draft:

2022 NFL Draft FIRST ROUND

No. 5 Travon Walker, NY Giants

No. 19 Jordan Davis, New Orleans

No. 21 Nakobe Dean, New England

No. 23 Devonte Wyatt, Arizona

SECOND ROUND

No. 36 Quay Walker, NY Giants

No. 49 Lewis Cine, New Orleans

No. 56 George Pickens, Dallas