As I watched the NFL Draft unfold last night, considering that only time will tell if the professional football careers will pan out for the top-round selections, I thought of the NFL tenures which certainly panned out for some of those who had been drafted much later—if drafted at all—in previous years.
Accordingly, I pondered Georgia’s all-time draft “bargains,” or those Bulldogs who went onto have notable pro careers yet were drafted relatively low, if at all. For what it’s worth, my opinion of the top Bulldog Bargains in the history of the NFL Draft:
No. 5—Jason Ferguson (drafted No. 229 in 1997): After running only a 5.39 in the 40, posting just a 27.5-inch vertical leap, and allegedly testing positive for marijuana at the league combine, you could say, Ferguson’s draft stock fell. Once considered a mid-round pick, the two-year Georgia nose tackle who totaled a combined 150 tackles, including 11 sacks and 10 other stops for loss, from 1995-1996 was chosen the 12th pick from the bottom of the ’97 draft. Nevertheless, Ferguson had maybe not an outstanding, but certainly a steady 12-year career, including nine seasons as a starter, with the Jets, Cowboys, and Dolphins.
No. 4—Chris Clemons (not drafted in 2003): After starting only 15 games at Georgia in three years (2000-2002), whereby he totaled a combined 108 tackles, including 5½ for loss, Clemons surprisingly bolted early for the pros. He went undrafted. Still, Clemons eventually latched on with the Redskins, followed by the Raiders, and then the Eagles as a valuable reserve defensive end/linebacker. In 2010, Clemons landed in Seattle where he tallied 11 or more sacks in three consecutive seasons. After a two-year stint with the Jaguars, his pro tenure concluded with 69 sacks, or what remains the third-most in an NFL career of any former Georgia player.
No. 3—Mack Strong (not drafted in 1993): Never finishing better than third for the Bulldogs in rushing for any of his four seasons (1989-1992), running back Strong’s tenure at Georgia included more than 800 yards rushing, nearly 400 yards receiving, and 10 touchdowns. Despite not being drafted, he played 14 seasons in the NFL—tied for the third-most in a pro career of any former Bulldog offensive player—all 14 with Seattle. Used as primarily a blocking back, Strong was recognized as a First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2005, followed by making the Pro Bowl again and playing in the Super Bowl to cap the 2006 season, before retiring in 2007.
No. 2—Terrell Davis (drafted No. 196 in 1995): Despite being part of a stable of backs in an offense which switched to predominantly a passing game, and eventually being in the head coach’s “doghouse,” while enduring injuries, Davis still managed to gain 1,657 career rushing yards and 529 yards receiving at Georgia from 1992-1994. However, what was perceived by NFL scouts as a lack of production, along with a slow 40-yard dash time, caused the former Bulldog scatback not to be drafted until the sixth round of the 1995 Draft. Regardless, Davis made an immediate impact in the pros, rushing for over 1,000 yards as a rookie—and then, from 1996-1998, he had arguably the best three-season stint by any NFL running back in history. The three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl MVP was slowed by injuries for three seasons (1999-2001) until he decided to retire. Nevertheless, Davis, whose 97.5 career rushing yards per game is the third-highest average in NFL history (of those having played four-plus seasons) behind rushing legends Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
No. 1—Jimmy Orr (drafted No. 291 in 1957): Although making only 42 receptions at Georgia from 1955 to 1957, Orr actually led the SEC in receiving as a sophomore and senior (while the Bulldogs only completed a combined 150 passes in the three-year stint). Still, nearly 300 players were selected in the ’57 draft before the receiving great was finally chosen by Pittsburgh. Promptly recognized as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1958, Orr played with the Steelers for three seasons before becoming a Baltimore Colt, whereby he’s regarded as arguably football’s top wide receiver for the decade of the 1960s. Orr’s 400 career receptions, 7,914 receiving yards, and 66 receiving touchdowns in the pros remain ranked sixth, third, and second, respectively, of all former Georgia players. What’s more, his 19.8 yards-per-catch career average ranks fourth in NFL history of those with 300-plus receptions.
Hon. Mention—Dick Klein (drafted No. 347 in 1955): Following high school teammate Zeke Bratkowski, who was one year older, “Sleepy” Dick Klein left Danville, Ill., to attend Georgia. A standout tackle on the Bullpups’ 1951 freshman team, Klein was also one of only a few true freshmen who saw varsity action that season—but his Georgia career lasted just one year as he was shipped off to serve as a radioman aboard a ship during the Korean War. As a member of the Pearl Harbor Navy team for a couple of seasons, Klein was considered one of the best linemen during war-time football. After serving in the military, he attended small Coe College in Iowa before transferring to the nearby University of Iowa, where he decided to pick up playing collegiate football again—for the first time in roughly five years—for the Hawkeyes. At Iowa, despite being recognized as a third-team All-American as a senior, Klein was not selected in the NFL Draft until the 347th pick by the Chicago Bears. Nevertheless, Sleepy wound up having a successful NFL career, playing for five different teams in seven seasons (1958-1964) as an offensive and defensive tackle, including the ’62 campaign when he was named to the AFL All-Star team as a member of the Boston Patriots.
Following No. 5 Jason Ferguson, No. 6 to No. 10 (in order): lineman Dick Yelvington (drafted No. 278 in 1951), lineman Tommy Lyons (drafted No. 350 in 1971), center David Andrews (not drafted in 2015), end Gordon Kelley (not drafted in 1960), and tight end Jermaine Wiggins (not drafted in 1999).
