4/30/2022 football Edit

Georgia Bulldogs set the new NFL Draft record

Anthony Dasher • UGASports

Editor

History was made Saturday on the final day of the NFL Draft.

With six Bulldogs selected over the final four rounds, Georgia set a record for the most players selected from one team (15) since the league went to seven rounds in 1994.

The 15 players taken also smashed the school record of nine players selected last year.

Zamir White (Raiders), Jake Camarda (Bucs), Jamaree Salyer (Chargers), and Derion Kendrick (Rams) each found new NFL homes while Justin Shaffer and John FitzPatrick were drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.

White got the ball rolling when he was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the 122nd pick in the first round, establishing a new school mark of 10.

White - who rushed for a team-high 856 yards and 12 touchdowns - became just the third Bulldog drafted by the Raiders' organization since the late Quentin Moses in 2007. Matt Stinchcomb is the only former Georgia player to be taken by the Raiders, who made him a first-round pick in 1999.

Later, Georgia made it 11 players when Tampa Bay took Camarda in the fourth round with the 133rd pick. His pick broke a 20-year drought for the Buccaneers selecting a Georgia player. The last time was in 2002 when Tampa Bay chose Tim Wansley and Jermaine Phillips.

In the sixth round, something happened that has not occurred since 2011 - the Atlanta Falcons drafted a member of the Bulldogs, taking Shaffer with the 190th overall pick.

Five picks later, Salyer finally heard his name called when the Los Angeles Chargers selected the former Pace Academy standout.

Later in the sixth, Kendrick went to the Rams with 212th overall picks, followed by FitzPatrick to the Falcons with Pick No. 213.

Stay with UGASports throughout the day for complete coverage.

George Pickens went to Pittsburgh Friday. (Associated Press)

Better late than never for Dean; Pickens, Cook, Tindall drafter

Night two of the NFL Draft came to end end Friday night and four more members of the Georgia Bulldogs have an NFL home.

As a result, the Bulldogs tied the record for most players drafted in one year with nine.

Wide receiver George Pickens got the ball rolling, when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 52nd round in the second round.

He was followed later by James Cook who went to Buffalo with the 63rd pick in the second.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to go earlier, but had to wait until the third round when Philadelphia selected took him with the 83rd pick in the third round. Channing Tindall would be the final pick of the evening, when the Dolphins took the linebacker in the third round with 102nd overall selection.

Pickens told Pittsburgh media that he had an idea the Steel City would be his new home.

"With the draft you never know," Pickens said. "I am just glad to be a Steeler. I knew it was a possibility. But you never know. It's an honor."

Mike Tomlin was in Athens for Georgia's Pro Day and saw Pickens for himself.

"We see him as both. He's so explosive," said offensive coordinator Matt Canada. "You look at what he did in his career down there. He did a lot. They used him in multiple places with the talent that they had. We certainly have a couple of guys we feel good about at wideout. We'll see where he fits and the best place to put him. I think he can do both (receiver positions).”

The draft concludes Saturday with rounds 4-7.

Other Bulldogs who possibly could hear their names called today, including running back Zamir White, offensive linemen Justin Shaffer and Jamaree Salyer, cornerback Derion Kendrick, and punter Jake Camarda.

Thursday, the Bulldogs set an NFL Draft record by becoming first team to have five defensive players taken in the first round when Travon Walker (No. 1, Jacksonville), Jordan Davis (No. 13, Philadelphia), Quay Walker (No. 22, Green Bay), Devonte Wyatt (No. 28, Green Bay) and Lewis Cine (No. 32, Minnesota) were selected.

Nakobe Dean finally heard his name called - by Philadelphia in the third round. (USA Today)

Record-setting night in Thursday's first round

Thursday was a record-breaking night for Georgia in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took defensive end Travon Walker with the first overall pick in the Thursday night in Las Vegas.

Walker becomes the second Bulldog to go No. 1 overall since quarterback Matthew Stafford went No. 1 to Detroit in 2009.

He was followed 12 picks later by Jordan Davis, who was drafted by Philadelphia with the 13th pick and later with Quay Walker to Green Bay. Quay Walker was joined six picks later by teammate Devonte Wyatt.

Lewis Cine capped the evening when he was selected with the 32nd pick in the first round.

The five defensive players selected Thursday also enabled Georgia to establish a new NFL Draft record for the most defensive players taken off one team in the first round.

The NFL Draft continues with the second and third rounds Friday beginning at 7 p.m.

Travon Walker is also the first Bulldog defensive end to go in the first round since David Pollack in 2005.

"I'm definitely prepared for it," Walker said during a Thursday videoconference with Jaguars media. "Being the No. 1 pick, I have to say there are a lot of expectations behind it. But I'm one … it's just a game of football for me."

Walker will obviously have an early opportunity with the Jaguars, who went into the draft looking for a difference-making edge player.

"I'm going to keep the main thing the main thing," Walker said. "That's my family, to be able to spend the last couple of hours with them before I get ready to lock in for work."

Travon Walker went No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday night. (USA Today)

https://uga.rivals.com/news/nabobe-dean-responds-to-dropping-in-nfl-draftGeorge Pickens and Nakobe Dean were projected as possible first-round picks, but were not selected.

Nevertheless, the Bulldogs are well on track to breaking the school mark for most players drafted in a single draft. That number currently sits at nine (2021)

Jamaree Salyer, Channing Tindall, and James Cook are each pegged to go somewhere rounds two and three.

Zamir White, Derion Kendrick and Justin Shaffer figure to go somewhere after that. Punter Jake Camarda could also get the call.

“The credit goes to these kids. You know, they made the decision to come to school here. Our job is to develop him and make sure they're better people when they leave. I think each one of these kids will tell you they're more successful because of the work ethic they were able to achieve here,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “We had some really good coaches to help coach them up and some really good players to help play. And I think it's very unique to have this kind of collection of talent. You don't have that every year. It's not every year you're going to have 14 guys at the combine. It's just tough to do. And I'm proud of this group."