NFL Draft History - Georgia Bulldog edition

The 2018 NFL Draft is here and this time it will be held in “Jerry World”. Several Bulldogs will hear their name called and before they do, here is a little more insight on how former Georgia players have fared in previous NFL Drafts.

Officially Georgia has had 315 players selected in the NFL Draft over the years including 31 in the first round. The record for the Bulldogs selected in one draft is eight and the most in the first round is two. The Dawgs have a chance to approach both of these numbers and maybe even break it. Last season, only one former Dawg’s name was called as Isaiah McKenzie was picked in the fifth round of the Denver Broncos.

In 2002 and 2013 eight Bulldog players were selected in the NFL and in 1990, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2013 two players were picked in the first round including four number one overall. Frank Sinkwich, Charley Trippi, Harry Babcock and Matthew Stafford all heard their name’s called first. Roquan Smith and possibly Isaiah Wynn and maybe a running back may be called in the first round this year. Here is a look at the last ten NFL Drafts and how Georgia has fared in them.

As you can see, the Dawgs only had one player selected last season (that turned out to be a good thing as last season’s senior class was a vital part in the Bulldog’s championship season). The previous time that Georgia had just one player selected was in 1982 when Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott was picked by Saints at number 13. The last time the red and black had zero was in 1992.

The Eagles have picked the most Dawgs with 21 with the last one being Brandon Boykin in 2012. It has been awhile since the Chargers have picked a Dawg. Gene Washington was the last to be chosen and it was way back in 1977 (Paul Oliver was selected in the supplemental draft in 2007). The next longest draught belongs to the New York Giants. The last one occurred in 1993 when kicker Todd Peterson and and before that was Rodney Hampton in 1990 and before that was Chuck Heard back in 1972! I did see that the Giants drafted Porter Payne back in 1950. He and his son, Billy (you may have heard of him) will be honored soon when the Indoor Practice Facility is named for them. They will have a pretty impressive guest at the event.

As I mentioned, Smith and Wynn should be picked very early. Also expect Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to be chosen as well as Lorenzo Carter and possibly Davin Bellamy, Trenton Thompson, John Atkins, Dominck Sanders, Aaron Davis, Javon Wims and more, too. If you are curious who was the last Georgia linebacker or offensive lineman taken in the NFL Draft, here are the last ten (sometimes 11) players taken by each main position expected to be drafted this season.

I counted fullbacks with running backs and tight ends with wide receivers. Also the position listed was the position the player was considered in the NFL. The number next to the player represents the round and year the player was drafted.

Here are some other NFL Draft bits of info about the Dawgs…

The Atlanta Falcons selected nine Georgia players from the past with the last being, Akeem Dent in 2011 and the first being Ray Jeffords. Jeffords was a basketball player for the Bulldogs.

Spike Jones was the only exclusive punter for Georgia that was taken in the draft. He was taken by the Houston Oilers back in 1970 in the fourth round. Could Cameron Nizialek be the second?

I mentioned that Georgia has had a player go number one overall four times. They have had a player go number two overall just once. Johnny Rauch went number two to the Detroit Lions in 1949. He was selected between football legends, Chuck Bednarik and Doak Walker.

The only number three and only number four were pretty big for the Bulldogs. Garrison Hearst was third by the Phoenix Cardinals in 1993 and number four A.J. Green to the Bengals in 2011.

Georgia is one of two schools to have three different Super Bowl MVPs. The three players were not high draft picks either. Jake Scott went in the seventh round in 1970, Terrell Davis was a sixth round pick in 1995 and Hines Ward was selected in the third round in 1998.

The Bengals have picked eight different Dawgs in the 2000’s, but none since Shawn Williams in 2013.

The Chiefs never took a Bulldog until 2011 when Justin Houston became the first. They have selected four since.

The Texans have selected just one Georgia player, Ben Jones in 2012. The Ravens have selected just two Georgia players: Musa Smith in 2003 and DeAngelo Tyson in 2012. While those two teams are relatively new, the Raiders have been along for awhile. They have picked just two as well… Matt Stinchcomb in 1999 and Quentin Moses in 2007.

Stinchcomb is going into the College Football Hall of Fame later this year. Bill Goldberg went in the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this month. The former Georgia defensive lineman was selected by the Rams in the 11th round in 1990.

In 1985, Donald Chumley was Mr. Irrelevant when the 49ers took him 12th round, 336th overall. In that same draft, the Cowboys selected Herschel Walker 222 picks earlier (5th round, 114th overall).

For more on this year’s Georgia players going into the draft check out Anthony Dasher’s article posted earlier today.