It promises to be a record-breaking event for the Georgia football program during the three-day NFL Draft which gets underway Thursday night in Las Vegas.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. Eastern with the first round, followed by rounds 2-3 on Friday at 7, with rounds 4-7 on Saturday beginning at noon.
The event will be televised on both ESPN and the NFL Network.
Get ready for a cavalcade of Bulldogs to ultimately get the call, including what could be a record number of Georgia players selected, including the most ever picked in the first round.
Currently the record for most Bulldogs taken in the first round is three, set in 2018 when Roquan Smith (Chicago, No. 8), Isaiah Wynn (New England, No. 23) and Sony Michel (New England, No. 31).
If you believe the various mock drafts, there’s a good chance a new mark will be established Thursday night.
Travon Walker is a shoo-in. The defensive end from Thomaston has been mentioned as a possible top overall pick. But even if he’s not, Walker, who blew up during the NFL Combine, is not expected to drop outside the Top 10.
Walker is expected to be joined by nose guard Jordan Davis, with Devonte Wyatt, and perhaps even Lewis Cine and Nakobe Dean.
Even if the Bulldogs do not break the school record for most picks in the first round, the current mark for most players taken in a draft (nine in 2021) is certain to come tumbling down.
George Pickens, Quay Walker, Jamaree Salyer, Channing Tindall, and James Cook are each pegged to go somewhere in the first three rounds.
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."
Davis and Dean are expected to be in Las Vegas, as will Smart, and per Jim Donnan on Tuesday’s edition of UGASportsLive, so will defensive line coach Tray Scott and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann.
Considering Georgia’s deep history as it pertains to the draft, this year’s potential list of players expected to hear their names called is particularly impressive.
Before the nine selected in 2021, Georgia twice had as many as eight selected (2002 and 2013) with seven occurring in four (2003, 2006, 2012, 2019 and 2020).
Other items of note:
• Walker will be the first Bulldog defensive end taken in the first round since David Pollack in 2005.
• Assuming Davis goes in the first round, he will become Georgia’s first interior defensive line to go in the first round since Johnathan Sullivan in 2003.
• Cine would become the first safety taken in the first round since Thomas Davis in 2005.
• Of current NFL teams, the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagle have each drafted the most Bulldogs (21). For the Bears, wide receiver Riley Ridley was the last in 2019. Cornerback Brandon Boykin was the last Bulldog taken by the Eagles in 2012.
• The Oakland/L.A./Las Vegas Raiders have drafted the fewest Bulldogs (2), Matt Stinchcomb in 1999 and Quentin Moses in 2007.
• For those wondering, the Atlanta Falcons have drafted nine Bulldogs, with linebacker Akeem Dent being the last in 2011. The three other closest organizations with Bulldogs taken include Carolina (6), Tennessee (4), and Jacksonville (4).
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone the longest without drafting a Bulldog. Jermaine Phillips and Tim Wansley were the last in 2002.
