ATHENS — Georgia football has enjoyed historic success this season, and most all of the seniors on the team who have contributed to that will be rewarded with a trip to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The Bulldogs have eight players who have accepted invitations to play in the annual all-star game that represents a key component of the NFL draft evaluation process.

The Senior Bowl game takes place at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 5.

The public weigh-in on Monday and the practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday leading up to the game are key, as the elite talent goes head to head in drill work and scrimmage action while coached by NFL teams’ staff.

The entirety of the practices are open to fans, but the NFL head coaches, general managers and coaching staffs outnumber the citizens.

The NFL coaches and scouts surround the field and watch with binoculars from the bleachers as potential draft targets go head-to-head.

The stock of many of the Georgia players is still being evaluated, so how the Bulldogs perform in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 against Michigan will be key.

Georgia is aiming to win the CFP Championship Game on Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis.

Once the season is over, Georgia players will head out to work with respective trainers to prepare for their next NFL audition via the Senior Bowl, and then on to the NFL Combine March 1-7 in Indianapolis.

The Senior Bowl, however, presents players with a first round of interviews with the NFL teams.

Indeed, there’s also a great deal of networking in between the player activities with NFL coaches and assistants, with some staff members being interviewed and hired that week.

The Senior Bowl serves as an unofficial NFL convention of sorts., in addition to the all-star game activities.

Alabama coach Nick Saban makes an annual appearance, as the Tide has many players at the event each season.

Coach Kirby Smart was scheduled to be at a practice a few years back, but inclement weather led to him canceling his chartered flight. It’s hard to imagine Smart missing the event this year with so many Bulldogs taking part.

The list of UGA players stands at 8 at the time of this publication, but it could swell to 10.

Georgia defensive star Jordan Davis has yet to accept his invitation, while fan-favorite Zamir White has remaining eligibility and has yet to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Devonte Wyatt, who lines up beside Davis, has accepted his invite. Wyatt is exactly the sort of player who could rise quickly up the NFL draft board once seen in person, as he has explosion off the ball and will be able to showcase that in drill work against elite senior offensive linemen.

Tight end Tre’ McKitty and defensive back Mark Webb were two of the Georgia players in last year’s Senior Bowl that raised their stock drastically. And, while Malik Herring was injured, he showed so well early in the week that he was signed to a free-agent deal and remains on the Kansas City Cheifs injured reserve.

The Bulldogs have a few players sitting on the fence, so to speak.

Receiver Kearis Jackson could be deciding on whether or not to return for another season or declare himself eligible for the draft.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett is another player who is eligible for postseason all-star games (the East-West Shrine Game is an outside possibility) but might opt to return for another season playing quarterback for Georgia.

Safety Christopher Smith is another player who has yet to declare, and some sources have suggested Smith may be planning on returning for another year in Smart’s secondary.

Here’s a look at the Bulldogs who have accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl:

CB Derion Kendrick

DL Devonte Wyatt

LB Quay Walker

LB Channing Tindall

OL Jamaree Salyer

OL Justin Shaffer

P Jake Camarda

RB James Cook

The accepted invites represent a new record at the all-star game for the Bulldogs, who are expected to set a school record for most number of players selected in an NFL draft.

In addition to the above players, Georgia has a number of underclassmen who could declare themselves eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft, including (but not limited to):

LB Nakobe Dean

DE Travon Walker

OLB Nolan Smith

WR George Pickens

FS Lewis Cine

The underclassmen are not eligible to take part in the Senior Bowl practices or game.