A handful of college football stars have seen their seasons end, and a few more have already made the decision to opt out and enter the 2023 NFL Draft.
No player on Georgia has yet made such a decision, but based on Todd McShay’s latest NFL mock draft, you can expect Georgia to once again be well-represented in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
McShay has three Bulldogs coming off the board in the first round. Ohio State is also mocked with three picks, while Alabama leads the way with four. First up is defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who McShay has landing with the Seattle Seahawks with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
“Seattle has a bigger need on the interior than edge, and I think Carter could be dominant there with a lightning-fast first step and plenty of disruptive power,” McShay wrote. “He reminds me of Quinnen Williams.”
Carter has racked up multiple All-American honors in recent weeks, thanks to his dominant play this season. The defensive tackle finished the season with 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks while playing dominant football for the Georgia defense.
Next off the board is cornerback Kelee Ringo. The Georgia cornerback has had an up-and-down season, but he does have two interceptions and six pass breakups on the season. McShay believes Ringo will test extremely well, which would send his stock skyrocketing. McShay has Ringo going off the board with pick No. 19 to the Washington Commanders.
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Ringo will have a chance to prove himself against a talented passing offense in Ohio State. Between Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, the Buckeyes have two 1,000-yard receivers, even after Jaxon Smith-Njigba opted out of the bowl game.
The final Bulldog in McShay’s mock is offensive tackle Broderick Jones. The NFL draft expert has Jones landing with the New England Patriots, a familiar place for Georgia offensive linemen. The Patriots took Isaiah Wynn in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, while David Andrews is the starting center for New England.
Between Jamaree Salyer and Andrew Thomas, Georgia has a strong recent track record of left tackles. Given the athletic upside of Jones, and his strong play for Georgia, expect the offensive tackle to be highly coveted come April.
Georgia had 15 players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, a modern-day draft record. The Bulldogs had five players go in the first round of said draft, with Travon Walker going No. 1 overall.
This year’s NFL draft is set to take place in Kansas City, with the first round set for April 27. Players have until Jan. 16 to decide on whether or not they will declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Georgia takes on Ohio State on Dec. 31 in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
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