Kirby Smart returned to Georgia as head coach selling dreams of national championships and soaring NFL Draft stock to recruits.
Six years later, Smart’s UGA football program has made that a reality, a fact that will be accentuated in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
“Our job is to develop them and make sure they’re better people when they leave,” Smart said. “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.”
The draft runs Thursday though Saturday (Rounds 2-3 will be Friday night) in Las Vegas.
The CFP Champion Bulldogs could break their program record of players selected in the first round (3) with as many as five players projected in the first round.
Outland Trophy winner Jordan Davis, Butkus Award winner Nakobe Dean and Senior Bowl standout Devonte Wyatt are among the projected first-round talents expected to be attending the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas.
“This defense is going to be the defense you tell your grandkids about,” said Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, who was a four-time Super Bowl-winning NFL scout.
It was a historically dominant defense, holding opponents to the fewest points per game in the regular season (6.9) since 1986 Oklahoma.
Safety Lewis Cine, is yet another UGA defender who has received first-round projections.
Cine, like potential first-round pick George Pickens, will be watching the 2022 NFL Draft with family members.
Recent ESPN projections forecast 10 Georgia players will be picked in the first 62 selections of the NFL Draft. In all, 14 Bulldogs are expected to be picked.
If that occurs, Georgia would tie LSU (2020) and Ohio State (2004) for the most players selected in one NFL draft since the league went to a seven-round format in 1994.
“I think it’s very unique to have this kind of collection of talent,” Smart said. “You don’t have that every year — it’s not every year you’re going to have 14 guys at the NFL Combine. It’s tough to do, and I’m proud of this group.”
Here’s a look at where the Georgia players were selected to be picked by ESPN analyst Jordan Reid compared with the modern-era NFL Draft record classes at Ohio State and LSU:
Round 1
No. 10 Jordan Davis DT-1
No. 11 Travon Walker DE-3
No. 18 Nakobe Dean LB-1
No. 30 Lewis Cine S-4
Round 2
No. 31 Devonte Wyatt DT-2
No. 46 George Pickens WR-8
No. 48 Quay Walker LB-3
No. 60 James Cook, RB-3
No. 61 Channing Tindall LB-4
No. 62 Jamaree Salyer OG-3
Round 4
No. 148 Zamir White RB-9
Round 6
No. 212 Justin Shaffer OG-16
Round 7
No. 227 Derion Kendrick CB-28
No. 228 Jake Camarda P-3
LSU 2020
ROUND ONE
1. QB Joe Burrow
20. OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
22. WR Justin Jefferson
28. LB Patrick Queen
32. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
ROUND TWO
44. S Grant Delpit
61. CB Kristian Fulton
ROUND THREE
69. OG Damien Lewis
83. OC Lloyd Cushenberry lll
97. LB Jacob Phillips
ROUND FOUR
108. OT Saahdiq Charles
131. DT Rashard Lawrence
ROUND SIX
185. LS Blake Ferguson
ROUND SEVEN
251. Stephen Sullivan
*Six players signed as free agents
Ohio State 2004
ROUND ONE
18. DE Will Smith
28. DB Chris Gamble
29. Michael Jenkins
ROUND THREE
68. TE Ben Hartsock
74. DT Tim Anderson
87. P B.J. Sander
88. DE Darrion Scott
ROUND FOUR
100. OC Alex Stepanovich
111. DB Will Allen
ROUND FIVE
148. QB Craig Krenzel
163. WR Drew Carter
165. LB Robert Reynolds
ROUND SEVEN
209. OT Shane Olivea
227. OG Adrieb Clarke
* The all-time NFL Draft record is 17, set by Texas in 1984 when the draft was 17 rounds.
** USC also had 14 NFL Draft selections in 1975
