INDIANAPOLIS — Javon Bullard admitted that he plays the game “angry,” but on Thursday the outgoing Georgia safety allowed himself some happiness.

“I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Bullard said of the NFL Combine experience, which will continue for him with on-field testing this afternoon (TV: NFL Network, 3 p.m.).

“I’m talking to head coaches and GMs, shaking hands with guys I wouldn’t dream of seeing,” he said. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was a kid.”

Bullard, the defensive MVP for UGA in its CFP Peach Bowl and Championship Games the 2022 season, is widely projected as a second-day draft pick, expected to be selected in the second or third round in the NFL Draft based on how he tests and team’s needs.

Wherever he ends up, Bullard made it clear he has maximized his preparedness and value for the NFL by listening to his coaches at Georgia.

“Huge shoutout to coach (Will Muschamp) and coach Smart for drilling it into our heads that your versatility is your value,” said Bullard, who started at the nickel (star) and safety positions during his career at Georgia.

“Just knowing we played every position on the back end, and every position in the secondary, knowing you had to do that at Georgia to be successful, It paid dividends for me and I’m grateful.”