2024 NFL mock draft: Where all 12 Georgia football prospects are projected to land
Georgia football has been at the top of college football in recent years, as displayed by its back-to-back national championship titles in 2022 and 2023 — and the number of recent NFL draftees.
Last season, Kirby Smart's program produced 10 drafted players, tied for the most of any team alongside mentor Nick Saban and Alabama. Since 2021, Georgia has had 41 players taken in the NFL draft, including 11 who were selected in the first round. The Bulldogs now look to add to that count with this year's NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit.
MORE: Watch the 2024 NFL Draft with Fubo (free trial)
Leading the prospect list for the Bulldogs this year is tight end Brock Bowers, who has been linked to the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and Denver Broncos in NFL mock drafts by USA TODAY's Michael Middlehurt-Schwartz, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.'s and ESPN's Field Yates.
Other top prospects in this year's NFL draft class from Smart's program include offensive tackle Amarius Mims, receiver Ladd McConkey and safety Javon Bullard. A total of 12 Georgia players are eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft, including Bowers, Mims, McConkey and Bullard.
Here are the best fits for the top Georgia players in the NFL draft:
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Note: All projections based on the mock draft by USA TODAY's Michael Middlehurt-Schwartz.
TE Brock Bowers to Indianapolis Colts in 1st round
Middlehurt-Schwartz projects Bowers to Indianapolis at No. 15 overall:
"The two-time Mackey Award winner's range seems to begin at No. 10. If he gets past that point, however, it's hard to pinpoint an exact landing spot in the middle of the first round. Indianapolis, however, would have to take a long look at Bowers, who could significantly ease Anthony Richardson's learning curve."
OT Amarius Mims to Dallas Cowboys in 1st round
Middlehurt-Schwartz projects Mims to Dallas at No. 24 overall:
"Tough spot for Dallas, which has to wait behind several other teams in the market for an offensive tackle before getting its shot. Mims is still an unknown and unfinished project after tallying just eight starts at Georgia, but Jerry Jones might be captivated by the upside of a smooth-moving 6-8, 340-pound blocker."
WR Ladd McConkey to Kansas City Chiefs in 1st round
Middlehurt-Schwartz projects McConkey to Kansas City at No. 32 overall:
"Kansas City already looked ripe for another receiver even before Rashee Rice's arrest, which likely will lead to a suspension. McConkey fits the bill of what the Chiefs need for their current era under Patrick Mahomes: a polished pass catcher who can consistently break free and move the chains."
CB Kamari Lassiter to Houston Texas in 2nd round
Middlehurt-Schwartz projects Lassiter to Kansas City at No. 59 overall:
"Lassiter doesn't have elite speed, but he's a really solid corner. The Texans ranked 29th in the league in yards per pass attempt allowed (7.7) last season."
SAF Javon Bullard to Detroit Lions in 2nd round
Middlehurt-Schwartz projects Bullard to Kansas City at No. 61 overall:
"I recently picked Bullard, my top-ranked safety, in our big superteams draft. He can do it all. The Lions landed Brian Branch in Round 2 last year, and they could build an elite duo with these two."
Other Georgia players eligible for 2024 NFL Draft
Here's a list of the remaining eligible Georgia football players for this year's NFL draft. Projections are based on NFL.com's Chad Reuter's seven-round NFL mock draft:
C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger: Fifth round to the Buffalo Bills (No. 163 overall)
RB Kendall Milton: Seventh round to the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 224 overall)
SAF Tykee Smith: Undrafted
RB Daijun Edwards: Undrafted
DT Zion Logue: Undrafted
WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint: Undrafted
LS William Mote: Undrafted
Top Georgia Bulldogs NFL draft prospects of all time
Running back Frank Sinkwich was the first Georgia player to be selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, back in 1943, by the Detroit Lions. Four other Bulldogs have also been selected with the top overall pick:
Charley Trippi: 1945 by the then-Chicago Cardinals
Harry Babcock: 1952 by the San Francisco 49ers
Matthew Stafford: 2009 by the Lions
Travon Walker: 2022 by the Jacksonville Jaguars
Georgia currently holds the NFL draft record for most selections in one NFL draft since 1994, as the Bulldogs had 15 players — Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Lewis Cine, George Pickens, James Cook, Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall, Zamir White, Jake Camarda, Justin Shaffer, Jamaree Salyer, Derion Kendrick and John FitzPatrick — selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter went No. 9 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was one of three Bulldogs to go in the first round that year.
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This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: NFL mock draft 2024: Georgia football prospects projections
