With the NFL Draft just one month away, multiple Georgia Bulldogs are preparing to take the next step in their careers.
Anywhere from 5-7 Bulldogs should hear their name called during the draft, and one, Andrew Thomas, is viewed as a first round lock.
As we prep for the NFL Draft, USA TODAY site DraftWire has released its big board, featuring the top 200 prospects in this year’s draft class.
Making the list were six Georgia players, starting with Thomas and ending with with safety J.R. Reed.
Here’s the top-five:
- Chase Young, DE, OSU
- Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
- Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
- Jeff Okudah, CB, OSU
LSU led with 15 players on the big board.
Georgia players on the big board:
No. 7: Georgia OT Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas should be a first round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s been compared to Ja’Wuan James, who was originally a first round pick of the Miami Dolphins.
The 6-5, 315 pounder, stepped into the lineup immediately at Georgia and received Freshman All-American honors after starting all 15 games at right tackle. During his sophomore year, He switched to left tackle and earned second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-SEC honors after starting 13 games. He started 13 games at left tackle and was awarded first-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-conference accolades in 2019.
No. 25: Georgia RB D’Andre Swift
Swift’s versatility with and without the ball in his hands is what makes him so special compared to other tailbacks. Not only can he run you over, but he can also blow past you with his speed and he has one of the nastiest arsenals of jukes, spins and cuts that you’ll see from a college running back. But what really sets him apart is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and make things happen.
Swift’s catching numbers by season:
2017: 17 receptions, 153 yards, 1 TD
2018: 32 receptions, 297 yards, 3 TDs
2019: 24 receptions, 216 yards, 1 TD
If you get Swift into the right offense – looking at you Kansas City – the sky is the limit. That would be a Fantasy Football dream scenario.
No. 35: Georgia OG Solomon Kindley
Surprising to many, Kindley actually appeared in the first round of a recent mock draft because of his prototypical NFL guard qualities. Although tackle is the premium line slot, since they protect the quarterback’s blindside and the outside edge, solid guard play is crucial to interior running, a Georgia specialty in the Kirby Smart era.
Kindley is fleet enough of foot to pull when called on to do so and plenty big for a guard, though shorter than a tackle. That can actually be an advantage, as modern quarterbacks are not consistently tall. They could still see over him. He will remain inside in the NFL and be a strong addition to a team, if he continues to improve his craft.
Kindley is generally viewed as a third or fourth round pick, at 6-3 and 337 pounds. The guard position is not seen as the highest need for most NFL teams, and college tackles can also be moved inside at times with success.
No. 44: Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson
Wilson came to Georgia as the top-ranked offensive lineman in the country. Out of Poly Prep High School in Brooklyn, NYC, and already 6-7, 345, he struggled mightily to adapt to the searing Southern heat and humidity. He also was not reasonably tested by anyone in high school, considering how much bigger and stronger he was than his competition.
As a two-year starter for the Dawgs, Wilson helped lead Georgia teams that won 11 and 12 games and put up three 1,000-yard rushers: Elijah Holyfield (once) and D’Andre Swift (twice).
No. 105: Georgia QB Jake Fromm
Jake Fromm is a tough prospect to evaluate ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. Fromm struggled with consistency in 2019, but he had an entirely new group of wide receivers. Notably, Fromm couldn’t cash in on as many deep passes as he needed.
Fromm was one play away from winning a National Championship, won a Rose Bowl and a Sugar Bowl. There aren’t that many quarterbacks in the modern college football era that have a resume quite like his.
Fromm is viewed as a mid-round pick, anywhere from rounds 3-6.
No. 147: Georgia S J.R. Reed
Reed is a guy who is not getting as much love as I would have expected leading up the NFL Draft. This is a guy who some of the best instincts I’ve seen at the safety position. He’s a great open-field tackler, has a nose for the football and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Reed forced seven turnovers throughout his time in Athens while being a key piece in several elite defenses, rarely surrendering big-plays. He racked up over fifty tackles in each of his three seasons.
