State of Georgia contingent for the NFL scouting combine is 41 deep

“I have a very similar grade on (Penn State defensive end) Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Thursday. “I have Abdul Carter a little bit higher than (Hunter).”

Tennessee holds the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

“(Defensive end) is such a premier position and you look at the pieces (the Titans) already have on that defensive line, you go out and get Abdul Carter, I think you’ve got a chance to have one of the best units in the league,” Jeremiah said. “That’s a good foundation to build off of.”

Last season, former Georgia tight end Brock Bowers led the contingent of 35 players who either played in-state or played in high school in Georgia.

Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker likely will be first player taken with ties to the state.

“Jalon Walker is one of my favorite players to study,” Jeremiah said. “He’s got the versatility to play off the ball (and) on the ball. I think he’s got a chance to be a special pass rusher. ... He’s a lock to go in the top 10.”

Scouting combine invites since 2019

Year+State of Georgia+UGA

2025+41+14

2024+35+11

2023+41+12

2022+38+14

2021+No combine held because of COVID-19 pandemic.

2020+32+10

2019+25+10

Of the 41 players invited this season, 32 played at high schools in Georgia. Fourteen former Georgia Bulldogs were invited. Georgia Tech had two players invited.

In 2023, there also were 41 NFL draft prospects with Georgia connections invited to the combine, with linebacker Will Anderson (Dutchtown/Alabama) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Dalton High, Georgia Tech/Alabama) as the top prospects.

Here’s a list of the players from Georgia high schools (who didn’t play at UGA or Tech) who were invited to participate in the scouting combine:

Georgia high schools

Name, height, weight, position, high school, college(s)

Max Brosmer, 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, QB, Centennial High, New Hampshire/Minnesota: He led the Golden Gophers to 8-5 last season after playing four seasons at New Hampshire. He completed a single-season school record 268 passes for 2,828 yards (third most in single-season school history) and 18 touchdowns (tied for eighth most in school single-season history). He was second on the team with five rushing touchdowns.

Phil Mafah, 6-1, 230, RB, Grayson, Clemson: He was a powerful runner for the Tigers. He had 561 carries for 2,887 yards and 28 touchdowns over his career. He also caught 58 passes for 309 yards in 1,687 career snaps over 50 games (21 starts) from 2021-24. He finished his career ranked ninth in Clemson history in career rushing yards and tied for 10th in career rushing touchdowns.

Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks, 5-10, 215, RB, Carver-Atlanta, Mississippi State/USC: He played at Mississippi State (2020-23) and rushed 410 times for 1,883 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also caught 214 passes for 1,225 yards and five touchdowns. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at Mississippi State. “Just going out there and playing with USC was amazing,” Marks told the AJC at the Senior Bowl. “Just running the ball and still catching the ball out of the backfield.” He started playing at age five for the South Atlanta Seminoles.

Isaiah Bond, 5-11, 181, WR, Buford High, Alabama/Texas: He played in 14 games and made 34 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns last season with the Longhorns. He played in 27 games and made 12 starts with Alabama before transferring. He made 65 catches for 888 yards (13.6 per catch) and five touchdowns over two seasons.

Sam Brown Jr., 6-2, 195, WR, New Hampstead High, West Virginia/Houston/Miami: He played sparingly at West Virginia in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to Houston. He caught 41 passes in 2022 and 62 in 2023 for the Cougars. Averaged a career-high 14.1 yards per catch last season with the Hurricanes.

Kobe Hudson, 6-1, 200, WR, Troup County, Auburn/Central Florida: He played in 60 games at Auburn and UCF and caught 181 passes for 2,961 yards (16.4 yards per catch) and 23 touchdowns. He was named to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super 11 team and was the Georgia Class 4A state player of the year as a junior quarterback.

Konata Mumpfield, 6-1, 185, WR, Dacula, Akron/Pittsburgh: He started all 12-regular season games for the Panthers last season and was a captain. He made 52 catches for 813 Yards (15.6 per catch) and five touchdowns. He played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, starting for the West team. He was named second-team All-Mid-American Conference in 2021 after catching 63 passes.

Jalen Royals, 6-0, 205, WR, Hillgrove, Georgia Military College/Utah State: After two dynamic seasons for the Aggies, he’s considered a late bloomer with NFL potential. Royals caught 71 passes for 1,080 yards (15.2 yards per catch) and led the nation with 15 touchdowns catches in 2023. He was off to a strong start last season before the injury. In seven games, he had 55 catches for 834 yards (15.2 yard per catch) and six touchdowns. Royals believes he can play in the slot or outside in the NFL. He wants to get better with his down-the-field blocking. His favorite players are wide receiver Davante Adams and former running back Adrian Peterson. Quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers’ starting quarterback, was the most recent Utah State player to be drafted. He was taken in the first round (26th overall) of the 2020 draft.

Ricky White III, 6-1, 190, WR, Marietta, Michigan State/UNLV: In 2023, he led the nation with 1,483 yards receiving. Last season, he had 71 catches for 1,041 and 11 touchdowns for the Runnin’ Rebels. He started at Michigan State after helping Marietta win the Class 7A state title in 2019 under coach Richard Morgan. He started his high school career at Wheeler.

Myles Hinton, 6-6, 342, OL, Greater Atlanta Christian, Stanford/Michigan: Son of Falcons and Colts great Chris Hinton. He played two seasons at Stanford (2020-22) before transferring to Michigan. Hinton started five games before losing his starting role. He played in 13 games as Michigan won a national championship in 2023. In 2024, Hinton started 10 games at left tackle and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

Seth McLaughlin, 6-4, 305, OL, Buford, Alabama/Ohio State: During practice in November, McLaughlin ruptured his Achilles, ending his season. He was a key figure in a Buckeyes’ offense that was second in the Big Ten in points per game and third in rushing yards per game. He started 24 games with the Crimson Tide and played in 35 games.

Jared Ivey, 6-5, 5/8, 283, Edge, North Gwinnett/Georgia Tech/Ole Miss: He finished his Ole Miss career with 125 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries over 38 games and 30 starts. Combined with his time at Tech (2020-21), he has a total of 165 tackles, 33.5 tackles for losses, 17.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hurries over 58 games.

Kyle Kennard, 6-3¾, 248, DE, Riverwood, Georgia Tech/South Carolina: Played at Tech (2020-23) before transferring. He was named the SEC’s defensive player of the year and an All-American. Kennard finished his career with 32 starts in 54 total contests and 24 sacks with 37 tackles for loss.

Steve Linton, 6-5, 237, DE, Dublin, Syracuse/Texas Tech/Baylor: He played in nine games with five starts at outside linebacker. He made 25 tackles, seven for a loss, with three sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries. He played in 37 games from 2019-23, including four years at Syracuse and 2023 at Texas Tech.

Kaimon Rucker, 6-2, 265, DE, Hart County, North Carolina: He played in 50 games and made 28 starts (2019-23). He played in eight games in 2024. He finished his career with 22 sacks and 39 tackles for losses. He was an preseason All-State selection by The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Bradyn Swinson, 6-4, 250, DE, Chapel Hill, Oregon/LSU: Swinson had his best season of college football, showing vast improvement under the direction of first-year edge rusher coach Kevin Peoples. He was named second-team All-SEC in 2024 as he led the Tigers in tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (8.5) and quarterback hurries (12). He also led all LSU defensive linemen with 58 tackles. He was at Oregon 2020-22. He was on The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s preseason All-State team before his senior season.

Barrett Carter, 6-1, 230, LB, North Gwinnett, Clemson: He was an AJC Super 11 pick in 2020. He was a two-time All-American pick. The coaching staff, after film review, credited Carter with 254 tackles (31.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, 24 pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 2,482 career snaps over 52 games (40 starts) from 2021-24.

Demetrius Knight Jr., 6-2, 245, LB, Strong Rock Christian, Charlotte/Georgia Tech/South Carolina: He’s a six-year linebacker who spent his final season at South Carolina after four years at Tech and one at Charlotte. He earned first-team all-conference honors in 2023 in his lone season with the 49ers. He played in 61 games and made 22 starts and has 229 career tackles. He is a cousin of former Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall.

Chris Paul Jr., 6-1, 235, LB, Crisp County, Arkansas/Mississippi: He played in 12 games and made 11 starts for the Rebels last season. He made 88 tackles and ranked fourth among all Rebels in the regular season with 11 tackles for loss and he also had 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and four pass breakups. He played in 28 games and made 11 starts at Arkansas.

Brandon “BJ” Adams, 6-1⅜, 186, CB, Arabia Mountain, Central Florida: Adams played a lot of press man-to-man coverage and can hold up at the point of attack. He also has experience playing on special teams. He played cornerback, free safety, quarterback, running back and wide receiver in high school.

Zah Frazier, 6-3, 185, CB, Cedartown, Coffeyville CC/UTSA: He started 10 games and played in a 12 games overall. He broke the school’s single-season record with six interceptions, which ranked second among all FBS players in 2024. He played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Jordan Hancock, 6-1, 195, CB, North Gwinnett, Ohio State: He played four seasons with the Buckeyes. He played in 25 games and made eight starts. In 2023, he played in all 13 games and made seven starts and had 41 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Travis Hunter, 6-1, 185, WR/CB, Collins Hill, Jackson State/Colorado: He could be the first player taken in the draft. Played both ways for Coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State and Colorado. He won the Heisman Trophy as he helped to turn around the Buffaloes program. Playing both wide receiver and defensive back — full time — he finished in the top five in FBS in receptions (94), receiving yards (1,258) and receiving touchdowns (15) and interceptions (four) and passes defended (15).

Alijah Huzzie, 5-10, 195, CB, Heard County, East Tennessee State/North Carolina: He played in 11 games in 2023 and 13 in 2024 for the Tar Heels and had four interceptions. He was a four-year veteran at East Tennessee State. He played in 34 games and made 34 starts and finished with 179 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 12 interceptions and 30 pass breakups.

Ryan Fitzgerald, 5-11⅝, 195, K, Florida State: Fitzgerald made his career long 59-yard field goal against Georgia Tech last season. He was 58-of-74 in field-goal attempts over his 56-game career. He was 13-of-13 last season and 19-of-21 in 2023.

GEORGIA TECH

Jackson Hawes, 6-4, 252, TE: The Yale (2019-2023) transfer was used primarily as a blocking tight end. He’s a ferocious blocker and was used as a puller at times. He’s a power player with limited pass catching skills. He did catch 35 passes for 371 yards and six touchdowns at Yale.

Zeek Biggers, 6-4, 325, DT: He made 104 tackles (including nine for loss and two sacks) in four seasons as a Yellow Jacket. He played in 47 games and made 26 consecutive starts over the past two seasons. Biggers was an all-ACC honorable-mention selection in 2024.

GEORGIA

Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia, 5-foot-8, 202 pounds: He spent his first two seasons at Florida before transferring to Georgia for the 2024 season. He rushed 122 times for 609 yards and nine touchdowns for the Bulldogs. He rushed 371 times for 2,081 yards and 23 touchdowns over his career. He’s a dependable pass-catcher. He caught 62 of 63 targets over his career for 432 yards and a touchdown. He missed some time last season with a rib injury.

Arian Smith, WR, Georgia, 6-0, 185: He played in 47 games for the Bulldogs. He caught 68 passes for 1,356 yards (19.9 yard per catch) and 10 touchdowns. His injury history will scare off some teams. A broken-wrist injury suffered in high school limited his playing time in 2020, his first season at Georgia. In 2021, he tore the meniscus in his right knee. After returning to competition, he broke his right fibula to end his season. Just before the start of the 2022 season, he broke his right ankle and tore a ligament in it. He’ll need to display better hands this week. He was credited with 10 dropped passes heading into the Sugar Bowl by pro football focus.

Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia, 6-2⅜, 229: The former Paulding County High standout was a five-star recruit. Played early in his career. He played in 51 games and had 212 tackles and 18 tackles for losses. He also showed some pass-rush ability with eight sacks.

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL, Georgia, 6-4, 276: Played in 37 games for the Bulldogs over four seasons. He played mostly in reserve and rotational roles. He made three tackles, including two for a combined loss of 8 yards in the SEC opener win over Kentucky to earn SEC defensive lineman-of-the-week award last season.

Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia, 6-6, 320: Played in 38 games over his career, including 10 last season. He was named Associated Press All-American third-team and Associated Press and coaches first-team All-SEC. He suffered knee and ankle injuries in the conference opener against Kentucky and missed the next four games before returning to action against Florida.

Jared Wilson, C, Georgia, 6-3, 210: He played in 34 career games for the Bulldogs over the past four seasons. He was a two-year starter. He was named to the coaches’ second-team All-SEC team. In 2023, he played in 13 of 14 games and was part of the unit that ranked first in the SEC and seventh nationally in sacks allowed (0.93). He helped Georgia’s offense finish second in the SEC and fifth in the nation in total offense (496.5), offensive passing efficiency (168.21) and scoring offense (40.1).

Mykel Williams, 6-5, 265, DE, Hardaway HS: He was named to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super 11 in 2021. He played in 11 games and made five starts. Ranked second on the team with five sacks and was named second-team All-SEC by the coaches.

Malaki Starks, 6-1, 205, S, Jefferson HS: He started all 13 games last season and led the defense with 77 tackles, including four for a loss of 12 yards. He tied his career high with 10 tackles against Georgia Tech. He is considered the top safety in the draft.

Jalon Walker, 6-2, 245, LB, Georgia: He was named the Dick Butkus Award winner, which annually is awarded to the nation’s top linebacker. He was an Associated Press third-team All-American pick. He was the third-leading tackler with 60 tackles and led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss.

Nazir Stackhouse, 6-3, 320, DT, Columbia HS: He played in 14 games and made 13 starts. He had 27 tackles. He also played at Martin Luther King Jr. High and Stephenson High before finishing at Columbia.

Dominic Lovett, 5-10, 187, WR: He played in 13 games and made seven starts. He caught 197 passes for 2,243 yards (11.4 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns over his career.

Dylan Fairchild, 6-5, 315, OL, West Forsyth HS: He was named second-team Associated Press All-American. Played mostly left guard in 2023.

Warren Brinson, 6-4, 305, DT, Savannah Christian: He played in 12 of 14 games, making four starts. He was credited with 26 total tackles, including six for a combined loss of 16 yards.

Xavier Truss, 6-7, 320, OT: He started in 13 games. In 2023, he helped Georgia’s offense finish second in the SEC and fifth in the nation in total offense (496.5), offensive passing efficiency (168.21), and scoring offense (40.1),