The Bulldogs will again take over the NFL combine when it begins next week in Indianapolis. Georgia has 12 invitees, bested by only Alabama (13). There are 319 prospects invited to the combine, where they’ll audition for teams through physical testing, medical testing and interviews.
Here are the former Bulldogs attending the combine, along with a look at the conversation that will surround them over the next few months:
Defensive lineman Jalen Carter
The storyline: Carter is the favorite to go No. 1 overall if the Bears keep the pick. Either way, he’s commonly considered the best talent in the class and will be drafted in the top five. He profiles as an exceptional pass rusher, devastating from the interior while having the athletic ability to move around.
Carter arguably was the best player on Georgia’s defense the past two seasons, which includes the 2021-22 unit that had five first-round selections last April. Carter simply needs to stay healthy and out of the (negative) headlines, and he won’t wait long to hear his name called. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper, two of the media’s leading draft analysts, have Carter No. 1 on their boards.
ESPN’s Todd McShay reported during the season that Carter has “character issues” that will be discussed during the pre-draft process. His teammates have refuted that claim, but it will be referenced throughout the draft process. Carter, who already responded to the comment, likely will address it again in Indianapolis.
Offensive tackle Broderick Jones
The storyline: Jones could be the first tackle selected, which would make him the Bulldogs’ first offensive player taken in the first round since tackles Andrew Thomas (No. 4) and Isaiah Wilson (No. 29) in 2020.
Jones, 21, allowed nine pressures and no sacks this season, per Pro Football Focus. Jones is relatively inexperienced, but he’s expected to test extremely well and cement himself in the top half of the first round. The question is whether he will be the first tackle off the board.
“Jones got better every week,” said Jeremiah, who has Jones ranked No. 15 overall. “I feel like his best football is ahead of him.”
Cornerback Kelee Ringo
The storyline: Ringo is among the most gifted players in this class. He’s 6-foot-2, 210 pounds with good speed. His play didn’t always align with those attributes, however. Ringo is a bit raw, but teams often bank on rare traits. McShay had the Lions drafting Ringo at No. 18 overall in his latest mock draft. Ringo’s athletic testing could position him to go even earlier.
Whatever happens next, Ringo’s college days will be remembered for his pick-six in the College Football Playoff Championship game in January 2022 against Alabama and Bryce Young, which ensured Georgia’s first title in four decades. Ringo had four interceptions over the past two seasons.
Tight end Darnell Washington
The storyline: Washington looks like God’s gift to football. He’s listed at 6-7, 270 pounds. He looks like a tackle but runs like a receiver. He’s unrefined, but that room for growth works in his favor (Washington had only 28 catches and two touchdowns last season, a product of Georgia’s offense). He’ll be an immediate asset in the red zone. Can he sneak into the first round? He’s a strong candidate to be among the athletic standouts next week.
Years from now, it will be interesting to look back at how Georgia had Brock Bowers and Washington together. Bowers already is considered the best tight end in the 2024 class.
“A traditional in-line tight end, Washington is a massive physical specimen with outstanding play strength and toughness,” Jeremiah said. “... He has some ‘wow’ contested catches where opponents just bounce off his frame. After the catch, he is shockingly fast and nimble. He is a dominant run blocker, as he latches onto and displaces defensive ends with ease. Overall, Washington has tremendous value because he functions as a sixth offensive lineman in the run game, and he’s a moving billboard in the passing game.”
Edge rusher Nolan Smith
The storyline: Smith returned to Georgia for his senior season, but his college career ended prematurely when he tore a pectoral muscle in the win over Florida in October. Smith led the Bulldogs in sacks (three) and quarterback hits (16) over his eight games.
Smith, listed at 6-3, 235 pounds, entered this season considered a first-round prospect, but the injury has put that into question. Still, Smith is a bendy edge rusher who’s long been praised for his intangibles. Smith’s stock comes down to the medicals, and if a team feels comfortable, he could find his way into the first round.
“He is a great leader,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in November. “Unquestioned toughness. He has got great toughness. The guy has been durable. He has been here his whole career. He hits things so hard. He closes on counters. He creates an attitude of toughness that embodies our defense. He has been a very vocal leader this year. ... He will make it back from (the injury), and he will be fine.”
Running back Kenny McIntosh
The storyline: McIntosh will be coveted because of his pass-catching prowess. He had 43 catches for 504 yards this season. In his career, he had zero drops on 90 targets (per PFF). He also can make plays after the catch and run through contact. He wasn’t heavily featured until this season, so NFL teams will like that he wasn’t worn down in college.
It’s worth mentioning that the Ravens recently hired former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Baltimore has a pair of solid backs in J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, but could Monken be interested in continuing his relationship with McIntosh? Locally, McIntosh would team nicely with punishing runner Tyler Allgeier for the Falcons. He’ll fit anywhere with his skill set.
“I think that’d be a fit because he knows how to use a back like me,” McIntosh said at the Senior Bowl when asked if he’d like to be reunited with Monken (before the coach joined Baltimore).
Safety Christopher Smith
The storyline: Smith constantly finds the ball, and despite his smaller size, teams will be highly intrigued. He’s built like some smaller, playmaking safeties in today’s NFL, such as Arizona’s Budda Baker and Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield. Smith’s versatility is key – NFL teams can move him around and even play him closer to the line of scrimmage.
“I feel like (my smaller size) doesn’t matter because it ain’t mattered to this point,” Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the Senior Bowl. “So why would it matter now? I feel like there are plenty of examples of me in the NFL, guys who are considered undersized or whatever. But they continue to go out there and make plays day in and day out.”
Smith’s testing will be paramount. If he fares well, that should cement him as a Day 2 selection. Coaches will love Smith’s willingness to tackle and desire to make hard hits. Like Nolan Smith, Christopher Smith also was praised for his leadership.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett
The storyline: Bennett is among the more unlikely successes in college football history. He started his career a walk-on and finished it a two-time national champion. Some fans consider him the best signal-caller in Bulldogs history.
But Bennett returns to the underdog role now. Players of his build are typically selected on Day 3, if at all. Bennett is listed 5-11, 190 pounds, entering a league that likes its quarterbacks much bigger and stronger. He’s also 25 years old, entering a league that values younger prospects who can be molded and developed.
The conversation around Bennett involves how he can convince teams he’s worth betting on – as he did with Smart – and how he can outperform the physical limitations. Bennett has gotten off to a rocky start, declining his Senior Bowl invitation before he was arrested in Dallas, near where he’s training, for public intoxication. He’ll address all of this next week with teams and media.
Offensive tackle Warren McClendon
The storyline: McClendon was steady on a phenomenal offensive line that only surrendered nine sacks this season. He excelled in pass blocking: The right tackle allowed seven pressures and no sacks this season. He also was durable, starting 37 consecutive games.
McClendon participated in the Senior Bowl and will try to continue improving his stock in Indianapolis. He could be a Day 2 pick if he impresses.
Linebacker Robert Beal
The storyline: Beal has contributed to the Bulldogs’ defense since 2018. His 2021 campaign was his best, when he notched 6.5 sacks (he had three this season). Was the 2021 season a sign that there’s more here as a pass rusher? He’s proved to be solid against the run. Beal will need to play special teams in the NFL.
Wide receiver Kearis Jackson
The storyline: Speaking of special teams, that’s where Jackson will try to earn a roster spot. His testing isn’t expected to blow anyone away, and there wasn’t much college production (37 catches over the past two years). Jackson showed a little bit in open space, but he lacks the explosiveness NFL teams seek. He projects as a late Day 3 choice or undrafted free agent.
Kicker Jack Podlesny
The storyline: Could the Bulldogs have a special-teamer drafted for the second consecutive year (punter Jake Camarda went in the fourth round in 2022)? Podlesny, from St. Simons Island, was reliable over his three seasons as Georgia’s kicker. He made 182 of 184 extra-point attempts, including 73 of 74 this season. He made 61 of 74 field-goal attempts in his career (82%). Ten of those misses were from at least 40 yards out, which included two misses from beyond 50 yards in 2022. Podlesny never missed a kick within 30 yards (24-for-24). His longest make was a 53-yarder in 2020.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Bob Andres for the Atlanta Constitution
Credit: Bob Andres for the Atlanta Constitution
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Tony Walsh/UGAAA
Credit: Tony Walsh/UGAAA
Credit: Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com
Credit: Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com
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