Three former Georgia high school players are projected to go in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, while about 25 Georgia players overall are expected to be taken over seven rounds this weekend.
Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter, Hardaway’s Mykel Williams and Jefferson’s Malaki Starks are first-round choices on almost every mock-draft board. They were among the 17 players the NFL invited to attend the first-day ceremonies. All three were big high school stars, each making the AJC’s Super 11 preseason team in 2021.
Credit: Ryon Horne / AJC
Hunter was the AJC’s 2021 all-class player of the year after leading Collins Hill to the Class 7A championship. He won the Heisman Trophy as a cornerback/wide receiver for Colorado last season.
Williams, a defensive end, and Starks, a safety, played at Georgia.
Hunter is projected as the No. 2 overall pick by NFL Mock Draft Database, which computes a consensus from more than 150 mock drafts. The Cleveland Browns own the No. 2 pick. Williams is projected to go No. 14 and Starks No. 21.
Georgia has averaged 2.8 first-round picks over the past 10 seasons, but three would be the most since 2022, when Upson-Lee’s Travon Walker was the first of four taken.
The Mock Draft Database has 24 Georgia players going through the full seven rounds. The average over the past 10 seasons is 22. That’s nearly twice the rate Georgia players went in the 1990s.
There were 32 former Georgia high school players at the NFL Scouting Combine this year, and several of those are borderline draft picks, meaning the projected 24 could be significantly higher or lower.
Georgians projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be taken in NFL draft
First round
2. Travis Hunter CB | Colorado (Collins Hill)
14. Mykel Williams EDGE | Georgia (Hardaway)
21. Malaki Starks S | Georgia (Jefferson)
Second round
60. Tate Ratledge IOL | Georgia (Darlington)
Third round
65. Bradyn Swinson EDGE | LSU (Chapel Hill)
79. Jalen Royals WR | Utah State (Hillgrove)
80. Demetrius Knight LB | South Carolina (Strong Rock Christian)
91. Kyle Kennard EDGE | South Carolina (Riverwood)
Fourth round
103. Chris Paul Jr. LB | Mississippi (Crisp County)
110. Jared Ivey EDGE | Mississippi (North Gwinnett)
119. Isaiah Bond WR | Texas (Buford)
126. Dylan Fairchild IOL | Georgia (West Forsyth)
127. Smael Mondon Jr. LB | Georgia (Paulding County)
131. Zah Frazier CB | Texas-San Antonio (Cedartown)
135. Barrett Carter LB | Clemson (North Gwinnett)
Fifth round
147. Seth McLaughlin IOL | Ohio State (Buford)
167. Jordan Hancock CB | Ohio State (North Gwinnett)
Sixth round
213. Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks RB | USC (Carver-Atlanta)
Seventh round
217. Kobe Hudson WR | Central Florida (Troup)
219. Kaimon Rucker EDGE | North Carolina (Hart County)
222. Myles Hinton OT | Michigan (Greater Atlanta Christian)
232. Alijah Huzzie CB | North Carolina (Heard County)
247. Ricky White WR | UNLV (Marietta)
257. Nazir Stackhouse DL | Georgia (Columbia)
Others projected outside the 257 that will be chosen:
259. Max Brosmer QB | Minnesota (Centennial)
267. Dan Jackson S | Georgia (North Hall)
279. Konata Mumpfield WR | Pittsburgh (Dacula)
281. Ryan Fitzgerald K | Florida State (Colquitt County)
282. Samuel Brown WR | Miami (New Hampstead)
284. Warren Brinson DL | Georgia (Savannah Christian)
289. Phil Mafah RB | Clemson (Grayson)
318. Brandon Adams CB | Central Florida (Arabia Mountain)
347. Chaz Chambliss EDGE | Georgia (Carrollton)
367. Steve Linton EDGE | Baylor (Dublin)
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