This Program Will Break the NFL Draft Record in 2025
This Program Will Break the NFL Draft Record in 2025
NIL and loose transfer portal rules have created the perfect environment for college football super teams; we may witness the results of that in next year's draft.
Who in the hell is Mel Kiper anyway?
- Bill Tobin (former NFL player)
Thanks to relaxed transfer portal rules and the power of NIL, there are some really, really talented college football rosters headed into this upcoming season.
Ohio State received virtually a clean sweep in convincing all of their ‘on the bubble’ draft guys to return. Many of these players were not only borderline NFL draft picks, but high end NFL Draft prospects. Indeed, players like Emeka Egbuka and JT Tuimoloau, among others, felt like guys who could creep into the first round in this year’s draft.
Texas’ roster is loaded as well. They brought in a slew of transfer WRs who could all declare after this year, plus a QB who could potentially be a first round selection. They’ll also have a very strong group of offensive linemen, and presumably some will declare (e.g., Kelvin Banks and DJ Campbell).
LSU is a sneaky candidate. Their troubles are on defence. They have a few standout players like Harold Perkins, but they have yet to figure out how to utilize their own players to their potential, and this unit has been poor two seasons in a row. They will, however, have an offence loaded with potential NFL Draft picks.
All three of these programs are viable candidates, but there is one that stands above the rest.
UGA Has Over 20 Players Who Could Reasonably be Selected in the 2025 NFL Draft
On one hand, breaking the NFL Draft record for players drafted in one class is definitely a feather in the cap that any CFB fan can hope to boast, on the other, if almost all of the starters from one year move on at the same time, it could be quite detrimental for the program’s on-field success the next season.
That’s a problem most programs have, I should say. UGA doesn’t have that problem, or at least, it’s not a big problem for them due to how they replace and develop talent rapidly.
It should also be said that the prospect of breaking the NFL Draft record is probably a lot more exciting when it isn’t already your program who holds the record. UGA’s 2021 roster famously sent 15 players to the NFL during the following 2022 NFL Draft, with five in the first round. I don’t know if they will be able to replicate the five defensive first rounders feat, but on pure volume alone, UGA’s 2024 roster looks to be in good shape to hit the 15 player threshold and potential clear next April.
Wide Receiver
Dillon Bell (6’1, 210)
UGA just narrowly missed the mark on producing its first RD1 WR since AJ Green with Ladd McConkey being selected with the second pick in the second round. Many prognosticators predicted that he might fall to the very end of the first, where a team like Kansas City or Buffalo might take a shot. Both teams did in fact go WR, but opted for Xavier Worthy and Keon Coleman, respectively.
UGA has a big group this year that will be both eligible for the draft and have a reasonable reason to leave next offseason. Dillon Bell was an unheralded recruit coming out of Houston, TX in the 2022 class, and he looks to be the next Kirby Three Star Special that we’ve come to know and love (see Jordan Davis, Ladd McConkey, Stetson Bennett, Eric Stokes, Javon Bullard etc. etc.).
Bell has played both WR and RB for the Dawgs, subbing in to the RB rotation in 2023 when a slew of injuries rendered the Dawgs’ depth to essentially Daijun Edwards and the water boy. Bell’s also been used on various gadget plays to success, and has shown special teams prowess in his first two seasons.
I still remember Bell’s recruitment. When he committed in August 2021, his commitment graphic went live on X (then called Twitter), and there were only two comments in the thread. I don’t remember the exact contents of the remark, but it was a UGA fan complaining about ‘signing another three star’, with Dillon Bell’s high school head coach firing back, telling this disgruntled fan that Bell was an absolute stud and that UGA was lucky to have him (I’ve written some more on this at the bottom of this article for those interested).
Bell projects to potentially be the first WR taken of the UGA receivers in 2025. Playing at UGA he’ll never monopolize the target share enough to have the numbers to impress the casual weenie on social media, but NFL staffs will love his versatility and probably see some Deebo Samuel in him.
I would guess that some young offensive coach will fall in love with Bell through the process, and draft him in the second/third round, should he leave this year (which is not a lock at all).
Dominic Lovett (5’10, 180)
Lovett began his career at Missouri before transferring to UGA in his junior year. The former East St. Louis standout was the Tigers’ top receiver in 2022, and gave UGA’s defence fits when they played late in the year. His first season in Athens was solid, but didn't live up to the hype that many had predicted.
He’ll be operating from the slot this year, and figures to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Brock Bowers’ vacated slot production. It’s sort of a toss up between Bell and Lovett as to who would get drafted first. I give Bell the nod due to his size and versatility. Lovett going on day two doesn’t feel out of the question, but he is at the very least a lock to get drafted barring any major injury.
Given that he is entering his fourth year, I’m expecting Lovett to declare after this season.
Rara Thomas (6’2, 200)
A similar profile to Lovett, Thomas began his career with the other Bulldogs of the SEC—Mississippi State. Like Lovett, he transferred after the 2022 season.
His early development appeared slower than UGA’s staff had hoped, but signs point to him having a better grasp of the offensive playbook this year. The one big red flag for me is that UGA brought in another player who might be able to do what Thomas does, but better. For that reason, Thomas may not declare this year.
Colbie Young (6’3, 215)
By all accounts, Young has been impressive this spring. He figures to be a redzone and jump ball specialist for Beck this season, and this could ultimately mean he steals snaps from Thomas. It’s a long season as we know, so who knows how the rotation will shake out, and injuries do happen.
Young was a standout at Miami during his first two seasons, and now the Binghamton, NY native will be looking to be featured on the main stage for a potential natty winning program. He feels like a one and done guy for UGA, and his frame and athletic profile should get him drafted regardless of his production this year.
Overall, I’d guess that at least two out of the four here will declare, so that brings the theoretical count to two (and I didn’t even mention speedster Arian Smith).
Offensive Line
As you can tell, we’re starting this exercise off by covering all of the sexy positions first: WR… OL…
Technically speaking, all five starters along the front will be eligible and theoretically would all have reasons to declare for the draft. Of course, that doesn’t typically happen, so I’ll keep the projection conservative.
Earnest Greene (6’4, 320)
Greene has a combination of Jamaree Salyer and Andrew Thomas to his profile. He’s giving Salyer vibes from the standpoint that he is shaped like a guard, yet has been playing LT for the Dawgs. He has some Thomas to him in that Greene began playing meaningful reps and started at LT very early on in his career.
An injury slowed him down in his freshman campaign, but in 2023 he was the starting left tackle for UGA. Starting on the offensive line in your second year at UGA is not normal. For that reason, anybody who isn’t mocking Greene into the first round right now is suspect in my opinion.
The problem for Greene will be that he will be viewed as a guard at the next level. Jamaree Salyer’s immediate success will undoubtedly help Greene’s case though, and I’d guess that if he declares after this season, he’ll be viewed favourably as a high end guard in the NFL, which should get him selected in the back end of the first. Regardless, Greene is a sure-fire NFL Draft pick should he declare next season and I actually think he will.
Tate Ratledge (6’6, 310)
It’s time for Ratledge to move on. It feels like the former Rome standout has been at Georgia longer than Kirby. Something I find hilarious about UGA is that their OL rotation often features guards that have tackle measurables, like Ratledge, and tackles that have guard measurable, like Salyer and Greene.
Ratledge has played an incredible amount of winning football against virtually the entire ‘who’s who’ of CFB, so much so that when he gets in the league it’ll probably just feel like a throwback to his college career.
Day two doesn’t feel out of the question. He’s a near lock to be drafted at the very least and I’d be shocked if he isn’t declaring for the NFL Draft after this season.
Xavier Truss (6’7, 320)
Truss is an interesting case because he’s played a lot of guard for UGA in his career, but his profile projects to tackle at the next level. He’s been solid at UGA, but not necessarily a standout player. I’d expect he’ll declare after this year if he’s a starter, and he’ll probably find his way into a day three selection on measurables alone.
Jared Wilson (6’3, 310) & Dylan Fairchild (6’5, 315)
Both of these guys will be full-time starters this year, or at the very least heavy rotation guys. Stories of Fairchild’s strength is the stuff of legends inside the program, and he’ll be a road-grader for the run game this year. Wilson will be playing his first year as the starting centre, replacing Sedrick Van Pran.
I was shocked with how far SVP fell in the draft. I have yet to see a clear explanation as to why, but best guesses have mentioned the lack of positional versatility. In the case of Wilson and Fairchild, neither will have that problem when they enter. I don’t expect that both will declare.
Micah Morris (6’6, 330)
Guard/tackle Micah Morris will also be eligible this year and his strength is pretty legendary in its own right. He could declare too, but I’ll mark him down as a returner for 2025.
I’ll go hyper-conservative here and say only three of the eligible lineman will be drafted next year. That brings the total count to five.
Tight End
Oscar Delp (6’5, 245)
Delp has had the benefit of playing behind NFL Draft picks Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington over his first two seasons in Athens. For that reason, he hasn’t necessarily been the starter, but he has still played a lot of football. He rotated in heavily in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
He’s not as dynamic as Bowers was, in fact, I lamented this season that Delp always seems to go down on first contact, whereas Bowers was the YAC king. I don’t know if Delp will be ready after this year, even if he’s the #1 guy on the depth chart (which isn’t obvious at this point), so I’m going to suggest that he comes back for another year.
Benjamin Yurosek (6’4, 240)
An almost carbon copy physically to Bowers, Yurosek joined UGA this offseason by way of Stanford. He had a pretty productive career with the Cardinals, and I’d guess he’ll be a one and done player for the Dawgs this season. I’m expecting that he’ll actually be the #1 guy on the depth chart come the season, and I think he’ll be the primary beneficiary of Bowers’ absence at TE, rather than Delp.
That brings the total count to six.
Defensive Line
Tyrion Ingram Dawkins (6’5, 280)
TID feels like that player where the range of outcomes is the widest. The former five star DL out of South Carolina could absolutely explode and become a top-half first round selection, or he could go undrafted, and everything in between.
His raw ability has never been in question, but his consistency has plagued him through his first three years at UGA (as well as injuries). I’m going to conservatively say he either doesn’t declare, or goes as an UDFA. If I were to wager though I would pick that he gets selected somewhere on day three at least.
Nazir Stackhouse (6’3, 320)
We’re at the stage of the offseason now where people have already begun to create 2025 mock drafts. Usually what happens with these is people just pick players that they’ve heard of, or simply select players from big programs like UGA or Alabama in the first round.
Stackhouse seems to have been a beneficiary of this thought process, as I’ve seen him mocked into the first on several occasions now. I don’t see that, but day two is definitely in play after another solid season. His pass-rush upside will limit him in the draft process, and I just don’t see an NFL GM valuing his run defence enough to select him in the first.
Only DTs who prove they can be disruptive at the next level get selected in the first round. He’s definitely an NFL player though, and will be drafted when he declares. Frankly speaking, I was surprised he didn’t declare this year, which tells me he was probably given a day three grade.
Warren Brinson (6’4, 300)
Brinson presents more pass rush upside compared to Stackhouse, and he’s played a lot of football for UGA. For that reason, his upside his higher. Like TID, the range of outcomes are wide here, but I struggle to see him being a first round selection. He should be a day two guy as well.
Christen Miller (6’4, 305)
Miller will also be eligible, and there are some who think he’s the best interior defensive lineman UGA has this season. He flirted with the portal earlier in the offseason, so he could be a guy looking to leave college and get paid as soon as possible, but I’m going to conservatively say he comes back.
That brings the count (with Stackhouse and Brinson) to eight.
Linebacker
Smael Mondon (6’3, 230)
The former five star Mondon was one of the lynchpins on that undefeated 2022 national championship team. An unfortunate foot injury derailed his summer and limited him in the fall. Had he stayed healthy and on the trajectory he was on, he was probably going to be a first round pick in this year’s draft.
If he can recapture that form, he could very well find himself in RD1 in 2025, but at the very least this player is 1) almost guaranteed to declare and 2) almost guaranteed to be drafted by an NFL team in 2025.
Mykell Williams (6’5, 270)
A very similar player to UGA alum Travon Walker, Williams is going to be loved during the pre-draft process by NFL teams, regardless of what his production is this year. Walker’s success in year two with the Jags will also likely embolden some GMs to ponder taking Williams as the #1 overall player next year should there not be a QB that emerges as a sure-fire franchise player.
One distinction from Walker is that Williams is officially moving to EDGE/OLB in this defence for 2024, meaning that he’ll have more pass rush opportunities, which could result in more production—so at the very least, the casual weenies on twitter will like him more.
However, we’ve seen time and time again that NFL teams do not really care about players’ stats from college (and why would they after all? They’re not drafting them to play college football), it’s Williams’ traits and measurables that will ascend him into—at the very least—a first round selection come April 2025.
Jalon Walker (6’2, 245) & Chaz Chambliss (6’2, 250)
Both of these cats could declare this year, but I am doubtful that we’ll see that happen. Walker is the guy who could find himself in the first round April 2026 if he comes back, due to his ridiculous athleticism and versatility as a player. He is listed as an ILB on UGA’s website, but he was essentially UGA’s best pass rusher last year, and he is deployed all over the field by Glen Schumann.
Walker is basically a lock to get drafted, but I don’t know that he’ll like his assessment after this year enough to declare.
People will snicker at the name Chambliss, and he is definitely a long shot, but should he declare he would be in the mix as a run defender and special teams contributor. He’s kept some good players off of the field during his career at UGA. I don’t see him declaring, however.
That brings the count to ten with Williams and Mondon.
Cornerback
Daylen Everette (6’1, 190) & Julian Humphrey (6’0, 190)
If I were forced to put money on it, I’d say that both of these guys are leaving college after this season.
Humphrey has flirted with the transfer portal multiple times now, and just doesn’t seem like a guy who enjoys being in college very much. Both he and Everette are expected to be starters this year, with 2023’s Daniel Harris also in that rotation.
UGA has sent 11 DBs to the NFL since the 2021 NFL Draft, and you don’t do that without churning through one and done players frequently.
To be conservative, I’m going to go with only one of the two declaring here and getting drafted. Everette could play his way into a late first selection with a big year.
That brings the count to eleven.
Safety
Malaki Starks (6’1, 205)
Everybody knows who Starks is by now, and with similar reasoning to Greene, anybody who’s mocking the 2025 draft right now and doesn’t have Starks in RD1 should be immediately reprimanded. Starks, like Bowers, broke out almost immediately in his UGA career.
I know I don't have to explain just how hard it is to star as a true freshman (not start, star) at a program like UGA, and that should tell you all you need to know about Starks. He’s a stud through and through and one of the bluest blue chip players in this year’s crop.
Dan Jackson (6’1, 190)
Wait, what?! Yea, well… you probably didn’t think Mark Webb was getting drafted either, so what do you know. NFL GMs will probably value Jackson’s experience and special teams prowess. Jackson—who I don’t even think is on scholarship at the moment—is also going to run fast in a combine setting.
Even UGA fans themselves will scoff, but action Jackson has kept a lot of good football players off of the field during his time. With the next crop of players at safety coming up in UGA’s program, I’d expect that Kirby and the boys will encourage Jackson to declare after this year.
That brings the count to thirteen.
Special Teams
Brett Thorson (6’2, 220)
Everybody always forgets about the punter, but not me. The powerful Aussie has a good chance at being the first punter taken in the draft in 2025.
Total count: fourteen.
Running Back
Trevor Etienne (5’9, 205)
Etienne was one of the best backs in the SEC last year playing at Florida, and now he’s got an upgrade in supporting cast. Like his brother, he’s got a chance to be a high selection in the NFL Draft next year and I’d expect he’ll be gone after this year. Especially considering his position, time is of the essence.
Branson Robinson (5’10, 220)
It would be nothing short of a miracle if Robinson plays well enough on his return from injury this year to feel good enough about declaring for the draft. But, we’ve seen stranger things happen with George Pickens and Amarius Mims. Robinson is a former five star recruit, and he showed a lot of promise in 2022.
I suspect he will play sparingly this year even on his return, and he’ll come back to lead the backfield in 2025 with a fully healthy offseason (or he’ll hit the transfer portal, who the fuck knows anymore).
That brings the total count to fifteen, tying the record at this point; and as you’ve seen, I’ve been pretty conservative throughout this exercise.
Quarterback
Carson Beck (6’4, 220)
The range of outcomes for Beck is wide. If he has at least a solid year, and leads UGA to a natty, he could conceivably be the first QB taken next year, potentially making him a #1 overall pick.
The amount of teams that took (and reached) for first round QBs this year tells you what NFL GMs think of next year’s crop. Regardless of what happens, Beck is going to get drafted in 2025.
That would make the total count sixteen, and a new NFL Draft record. However, there are over 20 players covered here that have a reasonable path to declare. Of course, there are always surprises too. Mock drafters this time last year would have sworn that Mondon would be entering the draft after 2023.
There will be some surprise players who declare, and some surprises who stay put. For that reason, I took a fairly conservative approach to who declares at each position, and the number still works out to be in the neighbourhood of breaking the record of 15 picks in one draft.
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