Georgia football: 3 proven players that will impress at the Combine

Georgia football may have 14 players in the NFL Combine, but their performance will either impress or draw questions for some.

The NFL Combine is a great event to evaluate these elite players through various tests drills and see who they are as people. This week can be wonderful, or as some Georgia fans have seen, it can cause a player to go undrafted.

The Dawgs having so many in this event could show that they will have all 14, maybe 15, drafted, or it could put into better perspective on just how many could. If this week doesn’t go well, the March 16 Pro Day can sometimes improve their odds.

These three Georgia football players will leave Indy confident.

On NFL.com, Lance Zierlein released his latest mock draft on Feb. 8, including Travon Walker going No.14 to the Baltimore Ravens, Jordan Davis to the Bills at the No. 25 pick, Nakobe Dean to Green Bay at No. 28 and Quay Walker at No. 32 to Detriot. So he has four Georgia players going in the first round.

In ESPN’s latest two-round mock draft, Jordan Reid has six players selected in the first 64 picks. So the projections differentiate across all platforms, and we won’t honestly know until it happens live.

However, this first week in March will be a big one for most players looking to improve their stock. While there are quite a few projected to go in the first round for the Dawgs, there could be even more after the Combine.

There are quite a few guys with a solid Combine performance who could make a lot more money than they thought. Guys like Derion Kendrick and Quay Walker are just two who could see themselves creep into the first round with a solid performance.

Here are three players that will impress at the NFL Combine and prove they are worthy of a high draft pick.

Georgia football nose tackle Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis may be a projected first-round draft pick, but most have him in the mid-20s. However, if he has a solid week at the NFL Combine, that could change.

Davis is much faster than people realize, and when he runs a 4.9 40-yard dash at the Combine, that will get some folks interested in him even more.

While the SEC Championship Game wasn’t his best look, after that game, Davis increased his workouts to make sure he was in shape for the playoffs. He was, and it showed as Georgia embarrassed Michigan in the Orange Bowl then beat Alabama by 15 points to win a national title.

Davis is a monster up front and while he may not have the stats that other defensive linemen do, look at the stats that others around him had.

He was the man who broke open the hole so others could get to the quarterback. However, we cannot pretend like Davis didn’t run down players either to get stops.

Since the season ended, Davis worked with former Atlanta Falcon and one of the best pass rushers ever, Chuck Smith, and he made a bold prediction that those who make these decisions should remember on draft day.

It doesn’t matter if he is already has a first-round projection, he can improve it, and will that first week of March. that video with Smith shows how much he and Tray Scott have worked to get him in shape and ready.

Wherever he lands, they will have a massive nose tackle that will help stop the run, pressure the quarterback and do his job well. He should be a top-10 draft pick after the scouts, and NFL folks see him in Indy and at the Dawgs’ Pro Day later in March.

Not to mention, whoever picks him up is getting one of the best athletes off the field as well, and one who will make sure to give back to the community.

Georgia football running back James Cook

Another guy who could elevate his stock with a solid performance at the NFL Combine is James Cook, who shared the starting role with Zamir White.

If Cook went to school anywhere else, this cat would have first-round written all over him, but people tend to overlook him because he shared the reps and didn’t always have the spotlight on him.

However, his performances against Tennessee and Michigan made people think he is just as good if not better than his brother. The huge run against Alabama in the national championship that set up Georgia’s first touchdown was impressive. His vision on that play showed a mature running back who didn’t try to overdo it. Instead, he followed his blocks and ran for the fences.

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Cook is a strong running back, but his ability to be a receiver is just an added benefit, and something NFL scouts already want. He needed another year in Athens to improve his craft and confidence in himself.

He has that now and can show how good he is at the NFL Combine. Cook has a ceiling he hasn’t hit yet, and he has no idea how good he is. His maturity was immense for the Dawgs down the stretch of the season, and those smart plays made him look like he was ready for the NFL.

With his brother already in the league and people comparing the two, James Cook is better than Dalvin, and once he gets with a team, he will prove it.

This week in Indy will be a big one for him. If his speed, agility, vision, and everything else come together, scouts will be trying to figure out how to get him sooner rather than later.

Georgia football defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt

Devonte Wyatt shined during the Senior Bowl practices but couldn’t participate due to an injury. So the NFL Combine will give him another shot at impressing scouts and proving he is a high draft pick.

He was one of the seven biggest risers at the Senior Bowl and impressed everyone who saw him out there. Wyatt was one of the guys who came back for one more year and boy, did it pay off for him.

Last season he finished with 39 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 24 quarterback hurries, a blocked kick, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In 2020, Wyatt finished with 25 tackles, two tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hurries.

Talk about a massive improvement for Wyatt and what coming back does for some players. He needed this successful season to prove he is an NFL defensive lineman.

Wyatt was a strong pass rusher for the Dawgs and did a great job stuffing the run. He and Jordan Davis were quite the pair for the Dawgs this past season and were the anchors of the defense.

His twitchiness sets him apart from others, along with his ability to switch things up against offensive linemen. Wyatt can rush up the middle, but he also has some great moves to trick players into getting by them.

If Wyatt has a strong showing in Indy, he could wind up in the top 40 draft picks. He could even sneak into the first round if he impresses the right people.

These three guys were huge for Georgia in 2021 and are just a portion of the Dawg talent in Indy that first week of March. With 14 in the Combine, there will be plenty of speculation and money moves happening.