Georgia football doesn’t always get the most love from the draft experts, but for the 2022 NFL Draft, the Dawgs have so much talent these experts must give them credit.
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. released his newest two-round mock draft on April 13, where he predicted eight Dawgs would get selected.
That number is large, and it’s exciting that someone who knows the NFL Draft so well would think that many would get drafted by then.
In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, Georgia football saw eight picks taken in the first two rounds.
Georgia will shatter their school draft record and likely tie for the most drafted in one year if the Dawgs see all 15 taken. Last year the Dawgs saw nine total drafted, which set the school record, but they will beat that in 2022.
Kiper has been someone that has given the Dawgs a lot of credit in his past mock drafts leading up to this one, but he really made a point to suggest that Georgia has players that need to be taken early.
While we disagree that Michigan defensive end Aiden Hutchinson will get taken as the No.1 overall pick and that Sauce Gardner, a cornerback from Cincinnati, will go to Detriot at No. 2, everyone has an opinion.
The first Dawg off the list is edge rusher Travon Walker going No.3 overall to the Houston Texans. Kiper said he had some upside but still a risk for the top-10. He does mention that the buzz for Walker to go early is there.
1. JAX – EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 13, 2022
2. DET – CB Sauce Gardner
3. HOU – EDGE Travon Walker @MelKiperESPN has released his latest two-round mock draft. https://t.co/yA9X9aaiyA
Next off the board for Georgia is Jordan Davis at No. 17, predicting the Los Angeles Chargers will draft him. Kiper has Nakobe Dean going directly after Davis at No.18, suggesting the Eagles will pick up the inside linebacker with the pick they got from New Orleans.
While Kiper has Dean going here, it wouldn’t be surprising to go No. 21 to the New England Patriots instead, but we will let the expert predict what he wants.
The fourth Dawg off the board is Devonte Wyatt at No. 27 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was Davis’ partner in crime at Georgia and would make a great fit down in Tampa.
Georgia’s final first-round pick would be Lewis Cine at No. 32 by the Detroit Lions. Kiper has him pretty low even though Cine has a lot of upside and, in our opinion, is better than other safeties ahead of him.
If these predictions come true, it would give the Dawgs five first-round draft picks. Kiper also has three Dawgs in his second-round predictions.
He has Quay Walker going to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 41, Baltimore taking Channing Tindall at No. 45 and the Commanders taking George Pickens at No. 47 via a trade with the Colts.
Pickens could go higher than this because he is just such a strong receiver regardless of how much he played in 2021. He is a complete package, and some team needs to take a risk earlier than at 47.
Kiper has eight Dawgs off the board within the first 47 picks, which is incredible.
That prediction shows what development is going on in Athens and how head coach Kirby Smart is transforming this program before the football world’s eyes.
The number of how many Georgia football will be drafted in the first two rounds continue to change, but right now, it keeps increasing because these players are great additions.
These guys have great technique and even better work ethic, so why wouldn’t any NFL team take a chance? Georgia football is becoming an NFL feeder school, and Kiper is beginning to understand that.