Offensive tackle Monroe Freeling was Georgia’s only first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, marking the first year the Bulldogs haven’t had multiple day one selections since 2021.
But while this may have been a down year by comparison for Georgia in the NFL Draft, some early projections have the program tabbed for a better output in 2027.
CBS Sports’ Cooper Petagna published a “Way-too-early” 2027 mock draft in which he had two Georgia players going in the first round of next year’s draft. The 2027 class is generally seen as one of the most talented in years, and the Bulldogs are firmly in that mix.
Georgia secondary projected to be hot commodity in 2027 NFL Draft
Petagna projected current Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV to be selected No. 11 overall by the New York Giants.
“A silky-smooth mover with excellent reactionary quickness and athleticism, the former five-star showed clear growth last season and continues to gain the confidence that could send him climbing up boards next April.”
Later in the round, Petagna has safety K.J. Bolden going No. 23 overall to the Detroit Lions. He wrote:
“Bolden brings the run-pass versatility and instincts demanded of a first-round safety. While this may be a bit rich, his football intelligence and ability to play multiple spots in the secondary should strengthen his case.”
Both players were incredibly high-rated recruits in the class of 2024 who have been deemed future NFL players for years now. Robinson was the No. 2 overall recruit in the class while Bolden came in at No. 15.
Bolden burst onto the scene as a true freshman and quickly blossomed into a starter, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2024 and a second-team All-American nod in 2025. He didn’t quite make the “undeniable superstar” leap many had hoped for in 2025, but remained a productive player and their most important piece on the very back end of the secondary.
A late first-round grade on Bolden makes sense at this point in the year, where it’s not even the summer before his junior season yet. He could easily drive that up with a strong 2026, though his ceiling is a bit capped by the fact that safeties tend to not go as high in the draft (I mean, Caleb Downs just fell out of the top 10!)
Robinson, on the other hand, will go much higher than No. 11 overall if he keeps up his 2025 trajectory. After some early-season struggles, he was arguably the best cornerback in the country from November onwards.
Robinson finished the year with 20 tackles and four interceptions, and had a three-game stretch at the end of the season where he allowed just one catch and intercepted two passes.
KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson could lead Georgia to success this year
Bolden and Robinson will be the two headliners for Georgia’s secondary in 2026, an embattled unit in 2025 that showed considerable improvement over the course of the season but ultimately fell flat against Ole Miss in the postseason. This year, the Bulldogs need career years from both players if they want to get past the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff and back to the national championship.
If they can put up that level of play, barring injury, Bolden and Robinson seem like pretty safe bets to be first-rounders next April. And throw in the likes of linebacker Chris Cole, running back Nate Frazier, linebackers Justin Williams and Raylen Wilson, and there could be even more names joining them on night one of next year’s draft.
Add us as a preferred source on Google