We still have a whole postseason ahead of us, as well as the entire draft process. As the NFL season is starting to wind down, teams that are so far out of it are looking for answers in the college game to fix one of the many things that is wrong with them. While they cannot draft owners, players will have to do. As far as the Georgia Bulldogs are concerned, they will have a few high-end draft prospects.
However, this is not expected to be an NFL Draft where we hear one Georgia player's name called after another on Thursday night in the first round. If any Georgia star does go inside the top 32, it will almost certainly be All-American linebacker CJ Allen. While there have been some rumblings about defensive tackle Christen Miller being a first-rounder too, look at who ESPN's Matt Miller has listed...
Here are the 15 draft-eligible players that Miller believes have a real shot at being picked next spring.
- First Round: LB CJ Allen, OT Monroe Freeling
- Second Round: WR Zachariah Branch, DT Christen Miller, CB Daylen Everette
- Third Round: N/A
- Fourth Round: WR Dillon Bell, TE Lawson Luckie, G Micah Morris
- Fifth Round: TE Oscar Delp, K Peyton Woodring
- Sixth Round: OL Earnest Greene III, WR Noah Thomas, WR Colbie Young
- Seventh Round: RB Josh McCray, P Brett Thorson
For as much as we would like to see wide receiver Zachariah Branch go in the first round, he was a third-round prospect not that long ago. The big name to watch here happens to be offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. Like many of the guys on here, Freeling does have eligibility left to be used. While his inclusion as a first-rounder seems a bit odd, it is as much about his upside as it is his productivity.
What are the chances that Freeling foregoes his final year of eligibility to become a first-round pick?
Monroe Freeling is one of two Georgia Bulldogs given a first-round grade
To be totally transparent, many in Dawg Nation would be hoping, praying that Freeling returns to school for one more season. When he is healthy, he has been such a stalwart for the Dawgs in the trenches. More importantly, when he is out, his absence is greatly felt. Regardless, sometimes the money does the talking for you. Is he going to get more in NIL than he would a second-round pick?
Assuming Georgia has a lengthy playoff run, Freeling could earn himself a ton of money from an NFL owner. The longer Georgia's postseason continues, the more and more attention prospective Bulldogs will garner from NFL talent evaluators. No, this is not Kirby Smart's most talented team to date, but it may be his most well-coached. These guys can execute at an absurdly high level for him.
Truth be told, it is hard to see Georgia being a final-four team in the playoff and not have two of its best players taken in the first round. The only way that does not happen is if Allen's medicals do not check out, and he gets relegated to the third round or something like former All-American Nakobe Dean did after the 2021 season. Let's keep our eyes on Miller, but we also must watch Freeling, too.
If Georgia has the postseason run we are all expected, Freeling could crack the first round with Allen.