It was bound to happen. With Georgia's season ending nearly two weeks ago, more and more players are deciding to do what is in their best interests moving forward. Whether that is staying put, hitting the portal, or turning pro, to each his own. That being said, this latest entry into the 2026 NFL Draft still stings quite a bit, even though it was largely expected. Offensive tackle Monroe Freeling is gone.
ESPN's Pete Thamel was all over the talented left tackle declaring for the draft after being All-SEC.
Source: Georgia left tackle Monroe Freeling is leaving school early to declare for the NFL Draft. He earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2025 for the Bulldogs.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 12, 2026
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Freeling is Georgia's fourth-best draft prospect. He is currently No. 56 on their consensus big board, as he is projected to go in the middle of the second round. Only linebacker CJ Allen, defensive lineman Christen Miller, and wide receiver Zachariah Branch are viewed more favorably. All three of them have declared. Freeling declaring was inevitable.
No, this does not make things any easier for Kirby Smart, Gunner Stockton, or anyone else at UGA...
Monroe Freeling declaring for NFL Draft makes sense, but signifies this...
One of the key reasons why Georgia was able to go on that run in the second half of its season was the extended continuity of its offensive line. It finally got healthy during the middle part of the season. Unfortunately, Drew Bobo suffered a pair of injuries down the stretch that hurt them in the end. Malachi Toliver got some much-needed experience, but the unit was not the same vs. Ole Miss again.
The worst part about Freeling declaring is not that he did it, but how his UGA career ended. He was always closer to being gone than not. However, what people are going to remember from his final game in the Red and Black was not being on the same page with Stockton on the moronic fourth-down attempt deep in Georgia territory. It gave Ole Miss an easy seven points UGA could not afford.
In the end, Freeling declaring signifies that there may be another limitation within the context of Smart's staff. While offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann get more than their fair share of flack, offensive line coach Stacy Searels is not usually far off their trail. Players can be developed playing for Searels on this staff, but there are limitations to him in charge...
Now that we have a better feel of who is gone and who is coming back, Smart can finally recalibrate.