Tag: georgia bulldogs in the nfl

Every Georgia Bulldog in the NFL

There are 51 Georgia Bulldogs on NFL rosters ahead of the 2023 NFL season

There are 51 Georgia Bulldogs on NFL rosters and practice squads ahead of the 2023 NFL season. Georgia has had the most players (25) drafted of any college football program over the last two NFL drafts.

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart continues to recruit elite talent at the high school level. Georgia does an excellent job of developing talent and is quickly becoming college football’s top NFL pipeline while winning national championships.

In fact, the Bulldogs are the favorites (+220) to win a third straight national championship in 2023. All odds are per FanDuel.

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25 of the 32 teams in the NFL have at least one Georgia Bulldog on their roster or practice squad.

Ahead of the 2023 NFL season, let’s take a look at every Georgia Bulldog in the NFL.

Chiefs place former Georgia WR Mecole Hardman on injured reserve

Former UGA wide receiver Mecole Hardman is expected to miss the next four games for the Chiefs

Former Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Mecole Hardman is expected to miss the next four games for the Kansas City Chiefs. Hardman is recovering from an abdomen injury and an illness. The Chiefs placed Hardman on injured reserve on Nov. 17.

Kansas City Chiefs star receiver Mecole Hardman has 25 receptions for 297 yards this season. He has four receiving touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. The fourth-year receiver had scored touchdowns in three consecutive games before missing the Jacksonville game.

The Chiefs, who are 7-2 and have the best record in the AFC, are thin at wide receiver right now. Kansas City receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has a concussion and will miss Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Additionally, receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been limited in practice this week.

Hardman, who is in a contract year, could return for Kansas City’s Dec. 18 game against the Houston Texans. Kansas City announced they were placing Hardman on injured reserve via Twitter:

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Watch: former UGA WR A.J. Green makes acrobatic TD catch

Former UGA wide receiver A.J. Green scored an acrobatic touchdown reception in the Arizona Cardinals’ win over the Rams.

The Arizona Cardinals got a much needed win over the Los Angeles Rams. Former Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver A.J. Green scored his first touchdown of the 2022 NFL season in acrobatic fashion in Arizona’s win.

Let’s take a look at Green’s incredible touchdown pass:

Green displays excellent body control in this touchdown reception. The Arizona Cardinals’ receiver has 12 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown this season.

Green’s touchdown helped Arizona move to 4-6. The Cardinals are two games behind the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West.

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Former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship signs with new NFL team

Former UGA football star kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has signed with the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad.

Former Georgia Bulldogs star kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has signed with the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad. Arizona’s starting kicker, Matt Prater, has a hip injury and may not be able to play on Thursday against the New Orleans Saints.

The Cardinals waived kicker Matt Amendola, who missed an extra point in Arizona’s loss to Seattle on Sunday. There’s a good chance the Cardinals will utilize Blankenship on Thursday against the Saints.

Earlier this year, the Indianapolis Colts waived Blankenship after he missed a 42-yard game-winning field goal attempt for the Colts during overtime in Week 1.

Blankenship won Indianapolis’ kicker competition last season. The former Georgia standout has converted on 45 of 54 kicks during his NFL career.  Blankenship has made 52 out of 55 extra points.

Blankenship, who missed much of last season with a hip injury, has made one field goal over 50 yards in his NFL career.

Former Georgia Bulldogs walk-on kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was a fan favorite during his time in Athens. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Blankenship hopes to impress the coaches in Arizona to get another NFL opportunity.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Blankenship’s signing:

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Former Georgia Bulldog is NFL’s highest graded player after four weeks

Former UGA offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is the NFL’s highest graded player to begin the season

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is the NFL’s highest graded player, per Pro Football Focus, through the first four weeks of the 2022 NFL season.

The New York Giants selected Thomas with the fourth pick of the 2020 NFL draft. Thomas, like most rookies in the NFL, had some growing pains in his first year with the Giants. Thomas started 15 games as a rookie and improved significantly throughout his rookie campaign.

In 2021, Thomas started all 13 games where he was healthy enough to play. He’s played 100% of New York’s offensive snaps to start the 2022 NFL season.

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Andrew Thomas has helped turn left tackle from a weakness to a strength for the New York Giants. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

According to PFF, Thomas has a grade of 92.1. Thomas’ grade is the highest in the NFL through Week 4. The former Georgia standout has anchored the left side of New York’s offensive line. The Giants are off to a 3-1 start and have improved significantly this year under first-year head coach Brian Daboll.

The Giants face the Green Bay Packers in Week 5 in a London game.

Some folks questioned selected Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 pick of the 2020 NFL draft, however, Thomas is proving the doubters wrong with his consistent performances.

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Top 5 plays from Georgia Bulldogs during NFL Week 1

What former Georgia football standouts made the best plays during Week 1?

Georgia Bulldogs in the NFL got off to a strong start in Week 1 action. Numerous players made their NFL rookie debut including 2022 NFL draft No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker.

Several Georgia Bulldogs had big performances to open the season. Roquan Smith had nine tackles as the Chicago Bears got a big win over the San Francisco 49ers. Mecole Hardman scored a touchdown in Kansas City’s Week 1 win over Arizona. However, neither one of these players made our list top five plays.

What Georgia football players made the best plays during Week 1?

Indianapolis Colts waive former Georgia Bulldog kicker

The Indianapolis Colts have released kicker Rodrigo Blankenship after missing a critical field goal attempt against the Houston Texans.

The Indianapolis Colts have waived former Georgia Bulldog star kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. The Colts tied the Houston Texans 20-20 to open the 2022 NFL season.

Blankenship missed a 42-yard game-winning field goal attempt for the Colts during overtime in Week 1. The Colts were frustrated with tying the Texans, who were one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2021.

Rodrigo Blankenship won a kicker competition for his job last season. The former Georgia standout has made 45 out of 54 kicks during his NFL career. Additionally, Blankenship has connected on 52 out of 55 extra points.

Former Georgia Bulldogs place kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was a fan favorite during his time in Athens. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Blankenship made two of three field goals against the Texans, but that was not enough for the Colts, who will look elsewhere for a kicker. Blankenship, who missed much of last season with a hip injury, has made one field goal over 50 yards in his NFL career.

The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news.

Rodrigo Blankenship will likely get another opportunity in the NFL. He’s been counted out before.

The Colts signed a pair of kickers in a corresponding move.

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Watch: former UGA standout Isaiah McKenzie does gender reveal after TD

Former Georgia football receiver Isaiah McKenzie shouted a gender reveal for his sister after scoring a touchdown

Former Georgia Bulldogs star Isaiah McKenzie scored a touchdown for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL’s opening game of the 2022 regular season. McKenzie, who finished with two catches for 19 yards and a touchdown, had a very memorable game thanks to the way he celebrated his touchdown.

McKenzie shouted a gender reveal for his sister after scoring a third quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. The Bills shared the reaction of McKenzie’s family:

Isn’t that awesome! Things like that are what makes football special.

McKenzie regained the trust of the Bills after bobbling a first quarter pass (in McKenzie’s defense, Terrell Lewis made a great play) that a Los Angeles Rams linebacker intercepted. As a result, McKenzie lost some snaps and targets to Bills veteran wide receiver Jamison Crowder, but McKenzie made up for it with his touchdown.

Former Georgia Bulldogs did not get off to a great start to open the 2022 NFL season. Buffalo Bills rookie James Cook fumbled on his first NFL carry. The former Georgia star will be important for the Bills moving forward thanks to his pass catching ability, but that ended up being his lone carry of the night.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback and former Georgia star Matthew Stafford threw one touchdown and three interceptions in the Rams’ disappointing season opener. Stafford will improve as the season goes on, but it was not the start that Los Angeles was hoping for.

However, there will be plenty of time for these former Georgia players to make up for their mistakes. They will all have plenty of chances to for these former Bulldogs to earn redemption.

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CFB programs with the most NFL players on 53-man rosters

Where does UGA rank after having 15 players selected in the NFL draft?

NFL football is back for the kickoff of the 2022 football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs are coming off a record-breaking 2022 NFL draft. Fifteen Georgia Bulldogs were picked in the draft, which is an NFL record for the most players selected from one program in a seven-round draft.

Despite Georgia’s big 2022 NFL draft, the Bulldogs have a ways to go before they can compete for having the most players in the NFL from a program.

Alabama, Ohio State and LSU all have consistently produced a great deal of NFL talent. Georgia could be closer to this trio, but the Bulldogs only had one player selected in the 2017 NFL draft.

What college football programs have the most players on NFL rosters ahead of the start of the 2022 NFL season?

Checking in on Georgia Bulldog NFL rookies

Checking in on Georgia Bulldog rookies like Azeez Ojulari across the NFL. A school-record nine Georgia Bulldogs were drafted in the 2021 NFL draft.

Georgia Bulldog rookies have been making impacts across the NFL. A school-record nine Georgia Bulldogs were drafted in the 2021 NFL draft.

New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari has set the franchise rookie record for sacks in a season after slipping in the NFL draft. Undrafted rookie Malik Herring, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, is out for the season as he recovers from a torn ACL.

How have UGA rookies performed this season? Let’s take a look.