Four Georgia Bulldogs go in first round of CBS Sports’ 2022 NFL mock draft

Four Dawgs go in first round of this 2022 mock draft…

Georgia broke a school record during the 2021 NFL draft when it had nine Bulldogs selected into the league, breaking its previous record of eight players (2002, 2013).

This year, Georgia will look to break that record again and send double-digit players into the NFL.

CBS Sports recently released its 2022 NFL mock draft and had four Georgia Bulldogs go in the first round.

Click here for the full first round mock draft.

Here are the four Dawgs projected to be first rounders:

No. 17 overall: DL Jordan Davis to the Raiders:

Jordan Davis Arkansas’ Trelon Smith. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

CBS Sports wrote:

Nose tackles are hindered by a national narrative that they are role players who simply stop the run and occupy space. The elite nose tackles do so much more. The impact of Vita Vea in Tampa Bay has been immeasurable. Jordan Davis could have a similar impact on Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue.

NEXT: Another member of the Dawgs defense goes…

UGA football names captains for Clemson game

The Georgia Bulldogs have named their team captains for the Clemson game. The two rivals face off in the Duke’s Mayo Classic.

The Georgia Bulldogs have named their team captains for the Clemson game. The rivals will face each other in the Duke’s Mayo Classic, which is held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Quarterback JT Daniels, running back James Cook, and linebacker Nakobe Dean will captain the Bulldogs for their 2021 season opener. Kirby Smart and UGA need big performances out of all three of Georgia’s captains.

Georgia will look to get a strong performance out of running backs like James Cook against Clemson. Todd Gurley dominated the Tigers in 2014. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The 65th edition of Georgia-Clemson is expected to be the top nonconference game in college football this season. No. 5 Georgia faces No. 3 Clemson at a neutral site for the first time in over 100 years.

The game has College Football Playoff implications and should be one of the more entertaining games of the season.

Georgia will need strong leadership to prevail. JT Daniels must be effective as a passer despite a depleted arsenal of receivers. Naboke Dean and the Georgia defense will have the tough task of trying to limit Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who looked sharp in two starts last season.

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Georgia DB Tykee Smith named PFF preseason first-team All-SEC

Georgia DB Tykee Smith named PFF preseason first-team All-SEC

Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently released its preseason All-SEC selections for the upcoming 2021 season.

Georgia football is represented by first-team selection, West Virginia transfer  Tykee Smith at defensive back, along with four other first-team selections in LSU transfer Arik Gilbert at receiver, senior guard Justin Shaffer, senior linebacker Nakobe Dean and senior punter Jake Camarda.

PFF wrote,

“Georgia transfer Tykee Smith didn’t allow a single catch of 15 plus yards in his coverage last year”

Smith, out of Pennsylvania, Pa., decided to transfer to Athens after a great season for the Mountaineers. Smith is graded as the best returning defensive back in the country, per PFF.

In 2020, Smith racked up 61 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions in 10 games played.

Check out some of Smith’s career highlights here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2qAN-8Vh58

You can find the full list of selections here. 

 

Which UGA players played best, worst against Alabama?

Which Georgia Bulldogs players performed well and poorly against the Alabama Crimson Tide?

The Georgia Bulldogs fell 41-24 to the Alabama Crimson Tide in an SEC showdown. Georgia took a 24-20 lead into halftime, but the Dawgs failed to score in the second half and turned the ball over multiple times.

First, let’s take a look at the offensive side of the ball for Georgia.

The Bulldogs offensive line held up well and did not commit many penalties in a road environment.

There was running room for the backs, but Todd Monken and Kirby Smart elected to roll with more of an aerial attack against Alabama.

James Cook stood out in the first half and exposed Alabama linebackers in the passing game. His 82-yard touchdown was Georgia’s best play of the game.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett played subpar in defeat. He struggled with ball placement and deflected passes at the line of scrimmage. One of his deflections at the line was intercepted in the first quarter, which was a large momentum change. Bennett deserves some fault for the interception. When four passes are battled down at the line of scrimmage, it is a pattern, not a freak play.

Bennett’s third interception was brutal. His pass went into a group of three Alabama defenders. Bennett played well in the first half, but grew uncomfortable in the second half and didn’t make the right read on a couple of occasions. Bennett was no match for Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who is a superior downfield passer and connected for big plays all night.

Bennett’s No. 1 target throughout the night was Jermaine Burton. Burton’s stock is holding steady following the contest. He was a source of intermediate plays and was often open. He dropped a key pass in the red zone that was intercepted. Burton is promising considering he’s only a freshman.

Defensively, Nakobe Dean played well. He helped the Bulldogs get off the field on a couple of third downs and flashed elite speed. The overall performance from the defense was disappointing, especially in the second half when Dan Lanning’s group fell under immense pressure from turnovers and questionable officiating.

Defensive backs Tyrique Stevenson and Tyson Campbell were frequently victimized. The Crimson Tide have elite wide receivers with excellent speed. Jaylen Waddle burned Tyson Campbell and the UGA defense for a 90-yard touchdown in the second half. Campbell has the talent to play better, but he and the secondary needed more support from the pass rush.

Georgia’s pass rush needed a better performance from the interior. Jordan Davis, Travon Walker and company were quiet and didn’t disrupt Jones enough. Alabama frequently blocked with six players to stymie the UGA blitz.

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Georgia football at Arkansas: Key player matchups

We take a look at some key player matchups to keep an eye on going into Georgia football’s season opener at Arkansas.

There is officially only one day until Georgia football returns for the 2020 season, kicking off in Fayetteville, Arkansas against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Dawgs are favored by a whopping 26.5 points (odds courtesy of BetMGM) but there are still some marquee matchups to be seen played out on the field this Saturday.

Georgia LB Nakobe Dean vs. Arkansas RB Rakeem Boyd:

Arkansas senior running back Rakeem Boyd has shown his ability to catch passes in the past, catching a total of 19 last season. The Razorbacks’ new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles will likely try and get creative with this matchup and get Boyd much more involved in the passing game.  Georgia sophomore linebacker Nakobe Dean will need to read Boyd and Briles well this game to not only contain Boyd as a rusher but also as a receiver.  Eliminating Boyd from this game will most likely paralyze Arkansas’ offensive scheme, and it all starts with Dean.

Georgia RB Zamir White vs. Arkansas LB Bumper Pool:

Georgia running back Zamir White is coming off of his biggest game in last years Sugar Bowl, where he rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.  White also has had a strong preseason camp, his knee looking as healthy as ever.  Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool has some great instincts at the linebacker position and is also a very solid athlete. He was second on the team in tackles and had five pass breakups in 2019.  White will open up a lot of options for Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken, forcing Pool to focus on the run game.  With the addition of junior running back James Cook, ready to take on a much bigger role with D’Andre Swift now in the NFL, Georgia’s running backs could be a matchup nightmare for the Hogs’ linebackers.

Georgia QB D’Wan Mathis and OC Todd Monken vs. Arkansas DC Barry Odom:

Georgia’s offense and Arkansas’ defense both feature a number of new faces this year.  There will be a lot of feeling the other team out early on in this game since neither side has had much of an opportunity to scout the other.  Monken is well know for taking advantage of mismatches so lookout for some deep balls thrown to sophomore wide receiver George Pickens in the Arkansas secondary.  Monken will also probably try and use Cook a lot in the short receiving game once Pickens starts to draw multiple defenders deep.  Georgia has the edge on paper here but they are still starting redshirt freshman quarterback in D’Wan Mathis, who no one has seen much of lately.  Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom will likely lay some early pressure on Mathis and the new Georgia offensive line.  Mathis and the Dawgs offense will need to stay poised and put trust in Monken’s play calling even if they take some hits early on.

Georgia’s secondary vs. Arkansas WR Treylon Burks:

Arkansas sophomore wide receiver Treylon Burks is a complete offensive Swiss-Army Knife.  He stands at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds and was used in the Arkansas run and pass game very well his freshman season.  He was the Razorback’s leader in receiving yards as a freshman but had no touchdowns.  Kendal Briles will definitely try and get Burks involved early with some big plays but he will need to get past a mean Dawgs secondary in Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, Mark Webb and DJ Daniel.  This should be one of the best matchups of Saturday’s game.

UGA linebacker named breakout player for 2020 season

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean has been named a defensive breakout player heading into the 2020 college football season.

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean has been named a defensive breakout player heading into the 2020 college football season. ESPN and SEC Network Analyst Cole Cubelic named Dean one of the SEC’s breakout players for the upcoming season.

We have to agree with Cubelic here. Nakobe Dean is an impressive athlete with excellent awareness. Dean is great at recognizing plays and has elite speed.

Here’s an example of some of Dean’s best traits. He quickly diagnoses the hand-off to the wide receiver on this play and gets out on the edge, forcing Auburn to settle for a short gain.

Dean will benefit from the departure of New York Giants linebacker Tae Crowder. Dean should have more opportunity this season. He impressed whenever he played last season.

Cubelic puts Mohamoud Diabate, Christian Barmore, Nakobe Dean, Damone Clark and Christian Tutt as his top five SEC defensive breakout players in 2020.

Who else from Georgia will breakout on defense next season? I think one of the top candidates in the country is Nolan Smith. Smith is a former five-star recruit, who flashed immense ability as a true freshman last season. Look for Smith to be a dominant force along with Azeez Ojulari.

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Watch: Georgia is LBU

Georgia football former players and current coaches release ‘LBU’ hype video in an effort to recruit the top LBs in the country to UGA.

A number of former Georgia players and current coaches have released an ‘LBU’ hype video in an effort to recruit the top linebacker prospects in the nation to Athens.

The video features former Dawg linebackers such as Roquan Smith, Natrez Patrick and Tae Crowder, who have now made it to the NFL, crediting UGA and its coaches for preparing them for the next level.

WATCH:

Glenn Schumann, the Georgia inside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, gets high praise throughout the video.

“Being coached by the best linebacker coach in the country, coach Schumann, everything we did at Georgia I do now in the league,” said Smith.

Smith was the recipient of the 2017 Butkus Award, awarded annually to the most outstanding linebacker in college football.  Smith is the only Georgia player to receive this high honor.  That year, Smith also won the title of SEC Defensive Player of the Year, First-team All-SEC as well as the SEC Championship Game MVP.

“The linebackers should be the tone-setters for the defense, I want my energy to be contagious to other people on the field and I want my players’ energy to be contagious.” said Schumann in the hype video.

Current Georgia linebackers Nakobe Dean, Monty Rice and Quay Walker are also featured in the video.  These three are all expected to play pivotal roles in Georgia’s defense in 2020, a defense that finished No. 1 overall in team defense in 2019 and allowed only two rushing touchdowns all season.

In Georgia’s 2020 No.1 overall recruiting class, the sole linebacker committed is 4-star Washington, D.C. native MJ Sherman, listed as the No. 2 outside linebacker recruit in the country by 247Sports.

For the 2021 class, Georgia currently has the No. 10 inside linebacker committed in 4-star Baltimore, MD native Jamon Dumas-Johnson.

The Dawgs hope to land 2021 5-star Dallas, GA native Smael Mondon, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 220 lbs and the No. 2 outside linebacker in the country.  247Sports experts have all given their Crystal Ball predictions for Mondon in favor of Georgia.

With the departure of Rice and his fellow rising senior Nate McBride coming following this season, the emphasis on locking down the next wave of linebackers is huge for the Georgia coaching staff.

This video shows why players want to come to Georgia, and that is ultimately to be NFL ready by the end of their college careers.  Showcasing the likes of NFL stars Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick, as well as Tae Crowder’s transformation from a 2-star wide receiver to an NFL linebacker, is the perfect plan to recruit the top linebackers in the country to Georgia.

UGA football player card: LB Nakobe Dean

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean was a five-star recruit and recorded 175 tackles during his senior season in high school.

Nakobe Dean, Linebacker (#17):

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6-0

Weight: 220 pounds

Hometown: Horn Lake, Mississippi

High School: Horn Lake High School

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean enrolled early in Athens and had an outstanding freshman season, despite being part of a deep linebacking corps rotation. Dean finished 2019 with 25 total tackles and played in all 14 games.

These were pretty pedestrian numbers for Dean compared to his senior season of high school. As a senior Dean racked up 175 tackles, seven sacks, three interceptions, and scored nine touchdowns at running back. Dean helped Horn Lake High School win a 6A state championship as a senior.

Dean’s looking to major in Mechanical Engineering. He’s a versatile man both on and off the field. His versatility will be attractive to NFL teams down the road. For now, Dawg fans should enjoy his well-rounded play:

Nakobe Dean, Monty Rice, Channing Tindall, Trezmen Marshall, Rian Davis, and Mekhail Sherman will compete for playing time as inside linebackers. Dean is projected to fill in Tae Crowder’s spot.

Dean was considered to the top linebacker in his class. He’s living up to his billing as a five-star thus far.

 

Jan 3, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; Linebacker Nakobe Dean rushes during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

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Projected 2020 Georgia football depth chart: Linebackers

We project what Georgia’s line-backing core will look like in 2020 after a record breaking year for the Bulldogs defense in 2019.

The 2019 Georgia defense might have been the best in program history. The Bulldogs finished the season ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 3 in total defense and only allowed two rushing touchdowns all year.

The Georgia defense in 2020 will look a little different, mainly because of the departures of safety J.R. Reed and linebacker Tae Crowder to the NFL. However, Georgia returns a majority of starters from the record-setting unit in 2019, led by coach Kirby Smart and one of the most experienced linebackers in the SEC, Monty Rice.

Here is our projection of what the linebacker depth chart will look like in the Fall:

MIKE 

Monty Rice (32) – Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Monty Rice (Sr.)

2. Quay Walker (Jr.)

3. Rian Davis (RFr.)

WILL

Nakobe Dean (17) –  Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

1. Nakobe Dean (So.)

2. Channing Tindall (Jr.)

3. Trezmen Marshall (So.)

SAM

Jermaine Johnson (11) –  Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Jermaine Johnson (Sr.)

2. Walter Grant (Sr.)

3. Adam Anderson (Jr.)

JACK

Azeez Ojulari (13) – Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1. Azeez Ojulari (RSo.)

2. Nolan Smith (So.)

3. Mekhail Sherman (Fr.) / Robert Beal (RJr.)