The Washington Football Team will have a new starting quarterback in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season for the sixth time in six seasons. Think about that for a moment, and you’ll understand why Washington continues to struggle or, at best, stay around the .500 mark.
Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins and Ryan Fitzpatrick have started the openers dating back to 2017. Someone new will be that guy in 2022.
The biggest question is will it be a rookie or a veteran?
Washington will be heavily involved in the veteran quarterback market, particularly if Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson are available, but landing either is a pipe dream. The most likely candidate to be Washington’s starting quarterback in 2022 is a rookie.
In the latest USA TODAY mock draft, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has Washington as the first team to take a quarterback, at No. 11 overall.
His choice? Matt Corral of Ole Miss.
Should Washington be the first team to select a quarterback at this slot, this draft would go down as a modern anomaly, as a passer has been taken in the top three picks in every year since 2013. No matter how the market pans out, Washington should establish itself as a buyer after learning in a Week 17 drubbing just how far this team is from catching the Cowboys in the NFC East. Corral’s ankle injury in the Sugar Bowl might complicate his draft projection, but he elevated himself into the QB1 conversation thanks to the strides he made with his ball placement and risk calculation.
Corral has, along with Malik Willis of Liberty, the highest upside of any quarterback available. Corral improved dramatically in 2021 under the tutelage of Lane Kiffin and is firmly in the mix to be the first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL draft.
The NBA draft process has been a whirlwind for each of the four Texas players from the men’s hoops team.
They each have had different levels of success, and besides Kai Jones who has consistently been in the lottery, the other three prospects in Greg Brown III, Jericho Sims, and Matt Coleman II have been sliding up and down draft boards all summer.
While the pre-draft process has helped Coleman, who worked out with the Los Angeles Lakers this past week, and Sims who was the star of the combine, it has decimated Greg Brown’s stock.
In USA Today’s most recent mock draft, three Texas players had their name called, which has yet to happen in other mocks around basketball.
Let’s take a look where the three Longhorns went in this mock draft.
Here’s what Georgia Bulldog was taken in the USA TODAY’s latest NFL mock draft.
The USA TODAY’s Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire recently released his first NFL mock draft of the year and there is one Georgia Bulldog on the lineup.
That’s star linebacker, 2020 Peach Bowl MVP, Azeez Ojulari. The 2020 SEC sack leader is projected to land with the Tennessee Titans at pick No. 22 in the first-round.
In 27 games at Georgia, Ojulari racked up 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and five forced fumbles. And in 2020, his most dominant season, was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best defensive player, and earned second team All-SEC honors by both the Associated Press and the league’s coaches.
Ojulari would be a great fit for the Titans, who have a good young defensive coach in Mike Vrabel and run a 3-4 scheme similar to what Ojulari played in under coach Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Dan Lanning at Georgia.
If Ojulari can pick up in the NFL where he left off in the Bulldogs Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati, he’ll be a star wherever he lands.
As we stand on the day before the most unique draft in NFL history, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrat illustrates how he thinks the first round will go.
We are approaching the most unique draft in NFL history. With the coronavirus pandemic altering life in just about every way for just about everyone, NFL coaches and executives are certainly not outside that reality. Zoom meetings have replaced confabs with area scouts and draft prospects. Coaches and general managers are preparing their own personal war rooms with televisions everywhere in their homes when they’d usually be kitted out in team facilities. Even the draft prospects invited to the virtual version of the draft will be remote participants, encouraged like the rest of us to practice social distancing.
How will it be different? The people in charge of the exercise have said that there’s more of a reliance on game tape, and with those prospects who have had injury issues, you have to go on faith to a point. Modern technology can only go so far in the face of something like this.
Still, here comes the draft, and here’s one person’t opinion of how the first round might go.
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
As has been said all along, let’s not overthink this. Burrow is the best quarterback in this draft class, and as such, he’s the most valuable prospect. Any concerns about his “one-year wonder” status should be allayed by his 60 touchdown passes, and ferocious games against some of the NCAA’s best defenses.
2. Washington Redskins: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
(Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)
The Redskins had one good cornerback last season — Quinton Dunbar — and they offloaded him to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick. Why is a mystery, but Ron Rivera will not be able to counter modern offenses with a cornerback battery of Kendall Fuller, Fabian Moreau, Ronald Darby, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Yes, Chase Young is the much-ballyhooed pick here, but coverage is more important than pass rush when you have very little in the way of coverage. Okudah is an immediate asset as an aggressive, press-and-match defender.
3. Detroit Lions: Isaiah Simmons, Defense, Clemson
(Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
If Okudah goes with the second pick, Matt Patricia and his front office have decisions to make. They could trade down, or they could note that last season, Detroit’s defense played base on just 19% of all snaps, and had six or more defensive backs on the field 34% of the time. Adding Jamie Collins is a bit of a help, but he’s not a singular talent in the same way Simmons is. The Clemson alum would be the ideal run-and-chase linebacker for the Lions’ iterations of pass coverage.
4. New York Giants: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
(Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)
Young falling to the fourth pick should make things obvious for Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, who likes to do things in an unconventional fashion. But best player available and need align here — the Giants have precious little in the way of pass rush, and Young has every attribute required to change that in a hurry.
5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
(John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports)
Recntly, Nick Saban sent a warning to those NFL teams balking on Tagovailoa’s medical concerns. Saban was the Dolphins’ head coach in 2006, and he let a future Hall of Fame quarterback leave for New Orleans around similar issues.
“We failed Drew Brees on the physical. That’s why he’s not Miami’s quarterback,” Saban told the Wall Street Journal. “The sky’s the limit [with Tagovailoa]. I don’t think any of the questions with Tua have to do with his ability to throw the ball and be effective.”
There shouldn’t be any questions there, and Miami shouldn’t overthink this. When healthy, Tagovailoa is closer to Joe Burrow in talent and potential than any other quarterback in this draft class.
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
After trading Russell Okung to the Panthers for guard Trai Turner, the Chargers have a very obvious need at left tackle. And head coach Anthony Lynn, who worked with Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo, seems to believe that Taylor is a more than adequate bridge quarterback. With that, let’s have the Chargers take Thomas, the most pro-ready pass-protector in this class.
7. Carolina Panthers: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
Carolina’s run defense was abysmal last season, and there’s not much on the depth chart acquired through free agency to change that. Kinlaw projects to me as the best interior lineman in this class in terms of potential. He needs work with technique and hand skills, but once that’s taken care of, he could be the best overall defensive weapon selected in 2020.
8. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
(John Reed-USA TODAY Sports)
Most project a tackle to the Cardinals as the finishing piece to an offense that was very good in 2019 and looks to be even better with Kyler Murray’s development and the trade for DeAndre Hopkins. But if the Cards are looking to take the NFC West in 2020, they’ll have to make a few tweaks on defense. Signing former Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips to a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason is step one, and adding Brown as a premium run-stopper and pass-rusher with great potential would make opposing ballcarriers very unhappy.
USA TODAY NFL mock draft snubs Georgia running back D’Andre Swift in the first round. Andrew Thomas is the only Dawg selected in the top 32.
According to our USATODAY NFL mock draft, only one Georgia Bulldog will be selected in the first round. Georgia’s stud left tackle Andrew Thomas has fallen down draft boards a little bit, but he’s a near unanimous first round pick.
In fact, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Andrew Thomas 14th overall in the mock draft. Thomas would have a chance to block for legendary quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa. New England’s 2018 first round pick Isaiah Wynn blocked for Brady as left tackle. Now, Brady would have another first round pick out of Georgia as his left tackle in Andrew Thomas.
Feb 26, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Andrew Thomas speaks to the media during the 2020 NFL Combine. Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Beyond Thomas, the biggest Georgia-related shocker of the USA TODAY NFL mock draft is that D’Andre Swift didn’t get picked in the first round. Altogether no running back was selected in the first round.
The NFL is off and on about valuing the running back position. Swift is a first round talent, but what team will value his position enough to select him? First round running backs traditionally make an immediate impact.
Swift is one of the best receiving backs in the draft, so that aspect of his game is league-ready. Swift has frequently been mocked to the Miami Dolphins at the 18th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Will that be the case come late April?
Here is UGA Football Live’s three-round NFL mock draft
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You have seen the pretenders….now UGA Football Live and UGAWire’s 3-round mock NFL draft is here.
With the recent conclusion of the NFL Combine and next month’s NFL Draft fast approaching, teams are looking to fill glaring needs and build for the future.
As usual, quarterbacks, offensive tackles, cornerbacks and edge rushers are on the wish list for nearly every team. You’ve seen the talking heads’ mock drafts — now take a look at an unbiased projection from UGA Football Live.
With good depth at offensive tackle, wide receiver and running back, the draft should be heavy on the offensive side this year. You can see the real 2020 NFL Draft on April 23-25 from Las Vegas on the ESPN and the NFL Network.
Here we go with the first three rounds:
Round 1:
Cincinnati: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU — The Ohio native is the Bengals’ franchise QB.
Washington: Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State — Better than the Bosa brothers.
Detroit: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State — Lions desperate for defense and this dude is the nation’s best corner.
NY Giants: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson — A pure freak.
Miami: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama — Will be Marino-like legendary in south Florida.
USA TODAY has released their official post-combine 2020 NFL mock draft which features two Georgia football players going in the first round.
With under two months until the 2020 NFL Draft and the combine coming to a finish, USA TODAY released its 2020 NFL mock draft this Tuesday.
The list made by the NFL and USA TODAY’s Nate Davis featured two Georgia Bulldogs going in the first round.
Of the 32 first rounders, Davis had offensive tackle Andrew Thomas going 18th to the Dolphins as well as running back D’Andre Swift, going 26th. The Dolphins traded for the 18th pick from the Steelers and got the 26th from the Texans. If this mock draft is accurate, there could potentially be some fresh Bulldog blood invading the state of Florida very soon.
Here are a few of the notable draft selections from USA TODAY:
1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Washington Redskins – Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
4. New York Giants – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
5. Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
18. Dolphins (from Pittsburgh Steelers) – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
If you buy into the assumption they’ll target Tagovailoa first, step two should be fortifying the protection for him – or whoever is taking the snaps here. Addressing the O-line would also bolster the league’s least effective run game in 2019.
24. New Orleans Saints – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Fitzpatrick led Miami with 243 rushing yards in 2019. Probably enough said, but Swift – widely regarded as the draft’s top back – would be a steal here in any circumstance.
Three Georgia Bulldogs go in the first round of the 2020 NFL Mock Draft : D’Andre Swift, Solomon Kindley, and Andrew Thomas .
Three Georgia Bulldogs went in the first round of USAToday’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft. The mock draft is for the first four rounds of the draft. UGA’s D’Andre Swift, Solomon Kindley, and Andrew Thomas all went in the first round.
4. New York Giants: Andrew Thomas, left tackle
Nov 30, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Andrew Thomas (71) prior to the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
27. Seattle Seahawks: Solomon Kindley, left guard
Dec 1, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Solomon Kindley (66) blocks against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive linemen in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
28. Baltimore Ravens: D’Andre Swift, running back
Nov 18, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift (7) straight arms Kentucky Wildcats safety Darius West (25) during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
46. Denver Broncos: Isaiah Wilson, right tackle
Dec 1, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson (79) and Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Raekwon Davis (99) at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
91. Oakland Raiders: Jake Fromm, quarterback
Jan 1, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (11) throws as Baylor Bears linebacker Blake Lynch (2) pressures during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
110. New York Jets: Ben Cleveland, offensive line
Apr 16, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Ben Cleveland (74) during the Dawg Walk before the spring game at Sanford Stadium. Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
With six Georgia Bulldogs going in the first four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, it’d be a great showing for Kirby Smart and all of the talented players he’s coached. The biggest question mark of this mock draft is Ben Cleveland, who may or may not be returning to school. Cleveland was academically ineligible for the 2020 Sugar Bowl.
Solomon Kindley going in the first round is another big surprise. Kindley played excellent as a sophomore, but battled some injury issues this season. The Seahawks are known to be unconventional in the first round and need offensive line help.
The Buccaneers holds the 14th pick in April’s NFL Draft. Find out how the last five players taken at 14 have fared so far in the NFL.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the season with a record of 7-9, an improvement over 2018 and 2017 when they finished 5-11 each time. The Bucs now hold the 14th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in April, and mock drafts are all over the place when it comes to figuring out who the Bucs will take. Will they emphasize defense again or look to the offensive side of the ball in the first round?
Yesterday, USA TODAY’s latest mock draft had the Buccaneers taking offensive tackle Mekhi Becton out of Louisville with the 14th pick. The 6-foot-7, 368 pound behemoth would certainly help the team address their need along the offensive line.
But, can the Bucs actually find decent value at the 14th spot? Let’s take a look now at the last five players taken with the 14th pick in the NFL draft to see how they’ve fared so far in the league.
