Kirby Smart shares what makes Ladd McConkey special

Few people advertise their players as well as Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. Last week, Smart provided NFL teams with the ultimate sales pitch of wide receiver Ladd McConkey.

“Just starting from the time we offered him to now, he’s ascended and aspired to be great,” Smart said. “No one works harder than Ladd McConkey. Nobody on our team would say there’s a better teammate than Ladd McConkey. I don’t know that he’s ever said a negative word about anybody. He’s just such a good kid, such a hard person to find. He’s a great football player on top of that.”

In ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest NFL Big Board, he named McConkey the No. 10 available wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. McConkey’s résumé speaks for itself.

In three years at Georgia, McConkey amassed 119 catches for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also scored three rushing touchdowns and served as an occasional punt returner.

McConkey only built his draft stock at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot wideout ran a blistering 4.39-second 40-yard dash. He also recorded a 36-inch vertical jump and 10’4″ broad jump. Smart explained what separates McConkey from other receivers in the draft class.

“In and out of breaks. His ability to separate is probably one of his key things,” Smart said. “In the NFL, there’s less touching. You’re able to run routes. That’s going to be advantageous for Ladd. He can come in and out of breaks. I think when they watch him on third down, he’s pretty elite on third down at getting open. That keeps the chains moving.”

Ladd McConkey plays with a chip on his shoulder

McConkey wasn’t always an NFL prospect. He was a three-star recruit in high school and the No. 1,146 overall prospect in the 2020 class, according to On3 Industry Rankings. Nonetheless, McConkey always played with the same grit.

Smart reflected on what he saw in the undersized McConkey when recruiting him.

“A chip on his shoulder. A young man that wanted to prove everybody wrong,” Smart said. “We bet on him to be a good player, and he did. He was very productive. We’re fortunate to have kids like that in our state that get overlooked and work really hard. Luckily we have enough staff people here that we were able to find him.”

McConkey won’t have to wait much longer to see where he lands next. The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.