Georgia Football: NFL Draft grades for teams that took Dawgs

NFL Draft grades are a timeless tradition. There’s nothing quite like jumping to conclusions over picks we haven’t even seen play for their new team and giving definitive statements on how good or bad the decision way. So, in the spirit of the tradition, we’ve compiled for you some what’s being said about the teams that took Georgia players in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Kirby Smart and company had 10 players picked, tied for most in the country with his former employer Alabama. In the seven seasons that Smart has been at Georgia, he’s helped 55 Bulldogs be picked. That’s more than Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney had to start their respective stints at their current schools.

Philadelphia Eagles (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Kelee Ringo)

NFL.com: New Orleans gifted the Eagles the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft via a trade last spring. GM Howie Roseman couldn’t wait that long, though, trading a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Bears to move up to No. 9 and ensure Philadelphia landed Carter. A more versatile performer than last year’s first-round defensive tackle, Jordan Davis, Carter is a force at 3-technique with excellent get-off and quickness. My enthusiasm for this pick was tempered by concerns about his off-field issues. Getting the speedy Smith to play behind Haason Reddick in the team’s scheme was an easy call at 30, bringing yet another Georgia defender to the City of Brotherly Love. (Day 1 Grade: A-) / Philadelphia took two Georgia players in the first round, trading up a spot for the ultra-talented Carter and then getting a bargain in quick edge/off-ball linebacker Smith. Steen meets a need at guard (and can step in at tackle in a pinch). The athletic, compactly built Brown will make plays against the run and pass as a rookie. There were questions about Ringo, but his size, speed and playmaking ability made the Eagles willing to take the risk of trading a 2024 third-round pick to land him. Sending a 2025 Day 3 pick to Detroit for back D’Andre Swift is a win for both teams. It was a good idea to pick McKee for the backup competition. Ojomo will be a nice rotational piece at 3-technique for Philadelphia. (Day 3 Grade: A)

Sporting News: The Eagles added three more Georgia defensive stars to tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean, who will be key second-year starters on the front seven. Carter and Smith are great explosive complements to Carter and Brandon Graham. Ringo will be groomed well behind Darius Slay and James Bradberry. (Grade: A+ / Rank: 2)

Pro Football Focus: Landing the No. 2 overall player on the  PFF big board at Pick 9 is a huge win for the Eagles. Carter played 392 snaps in 2022 and earned a 92.3 PFF grade that led all Power Five interior defenders. He registered 32 total pressures from 273 pass-rushing snaps. The Eagles had to give up just a 2024 fourth-round pick to make this happen. The Eagles land the 13th overall player on the PFF big board with the 30th pick in the draft as Philadelphia retools its defensive line once again with elite talent. Smith might be undersized at 238 pounds, but he earned a 90.0 PFF run defense grade over the past two seasons and is an incredible athlete … The Eagles continue in their quest to recreate the back-to-back National Champion Georgia Bulldogs defense, trading up for a straight-line athlete in a very young cornerback that showed inconsistency after a breakout 2021 season. Ringo is a bit stiff moving laterally, which may have caused his drop here, but at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds he could line up out wide or perhaps transition to safety. (Grade: A+)

ESPN: General manager Howie Roseman has had an outstanding run in Philly, and he crushed Round 1. The Eagles had two first-rounders thanks to last year’s trade with New Orleans, and they were able to maneuver the board for two prospects in my top 12, including the No. 1 overall prospect, Jalen Carter, landing him at No. 9. Carter has some off-field questions — his draft status was clouded after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a fatal crash in January — but there’s no denying his talent level. And if you look at this team’s biggest weakness from last season, it was stopping the run; Philly ranked 24th in yards allowed per carry (4.6). As I wrote Thursday, putting Carter next to Jordan Davis again makes total sense. The Eagles might have gotten a premier edge rusher at the end of Round 1. I thought Nolan Smith (30) could have gone as high as No. 8 to Atlanta. At 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, he is undersized, but you can’t teach his physical traits. He ran a blazing 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine. We know Roseman builds through the trenches, and I love this addition … With Carter and Smith filling clear needs — and the trade for running back D’Andre Swift filling another — I really like this class. Roseman has done it again. (Grade: A)

Yahoo!: Jalen Carter had his issues throughout the draft cycle, but on the field there is no better player than Carter in this year’s draft. When he’s healthy, absolutely no one can hang with him and he’s flat out an elite talent on the interior of the line. The Eagles have spent a ton of draft capital on Georgia defenders over the past two seasons and Carter has a chance to be the best of that group. He’s the ideal Fletcher Cox replacement if everything pans out for him. (Favorite Pick) / The Super Bowl runner-ups just added Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo to their defense. Come on, NFL! You can’t complain about Howie Roseman getting praise for being an elite general manager when there are teams picking Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in the first round! Even grabbing Tanner McKee at the end of the sixth round as a slew of quarterbacks flew off the board was a great snag by the Eagles. McKee has real upside as a backup quarterback, which the Eagles have shown the importance of over the past four or five seasons. No one in the NFC East is dethroning this team just yet. (Grade: A+)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Broderick Jones, Darnell Washington)

NFL.com: Pittsburgh gave up a fourth-round selection to move up for Jones, the left tackle they truly needed to patch up a troublesome offensive line. Second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett must be better protected in the pocket. There is no chill in Jones’ game, whether he’s attacking an edge rusher or getting downfield to hit a linebacker on run plays. If Jones continues to tighten up his technique, the Steelers will be very pleased with this pick. (Day 1 Grade: A) / The Steelers got the better of the Bears when trading receiver Chase Claypool for a second-round pick, which turned out to be the first selection Friday evening. Porter was an easy pick, not only because his father played in the Steel City, but because of his size/length/speed combination. The physical tackler likely should have been a first-round pick. Washington was not going to go in the first despite his size (6-foot-7, 264 pounds) because of inconsistent hands and knee concerns, but the team couldn’t resist his potential as a red-zone threat and blocker in the third round. (Day 2 Grade: A)

Sporting News: The Steelers crushed the first draft with GM Omar Khan. They filled their two biggest needs, a pass protector for Kenny Pickett and a big cover man to help Patrick Peterson. Jones and Porter were both first-round talents. Washington is a great No. 2 as a blocker and the Wisconsin 1-2 punch of Benton and Herbig will provide Badger T.J. Watt with upfield support. (Grade: A+ / Rank: 1)

Pro Football Focus: The Steelers jump up three spots, giving up a fourth-round pick to make sure they land the offensive tackle they wanted. Jones impressed as a pass-blocker in 2022, earning a 84.1 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing just nine total pressures from 470 pass-blocking snaps … The freaky Georgia tight end’s slide is over. Pittsburgh grabs the 6-foot-8, 272-pound Darnell Washington to continue their strong 2023 NFL Draft. He has a strong resume in the ground game, as his top-five finish among Power Five tight ends in run-blocking grade in 2022 proves, and is a mismatch weapon as a receiver. (Grade: A+)

ESPN: With three picks in the top 50, the Steelers entered the draft with a real chance to come away with multiple new rookie starters. They need help on both sides of the ball. And I’m a fan of what they did on the first two days of the draft. They traded a fourth-round pick to move up three spots in Round 1 to grab Broderick Jones (14), who will start at one of the tackle spots. He had an elite 2022 season. On Day 2, they added cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (32), defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (49) and tight end Darnell Washington (93), all of whom could play significant roles this season. Porter is 6-foot-2 with long arms, and he can flip his hips in coverage. This is a great spot for him, being able to be mentored by Patrick Peterson. Benton’s traits didn’t match his college production, but if he keeps developing some pass-rush moves, he could be a three-down player. He was a slight reach on my board. Washington dropped because of some medical concerns, but he’ll step into the NFL as one of the league’s best blocking tight ends; and if he can up his game as a pass-catcher, he could be a steal. (Grade: B+)

Yahoo!: Washington was projected by some as a first-round draft pick, but fell all the way to pick No. 93 where the Steelers nabbed him. At the very least, Washington can be a dominant blocker. If he can improve his receiving ability and hit his ceiling in that facet of the game, this will be an absolute steal. Washington crushed the NFL scouting combine, running a blistering 4.08 20-yard short shuttle despite being 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds. If Washington’s injury history doesn’t come back to bite him, he’ll be a huge plus for the Steelers. (Favorite Pick) / The Steelers had the best draft in the NFL. It can credibly be said that they acquired four starter-level players with their first four picks. Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones, Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton all have the potential to be long-term starters. Washington gives the Steelers a young thunder-and-lighting type of tight end duo as they pair him with Pat Freiermuth. Even getting someone like Purdue cornerback Cory Trice in the seventh round was great value given his pre-draft profile — he has the potential to stick on the roster. The Steelers didn’t overthink it, plugged a lot of needs with quality talent and found value in the seventh round as well. It’s impossible to hate what they did over the draft weekend. (Grade: A+)

Los Angeles Rams (Stetson Bennett, Warren McClendon)

NFL.com: Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford functioned as the Rams’ first-round pick again this year. The team added more picks through various Day 2 trades. Adding Avila bolsters the interior of the offensive line, while Young’s closing ability gives him a chance to become an effective edge defender. Turner was a productive player at Richmond and Wake Forest but went a bit earlier than projected. Bennett was underrated as a prospect and has enough physical tools and the confidence to be a starter after Stafford retires if he can mature. Hampton and Mathis fit the team’s need at edge, Tomlinson plays stronger than his diminutive size would portend, and McClendon, Allen, Nacua and Evans were all solid picks despite the veterans already on the depth chart. The team had no specialists coming into the draft, so they picked Evans instead of fighting for him as a free agent. (Day 3 Grade: A)

Sporting News: The Rams, for a change, loaded up on draft picks after not having a first-rounder again. There’s a lot of volume here, with Avila, Young, McLendon, Hodges-Tomlinson and Zach Evans standing out as the most valuable picks for Les Snead and Sean McVay. Bennett was a major reach early, as were Allen and Nacua for the offense. It’s a mixed bag with limited star power, but it does the trick of stockpiling for a big rebuild ahead. (Grade: B- / Rank: 19)

Pro Football Focus: Stetson Bennett comes off the board in the fourth round after helping Georgia win back-to-back national championships in college. He put up an elite 90.9 passing grade when he was kept clean from pressure, and he now lands in a situation where he can develop. This gives him one of the best chances to succeed in the NFL, whether as a future starter or backup. McClendon wasn’t much of a run blocker in college, though he did grade far better on zone plays than gap plays. He did post 70.0-plus PFF grades in each of the past three seasons while seeing at least 595 snaps on the field in all three years. The intriguing developmental point here is that he recorded an 82.1 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2022. (Grade: A-)

ESPN: I thought I was high on quarterback Stetson Bennett (128), but I had heard he was more likely to go in Rounds 5 or 6. He’ll be a nice backup for Matthew Stafford, but I’m not sure how high his ceiling is overall. Wideout Puka Nacua (177), tight end Davis Allen (175) and edge rusher Ochaun Mathis (189) were all reaches on my board, and L.A. ended up taking my sixth-ranked punter Ethan Evans (223). (Grade: B)

Yahoo!: Honestly, there isn’t a huge issue with Stetson Bennett going here. He’s an older quarterback prospect, but he did improve in a pretty serious way throughout his college career. However, Rams general manager Les Snead had Bennett as his top quarterback in the draft according to Ian Rapoport, which is just patently absurd. Bennett is a quality backup prospect, but if he was really the guy that Snead thought he was he would have gone in the first round — even with his disaster of a draft season. This has more to do with Snead than Bennett. Come on, Les. (Least Favorite Pick) / The Rams put together a quality draft class despite not having a first-round pick (again). Getting a starter along the offensive line was crucial for them and they found that in Avila. Georgia’s Warren McLendon was a great dice roll in the fifth round to develop as an offensive tackle as well. (Grade: B)

Las Vegas Raiders (Christopher Smith)

Pro Football Focus: Smith played 400-plus snaps in each of the past three seasons and posted 74.0-plus PFF grades in each of those seasons, too. One of college football’s best run-defending safeties in 2022, he posted an 85.9 PFF run-defense grade but did miss 15.1% of the tackles he attempted this past season. (Grade: B-)

ESPN: I liked the choice of safety Christopher Smith (170), but his tape is much better than his measurables, and I don’t know if he’ll ever develop into a starter. (Grade: B-)

San Francisco 49ers (Robert Beal)

Pro Football Focus: Beal’s numbers from his final season in college aren’t going to blow anyone away. He produced a 67.8 PFF grade, won 14.1% of his pass-rushing attempts and made a tackle resulting in a defensive stop on just 6.7% of his run-defense snaps. Special teams will likely be his best path to seeing the field. (Grade: C-)

Yahoo!: Beal is another Georgia defender who has blown up the NFL scouting combine. He’s the perfect Day 3 type of edge that can flourish in a scheme that’s going to let him pin his ears back — that’s exactly what the 49ers are going to let him do. Beal ran a blazing 4.49 40-yard-dash at the combine this year. (Favorite Pick) / Another year, another bizarre 49ers draft class. This haul wasn’t really impressive at all, but the 49ers have shown that their wacky approach to the draft hasn’t really hurt their ability to compete at the highest levels of the sport. They survived blowing three first-round picks on Trey Lance, they can survive a measly kicker pick. (Grade: D)

Seattle Seahawks (Kenny McIntosh)

Pro Football Focus: The Seahawks add another running back after drafting Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in the second rounds of each of the past two drafts. McIntosh was a consistent producer in a rotational role in Georgia’s backfield, averaging over 5.0 yards per carry and putting up 80.0-plus PFF rushing grades in each of the past three seasons. (Grade: A)

ESPN: They had bigger needs to fill when they took running back Zach Charbonnet (57). There was a run on defensive tackles in Day 2, and I was surprised Seattle didn’t jump on one instead of taking a second-round running back in back-to-back drafts. In fact, after Pete Carroll & Co. added Kenny McIntosh (237), they have now selected 11 backs in the past 10 drafts, most in the NFL. (Grade: A)