Mel Kiper releases final mock draft, projects record number of Bulldogs in first round

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his final mock draft to get Thursday underway with the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft set to get started tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET. Kiper has a record number of Georgia players off the board in the first 32 picks with four Bulldogs being selected. However, it’s not necessarily the four many have projected throughout the pre-draft process.

Travon Walker – No. 1 (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Walker is the projected No. 1 overall pick in Kiper’s last mock draft, and it’s the first time that he’s had him this high. With just 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in his three-year career at Georgia, the Jaguars would be making this pick based on potential over production. However, if it happens, Walker would become the fifth player in Georgia program history to be selected first overall, joining Frank Sinkwich (1943), Charley Trippi (1945), Harry Babcock (1953) and Matthew Stafford (2009).

Kiper writes: “This pick has been leaning in this direction for the past week. The Jaguars must prefer what Walker could be over what Aidan Hutchinson already is (and I think Hutchinson will get even better). Walker is my ninth-ranked prospect. It would be extremely hard for me to take a guy at No. 1 who had 9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and one forced fumble in his entire three-year college career.”

Jordan Davis – No. 14 (Baltimore Ravens)

Davis and the Ravens just feels like a match made in heaven at this point. It could be that he’s been mocked there more than any other spot. It could also be the organization’s success they’ve had with players on the defensive side of the football. Anytime the Ravens take a defensive player, there’s a strong chance of that player panning out. Davis certainly hopes to be the next after a college career that saw him take home the Bednarik Award for the best defensive player in College Football and the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman on either side of the ball as well as All-American honors from numerous organizations.

Kiper writes: “I thought about cornerback and offensive line here, but the Ravens have a real need in the middle of their defense. Davis is a 340-pound space eater with rare physical traits. Baltimore had success with a similar player in Haloti Ngata, who set the tone for some of the greatest defenses in NFL history.”

Devonte Wyatt – No. 27 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Wyatt was named a Second-Team All-American in 2021, finishing first among the Georgia defensive linemen in tackles. That’s an impressive feat given the fact that all three are projected first round picks according to Kiper. If selected by the Bucs, Wyatt would immediately be entering a situation where he’s capable of winning and contributing to a defensive unit that’s been among the best in the league the last few seasons led by Todd Bowles, now the Bucs’ head coach.

Kiper writes: “If either of the top two guards are still available, the Bucs could pick one. Wyatt also fits a hole next to Vita Vea, though. He went under the radar on the loaded Bulldogs’ defense, but he has some intriguing physical traits.”

Lewis Cine – No. 32 (Detroit Lions)

Cine seems to be sneaking into the first round with this pick, and it would give Georgia a new first round record with four draftees. He was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press in 2021, ALl-SEC by both the AP and the league’s 14 head coaches and Defensive MVP of the National Championship Game. Cine led the team in tackles from the safety spot while also having a team-high nine pass breakups.

Kiper writes: “Will any team trade into this spot to get a quarterback and the fifth-year option? Don’t rule it out. For Detroit, this pick is about improving a porous defense, and Cine is explosive, physical and could be a great center fielder.”

Noticeably missing from Kiper’s mock is Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean. The winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, Dean finished second on the team in tackles with 72 and was the best player on the defensive side of the football for the Bulldogs in many people’s eyes. However, his size and speed seem to be knocking him down a notch when it comes to the NFL Draft. If he slips into the second round, a team certainly would be getting a first round talent at a steal.

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