Mel Kiper has four Georgia players in first round of latest mock draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is inching closer. With the scouting combine and a large portion of pro days in the books, the mock drafts are taking shape. Mel Kiper has released his latest and it features four Georgia players in the first round.
The Bulldogs group is made up of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Broderick Jones, and Darnell Washington, in that order. The first three are inside the top 15.
Kiper has Carter coming off the board with the No. 6 overall pick to Detroit. Saying the past couple of months have been tumultuous for Carter might be an understatement, but the long-time draft analyst believes the talent is undeniable.
“Everything I’ve heard from people in the league, however, is he won’t drop too far — he likely still will be a top-10 selection,” Kiper writes. “Carter’s talent is undeniable, and I could see a team such as the Lions taking him here, filling a position of need.
“Detroit, which also owns the No. 18 overall selection, drafted Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall last year and got 9.5 sacks out of him. Carter would be a nice complement to Hutchinson’s skill set.”
Smith’s projected landing spot is Houston with the No. 12 overall pick. While the lead up to the NFL Draft has been a bit rough for Carter, it has been the exact opposite for Smith, who has impressed every step of the way.
“Smith, who tore his right pectoral muscle in November and missed the rest of the season, could be a foundational player for coach DeMeco Ryans, who is going to mold this defense in his own image,” Kiper says. “This pick, by the way, comes from the Deshaun Watson trade, and the Texans also own the Browns’ first-rounder in 2024.”
Georgia fans aren’t waiting long for the Bulldogs’ next pick in Kiper’s mock. He has Broderick Jones coming off the board with the No. 13 pick to the New York Jets.
“Jones started 19 games on the left side for the Bulldogs, and he didn’t allow a single sack last season,” Kiper writes. “He’s still growing at the position, but he has major upside. He could compete with Mitchell at right tackle. Darnell Wright (Tennessee) and Anton Harrison (Oklahoma) are other tackles to watch.”
The final first-round Bulldog in Kiper’s mock is Washington at No. 28 overall. That pick belongs to Cincinnati where Washington would get to work with budding superstar quarterback Joe Burrow.
“The tight end group as a whole is spectacular at the top, but Washington might have the highest ceiling,” Kiper said. “He wasn’t used a ton in the pass game for the Bulldogs, as he had just 45 catches and three scores over three seasons. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, he ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at the combine, impressing NFL scouts, who think he could be much better at the next level.
Georgia had five players go in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. All of those players were on the defensive side of the ball.
