Todd McShay projects three Georgia players in top 15 of NFL Draft

Post-NFL Combine mock drafts are rolling out fast and furious right now and it was ESPN analyst Todd McShay’s turn on Tuesday. Unlike a lot of mock drafts, he only has three Georgia players going in the first round but he has all three going inside the top 15.

He no longer has Jalen Carter, a former No. 1 overall projection, as the first Bulldog taken. He now says that Nolan Smith will gain that distinction, going to Atlanta with the No. 8 overall pick.

“Here’s my biggest riser of the combine,” McShay writes. “I had Smith up at No. 5 in my preseason rankings, but I dropped him quite a bit after a torn pectoral muscle limited him to eight games and three sacks in 2022. He’s back up to No. 10 overall, though. At 238 pounds, he busted out a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-8 in the broad. That’s ridiculous. I love Smith’s closing burst to the QB and the way he can create havoc in the backfield as a run defender. If he works on his pass-rush moves and the way he formulates a plan on every snap, he could be a problem off the edge for opposing offensive coordinators.

After 21 sacks, the Falcons need all the pass-rush help they can get. Lorenzo Carter — who joined Grady Jarrett as the only Atlanta players with at least three sacks last season — is a free agent.”

Lorenzo Carter re-signing with the Falcons on Tuesday morning could have an impact on this projection in McShay’s next mock.

Next Georgia player off the board…

Jalen Carter is, however, McShay’s second Bulldog off the board. There is still plenty yet to be determined with Carter and his off-field situation.

“I’ll start by stressing that Carter’s draft range is an unknown right now,” McShay writes. “He was arrested last week on charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a crash that killed a Bulldogs teammate and a recruiting staff member, and teams are doing their due diligence as they sort through the situation. No one I’ve spoken to around the league knows how it will impact his stock or what comes next. It’s likely Carter will fall a bit, but we don’t know how far — so take this projection with that context.

“As for the fit, drafting a wide receiver would obviously be tempting, but Houston is only on offense for half the game and has some issues on defense, too. It gave up 5.1 yards per rush last season (29th) and was middle-of-the-pack in most pass-rush statistics. A top-three prospect in the class on talent alone, Carter plays with power and burst, and he has the traits to emerge as a disruptor on this defensive line.”

With the very next pick…

Broderick Jones is McShay’s third and final Bulldog in the first round. He has the one-year Georgia starter going No. 13 overall to the New York Jets.

“Jones was the fastest lineman at the combine, running a 4.97 in the 40-yard dash. Speed at the position actually translates to success in the NFL,” McShay said. “He might have just 19 starts under his belt, but Jones displays a lot of the traits that NFL scouts want to see in an offensive tackle: quick feet, upper-body power, range and snap on initial contact. Oh, and he measured in at 6-5 and 311 pounds with 34 3/4-inch arm length.

“Duane Brown is back for the Jets, but he will be 38 years old. George Fant is a free agent, and Mekhi Becton can’t stay healthy. No matter who ends up being the Jets’ quarterback in 2023, protection will be critical. So I love the idea of bringing in a guy who didn’t allow a single sack last season.”

Where’s that behemoth Georgia tight end?

Despite a tremendous showing at the NFL Combine, Darnell Washington is not included in McShay’s first round. He mentions Washington as a possibility for the Chiefs to play opposite of Travis Kelce.

McShay does, however, have Washington pegged as his No. 32 overall draft prospect. The problem is that with the 2023 NFL Draft, there are only 31 picks in the first round because Miami lost it’s selection due to a tampering violation.

“Washington has excellent physical traits,” McShay writes. “He displays a massive catch radius and can come down with tough catches in traffic. And with good speed for his size and plenty of physicality to his game, Washington can generate late separation. He also shows a good feel for locating soft spots in zone. As a blocker, his initial hand placement is inconsistent, but he takes solid angles. With improved hand placement and savviness, he can develop into an above-average in-line blocker. Washington played behind Brock Bowers at Georgia and was limited to 28 catches for 454 yards and two TDs in 2022.