Mel Kiper places five Georgia players in top 50 of latest mock

We’re just under two weeks away from the start of the 2023 NFL Draft. That means that projections should be getting a little more accurate with each passing day. According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who released a two-round mock on Tuesday, Georgia will have five players taken in the top 50 picks.

Kiper’s latest projection has two Bulldogs inside the top 10 and three inside the top 15. It all starts with Jalen Carter at No. 5 overall. Kiper believes that Seattle will bring the standout defensive tackle to the Pacific Northwest.

“The Seahawks likely would be thrilled with this scenario, as they could get their pick of the defenders in the class. I see Carter, the No. 1 prospect on my Big Board, as the better fit here over Will Anderson Jr., who I have ranked No. 3 overall. Seattle can play Carter next to free agent addition Dre’Mont Jones and create one of the NFL’s most talented tackle combinations. (Carter is visiting with the team Tuesday.)

“I don’t expect Carter, who pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing last month in connection with a fatal crash in January, to drop out of the top seven picks. In fact, his agent said recently that Carter is declining visits with any teams outside the top 10. Carter did not have a good pro day, but NFL teams believe he’s too talented to pass up.”

A standout combine performance and a stellar pre-draft process has Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith sitting near the top of Kiper’s board. He believes that Smith will stay in the Peach State and play for the Atlanta Falcons after getting selected No. 8 overall.

“It’s edge rusher or cornerback here, as the Falcons have clear needs at both positions, even after all their signings in free agency. They had just 21 sacks last season, which ranked second-to-last in the league. While Smith would fit better in a 3-4 defense, I see new coordinator Ryan Nielsen — who came over from New Orleans — figuring out ways to get him on the field to rush passers. Nielsen could vary his fronts. Smith is an explosive player with a ton of upside, and people in the league rave about his leadership ability.”

The next Bulldog off the board is offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Kiper has him headed to the New York Jets with the No. 13 pick.

“This is another pick I’m keeping the same from my previous mock draft, and we still don’t know what the Jets will have to give up in their eventual trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Surely we’ll know before the draft begins, right? Jones could play on the right or left side in the NFL — he was nearly flawless for the Bulldogs last season. When the Bucs added Tom Brady in March 2020, they picked plug-and-play tackle Tristan Wirfs at No. 13 overall the following month, filling a void. That move helped get them win a Super Bowl title in Wirfs’ rookie season. That’s New York’s best-case scenario here — assuming the Rodgers deal gets done with Green Bay.”

According to the long-time draft analyst, that 13th pick will be the end of day one as it pertains to UGA players. But the second round should also be quite active and early on. Kiper projects mammoth tight end Darnell Washington to New Orleans at No. 40 overall.

“I made this match in Round 1 of my Mock Draft 2.0, because the Saints need to get more production out of the tight end position. We know new starting quarterback Derek Carr appreciates the position and targets it often. Washington is a tough evaluation because he just didn’t get the ball much. He had 45 catches and three touchdowns in three college seasons. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, though, he has all the physical tools to be a complete player.”

To wrap up UGA players going in the first two rounds, Kiper has the Falcons reaching into the Georgia pool for a second time and taking another freakishly talented defensive player. He says Atlanta will take Kelee Ringo at No. 44 overall.

“Ringo looked at times like a potential top-10 pick in 2021, when he was starting as a redshirt freshman for the national champs. He took a step backward last season, however. He was inconsistent in coverage and too often got beat on double moves. He has a great frame (6-foot-2) and is incredibly fast (4.36 40-yard dash at the combine), but he can’t rely on his physical tools to get him by. He needs to clean up his technique. In Atlanta, he could stay local — this means I’m projecting the Falcons to get two Georgia guys in this mock — and compete for the No. 2 job opposite A.J. Terrell.”