Way-too-early look ahead to 2023 NFL Draft, potential Georgia players picked

The 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone, and Georgia broke seemingly all the records. The Bulldogs had 15 players picked – the most in a seven-round draft in history – with eight on the defensive side of the ball, including a first-round record five and a top-three-round record seven. UGA also becomes the only team to ever have tight ends taken in four straight drafts with the selection of John FitzPatrick, Georgia’s 15th and final player picked over the course of the three day event. Needless to say, it was an eventful one.

With that, some are already turning their attention towards 2023 and next year’s draft where Georgia is likely to be well represented once again. Here’s who’s some are saying could hear their name called on draft night next year.

The Draft Network will inevitably release many mock drafts between now and the start of things next season – as they note, “It’s draft day every day at TDN” – but using reverse Super Bowl odds to determine the draft order, The Draft Network has Jalen Carter as a top-five pick to the Jets at No. 4 and Kelee Ringo just outside the top-10 to the Steelers at No. 11.

On Carter: After all the defensive talent that Georgia put into the NFL season, some believe the best prospect on last season’s National Championship unit was Jalen Carter. He could pair with Quinnen Williams to give the Jets an exciting young defensive tackle duo. 

The Draft Network

On Ringo: The Steelers still have notable question marks in the secondary and Kelee Ringo has the type of skill that has him destined to be among the first corners off the board in 2023. 

The Draft Network

Those aren’t the only two projected first rounders according to The Draft Network though. Nolan Smith likely could have been picked this year but chose to come back for a chance to improve his draft stock. The Draft Network has him going No. 30 to the Chiefs.

On Smith: The Chiefs are revamping its edge-rushing situation and George Karlaftis is a fine start. The next phase of the overhaul can be adding a dynamic talent like Nolan Smith who can do it all as an edge defender. 

The Draft Network

Bleacher Report and NBC Sports both also have that trio in the first round and are aligned in their order of how they’d go. However, instead of Carter being the first Georgia player picked like The Draft Network suggests, Bleacher Report and NBC Sports have it as Ringo, then Smith and then Carter.

10. Eagles [from Saints]: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: After bypassing corners in this year’s draft, the Eagles snag Ringo with the first of their two 2023 first-round picks – their first first-round defensive back since Lito Sheppard in 2002. It was Ringo who had the clinching interception against Alabama in the National Championship Game, but he was very good all year for that record-setting Georgia defense and another solid year should propel him into the top 10. And, yes, that would be three Georgia Bulldogs for the Eagles in the first two rounds in a two-year span. And why not build your roster with Alabama and Georgia guys?

NBC Sports

15. Raiders: Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia: When in doubt just take the best available player from that Georgia Bulldog defense. Smith was draft-eligible this year but elected to return to Athens to improve his draft stock, and if he continues improving as much as he did this past season, when he racked up 4.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss, he could be a mid-first-rounder.

NBC Sports

17. Patriots: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia: Another Georgia defensive lineman? You bet. And Carter could wind up as the best of the bunch. With Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt now NFL rookies, Carter will be the centerpiece of Georgia’s defensive front seven this fall, and a big 2022 could propel the 6-3, 310-pound Carter even higher than we have him. Even rotating with Davis and Wyatt this past season, Carter had 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He’s athletic enough to play fullback in goal-line situations, and he also caught a touchdown pass against Tennessee and blocked a field goal in Georgia’s National Championship win over Alabama.

NBC Sports

Sporting News and the Pro Football Network are in agreement on being higher on Carter, and like the previous three, agree that Ringo is a top-10 pick or close to it with Smith a little bit lower in the teens. Sporting News has Carter at No. 4 to the Jets, Ringo at No. 10 to the Commanders and Smith at No. 16 to the Dolphins, while Pro Football Network is highest on Carter, having him as the second overall pick to the Falcons followed by Ringo at No. 7 to the Giants and Smith at No. 14 to the Patriots.

The Jets loaded up on defensive talent elsewhere over the weekend, but they will think about finding a DeForest Buckner-type for Robert Saleh early in 2023. Carter can take over game with his explosive inside push that’s an equal asset vs. run and pass.

Sporting News

The Commanders didn’t use Day 1 or Day 2 capital on needed cornerback help but that should change after William Jackson continues to disappoint as a big free-agent addition. Ringo is a dynamic, clutch ballhawk in coverage and will stand out more with many Georgia top defenders ascending to the NFL.

Sporting News

The Dolphins, with limited picks in 2022 because of the Tyreek Hill trade, should be in better position to address their key defensive need for the pass rush next year.

Sporting News

Likening Jalen Carter to Warren Sapp is all too easy. The comparison is so good that the Hall of Famer happens to also hail from the same high school as the younger Carter. Like Sapp, the Georgia Bulldog defensive tackle is a smart and athletic player. Carter will jump from gap to gap with anticipation, routinely finding himself in the right position because of his instincts. He’s a monster in the middle and is the rare interior pass rusher to get excited about. He’ll change the Falcons’ defense for the better.

Pro Football Network

Kelee Ringo is a rangy cornerback with sticky man-coverage skills. He’ll give cushion when necessary and is never lost on the back end. Ringo has oily hips and a terrific burst at the catch point. After a dominant 2021 season, Ringo enters the 2022 season as a favorite to win the Jim Thorpe Award.

Pro Football Network

The Georgia defense was historic in the 2021 season. After depleting their roster via the 2022 NFL Draft, Nolan Smith returns with Jalen Carter to anchor the defensive front. Smith has been a lock for first-round consideration since he was a five-star high school football prospect. He’s demonstrated that was no lofty expectation for him throughout his two years so far — he has great speed and plenty of bend to get around the edge. He can rush with his hand in the dirt or as an off-ball linebacker, allowing the New England Patriots to deploy him from several alignments.

Pro Football Network

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