What draft analysts said after day two picks from Georgia

Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs saw four players picked on Friday night during rounds two and three of the 2024 NFL Draft. Ladd McConkey and a trio of defensive backs – Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith – came off the board, and when they did, there was plenty of praise for them. Here’s what the top draft analysts at ESPN, and it’s partner broadcast on ABC, had to say after UGA players taken on day two.

Ladd McConkey (Los Angeles Chargers – No. 34)

Mel Kiper (ESPN): “5-foot-11.5, 186, not that big of hands, has short arms but ran a 4.39 (40 yard dash) with a 1.52 10 (yard split). That 1.52 10 was the same as Rome Odunze. 4.39 40, 36 (inch) vertical. As a punt returner, he averaged 20 yards a return in 2022. He was slot, he was wide. Equal stats throughout his career slot and wide. The ball is out there to be caught, the quickness, quickness out of the break, quickness after he gets the ball in his hands. He is off to the races and he is tough as nails. He is a phenomenal kid, character through the roof. Ladd McConkey will be a major contributor with Justin Herbert. He will be Justin Herbert’s best friend. This kid can play.”

Louis Riddick (ESPN): “He is a faster Cooper Kupp in terms of how crafty he is as a route runner. he runs those deep intermediate in breakers as well as anybody. The intermediate crosser, put on the breaks and then explosive acceleration with the 4.3 speed. There is no doubt, they are going to dial it up for him in the middle of the field. He is going to absolutely exploit it down the field if he can stay healthy. That’s a nice, nice draft pick right there in terms of the profile of this wide receiver room.”

Nick Saban (ABC): “I really like this player. Some people question his size and his durability because he’s had some injury problems, but the quickness, the burst, the acceleration. When you can beat someone out of the break, you beat them out of the break and you can accelerate out of a break like he can, he’s going to create his own space and be a great slot guy.”

Kamari Lassiter (Houston Texans – No. 42)

Mel Kiper (ESPN): “He only had, when you think about ball production, he didn’t have a lot. One career interception. No touchdowns allowed in 390 coverage snaps. Played press, played off, wide receivers were in his hip pocket. He did a good job. This was really consistent all year with what I saw from Kamari Lassiter. He didn’t have the 4.35, the 4.4 40-yard dash. Ran 4.52. He transitions well, you can play him inside. Good instincts, good tackler. I like Kamari Lassiter. He’s a good football player. If he had run faster, he’s in the late first round no question.”

Louis Riddick (ESPN): “There’s no question that if he runs faster he’s off the board on the first day. There’s nothing he can’t do. He does everything you ask him do. Now at Georgia, they play a lot of two-high safety. trying to protect him a little bit. He’s the ideal two-man corner. Meaning, playing man under and two safeties over the top. He has absolutely ground-breaking instincts. Had he run faster, they never would have gotten him here.”

Nick Saban (ABC): “He’s a Tuscaloosa guy, we had him in camp when he was in high school. He really played a lot of receiver, we tried to play him at DB, wasn’t natural, but this guy is really really a good football player. He’s a good tackler, a good reacter, he’s physical. He’s one of those guys that may move inside and his better career may be playing STAR/nickel or playing safety. This guy’s a good player. I really like him. He’s got great character. They love him at Georgia.”

Kirk Herbstreit (ABC): “That slot corner spot could be perfect for him in Houston. The background we talked about with Cooper DeJean, you could say the same thing about Lassiter. Football, baseball, basketball, ran track, that gives you an idea of everything he can do.”

Booger McFarland (ESPN): “His competitiveness, his toughness, his instincts are better suited inside more than outside. When you look at how he plays, how physical he wants to be, if you put him inside, he’ll be a better football player.”

Javon Bullard (Green Bay Packers – No. 58)

Louis Riddick (ESPN): “An absolute heat-seeking missile. Whether he is playing free safety, whether he is playing second-level zone coverage or he’s playing the star position or nickel position. You see it right here, he comes flying out of split safety coverage, single safety middle coverage and he is putting the pads on you. He has got the speed to run things down laterally. He’s got the speed to line up in the middle of the field and race to the bottom of the numbers, just like that. Him and Xavier McKinney are going to put the fear in some people. Think about the youth they have on the offensive side of the ball. Now with Edgerrin (Cooper) in the second level and Bullard in the third level, that’s good work there.”

Kirk Herbstreit (ABC): “I think this guy really grew into a player that Kirby Smart and the defensive coaches really began to trust. A guy that you can see the versatility, he can play in a lot of different spots. He’s a faster guy than you might expect. He’s known for his physicality, one of the best safeties in man coverage in the entire draft. You can do a lot of different things with him, and the Packers, after getting (Edgerrin) Cooper from A&M, now they get Bullard and really focus in on getting better on that side of the ball.”

Tykee Smith (Tampa Bay Buccaneers – No. 89)

Louis Riddick (ESPN): “Tykee Smith will absolutely bring the pain to you. You want to challenge him in coverage? He can play these two-man schemes. Georgia is known for its double-high safety concepts, whether it be cover 4 or two-man. He had great instincts doing it. This guy just packs an absolute punch. And think about the tradition of star defenders there in Tampa Bay. He fits the bill.”

Nick Saban (ABC): “This guy is a really explosive powerful guy, played most of his career at STAR, was a good man to man player but that’s probably one of the things he needs to work on. This guy is physical, he’s a knock back tackler, has pretty good feet in playing man to man, comes out of the break, has good ball skills. I like the guy.”

Field Yates (ABC):  “How many cornerbacks, maybe a safety at the NFL level with his versatility, can be a tone setter for a defense? The answer is not that many, but Tykee Smith is on that short list. On top of that physicality, had four interceptions this past season. Led to him being a Second Team All-SEC player. Plenty of versatility as Tampa Bay continues to chip away at that defense that has been remade this offseason.”

With the four players picked on Friday, Georgia now has six in total on the draft. UGA’s five in the first two rounds was tied for most from any school, and the Bulldogs lead the way for the SEC through two days. Coverage continues on Saturday with the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds starting at 12:00 p.m. ET. Several Georgia players remain available including center Sedrick Van Pran, wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, running backs Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards and defensive linemen Zion Logue and Tramel Walthour.