Georgia

Georgia football holds Pro Day: What we saw, heard from UGA’s NFL Draft prospects

Published

4 months ago

March 18, 2026

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Georgia football holds Pro Day: What we saw, heard from UGA’s NFL Draft prospects

Tight end Oscar Delp couldn’t fall asleep until 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

“If you don’t have nerves, something’s wrong,” Delp said.

Georgia football hosted its annual Pro Day on Wednesday, March 18, allowing its student-athletes who declared for the NFL Draft to show up and show out in front of representatives from all 32 professional teams.

Delp, Cash Jones, Daylen Everette, CJ Allen, Micah Morris, Christen Miller, Beau Garnder, Zachariah Branch, Noah Thomas, Josh McCray, Monroe Freeling, Colbie Young and Dillon Bell were among those who took the turf in House of Payne’s Indoor Facility at 9:30 a.m. sharp for workouts and interviews. They performed for and met with 49ers general manager John Lynch and Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham, as well as former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, to list a few.

Bulldogs of the past even returned to watch the event, including former quarterback Jake Fromm (2017-19), who threw passes to Colbie Young and the likes while the team’s current quarterbacks were in class.

The NFL Draft first round is set for Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. The second through seventh rounds will be featured on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, at 7 p.m. and noon respectively.

Here are three big storylines about the Georgia draft hopefuls from Pro Day:

Oscar Delp is clear after hairline fracture discovered in foot

Despite being medically cleared by several doctors in Indianapolis, the tight end was forced to miss the NFL Combine due to a liability issue over a hairline fracture found in his foot on an x-ray.

“My foot feels like a normal foot, like your foot,” Delp said, pointing at the reporter who asked. “I had no pain ever, so it was definitely a shock. It was something that I kind of just heard about in the middle of the season, and I was just as shocked as everybody else, but fortunate enough to go to Dr. Waldrop, who’s with the Saints and one of the best foot doctors in the country.”

He’d forgotten about it, didn’t think anything of it really, but when they compared his x-rays from earlier in the season, it thankfully appeared to be healing. It won’t be something he has to get surgery on.

From the people he’s talked to, he thinks there definitely could have been other guys with the same injury and it was just accidentally overlooked. He was worried, but only momentarily. Doctors eventually put together a good plan for him and he’s glad he went the route he did.

“I have the same chance to hurt my foot as anyone else,” Delp said. “As a guy that I feel is, like I’m a very durable tight end. I take pride in that. I feel like I’m a tough guy. Being at Georgia four years, I never missed a practice or a game and … that’s something that speaks a lot, so to miss (the Combine) was disappointing.”

While he wishes he could have done it in Indiana on the big stage, to do it at home means just as much and he used the second-chance Wednesday to prove what he’s all about.

“I never doubted myself,” he said.

Monroe Freeling hasn’t unlocked his full potential yet

The offensive tackle thinks taking off his knee braces will unlock 15% more of his abilities.

“His flexibility is off the charts, his muscle mass for his size and he’s got really low body fat,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “I don’t think he’s reached his full potential yet. Like, some of the guys have gotten really good over four or five years. He was here three. He still has a tremendous upside. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Monroe all the way yet. He’s going to be a 10-, maybe 15-year pro because he’s really durable, takes care of his body, he’s intelligent and he can play all the positions.”

Freeling’s draft stock has risen since the Combine, where the 6-foot-7, 310-pound lineman recorded a 4.93-second 40-yard dash, and 33.5-inch vertical. He’s being projected higher and higher in mock drafts due to his athleticism, and he’s trying not to tune that out completely.

“You’re going to see it, like you have friends and family and they’re all asking you questions and stuff, but I try to keep my eyes on the prize,” Freeling said. “That’s just me working out, getting ready for the season. Wherever I go, I’m locked in on ball and taking the team all the way.”

Zachariah Branch went from counted out to counted on

If the wide receiver could tell younger Zachariah anything right now, it would be to keep the energy.

“Don’t try to change for anybody,” he said. “You know what works for you.”

Branch plays with a chip on his shoulder, and while that started at a young age, it really kicked in when he was a freshman in high school. People counted him out because of his size, said he couldn’t do certain things, and he took that disrespect personally.

He remembers telling his dad, “I’m going to be the number one receiver in my class.”

And that he was. The No. 1 wide receiver prospect coming out of high school in the state of Nevada, and No. 7 nationally, went on to total 78 receptions for 823 yards and 3 touchdowns in two seasons at USC, before transferring to UGA and setting a school record for single-season receptions with 81 for 811 yards and 6 touchdowns.

But he doesn’t do it to prove other people wrong. He does it to prove himself right.

“Everybody’s journey is different,” he said. “Stay grounded in what works for you and what you know. Keep your loved ones tight and keep your circle tight, especially in our generation. … Know who you are as a person and be confident and comfortable with that.”

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Georgia

Georgia football predicted to be dethroned in SEC championship

Published

9 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Georgia football predicted to be dethroned in SEC championship

The Georgia Bulldogs are expected among the nation’s top teams and are looking to win a third consecutive SEC championship in 2026. CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford predicts that Georgia will go 11-1 and finish SEC play with a record of 8-1. The 2026 season marks the first time SEC teams will play nine conference games during the regular season.

Crawford has Georgia suffering a surprising loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, who he describes as an unpredictable team. South Carolina has plenty of talent and Georgia has to face the Gamecocks on the road, but it would be a bit of a shocker to see South Carolina upset Georgia especially after the Gamecocks went 4-8 in 2025 with only two wins over Power Four opponents.

Georgia last lost to South Carolina in 2019. The Gamecocks have the pieces to make some noise in the SEC and Crawford thinks South Carolina will do just that. He predicts South Carolina will go 7-5 (4-5 in SEC) and earn a trip to the Texas Bowl. Crawford predicts South Carolina will pick up notable wins over Tennessee, Clemson and Georgia.

Losing to South Carolina would not be the end of the world for Georgia, but it would be shocking to see Georgia start the season 10-0 before falling to South Carolina. The Bulldogs still advance to play the Texas Longhorns in the SEC championship in Crawford’s predictions.

Crawford has Georgia earning impressive wins over Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma, which would go a long way for Georgia’s College Football Playoff and SEC championship positioning. Speaking of the conference title game, Crawford has the Longhorns and quarterback Arch Manning finally beating Georgia in the SEC championship to secure a bye as the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Georgia is predicted to receive the No. 5 seed in the playoff, which would result in Georgia likely playing the top-ranked Group of Five conference champion.

We think Georgia’s schedule sets up well for the Bulldogs to return to both the SEC championship and the playoff. However, playing in the SEC championship game may not be that beneficial for making a playoff run as Georgia learned in 2025.

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Georgia

Georgia baseball has nation’s No. 1 transfer class

Published

20 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Georgia baseball has nation’s No. 1 transfer class

The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team had a historic season in 2026. The Dawgs ended the year with an overall record of 53-14 (23-7 SEC). Georgia made the College World Series and won the SEC championship. This offseason, Georgia has reloaded in authoritative fashion through the transfer portal.

Georgia baseball currently holds the top-ranked transfer class in the nation, per 64Analytics. The Bulldogs have landed 12 total commitments over the first month of the offseason, and Georgia appears to be on track to dominate on the diamond once again in 2027. The Dawgs earned a commitment from former FSU star Hunter Carns, while WCC player of the year Mikey Bell has landed at Georgia.

Georgia most recently landed two major power hitters in Jake Hanley and Naulivou Lauaki Jr. Hanley was a star with the Indiana Hoosiers last season, while Lauaki flashed his power on numerous occasions during his time with the Oregon Ducks. Riley Goodman will look to bounce back on the mound in 2027 after transferring from South Carolina to UGA. Georgia has added an excellent mix of talent at a handful of different positions from the transfer portal.

Georgia may emerge as a top candidate for a couple more players who remain available in the transfer portal. The Bulldogs were widely regarded as the best team in college baseball throughout the majority of the 2026 season, and Georgia and manager Wes Johnson have dominated over the first month of the offseason.

College baseball transfer portal rankings

Georgia
Tennessee
Arkansas
Mississippi State
LSU

Georgia baseball transfer portal additions as of July 4

Naulivou Lauaki Jr. (DH, Oregon)
Hunter Carns (C, Florida State)
Mikey Bell (INF, Gonzaga)
Jake Hanley (INF, Indiana)
Casey McCoy (INF, Louisiana Tech)
Matthew Cuccias (RHP, Wichita State)
Luke Howe (RHP, Long Beach State)
Cooper Walls (RHP, Florida)
Cristofer Cespedes (RHP, Maryland)
Mathew Farmer (INF, North Florida)
Jet Gilliam (OF, Utah)
Riley Goodman (RHP, South Carolina)

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Comparing Mark Richt’s NFL Georgia stars since 2006 to Kirby Smart’s

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

Comparing Mark Richt’s NFL Georgia stars since 2006 to Kirby Smart’s

ATHENS — Georgia football has been churning out elite NFL players for decades, and the past 10 years have been no different under the direction of Coach Kirby Smart.

The Bulldogs have produced 84 NFL Draft picks under Smart, including an eye-popping 21 first-round selections.

Georgia was churning out NFL Draft picks before Smart took over following the 2015 season, too, with College Football Hall of Fame coach Mark Richt recruiting and developing some of the best players in the nation.

Richt’s tenure (2001-2015) is understandably more heavily represented than Smart’s in a recent Pro Football Focus (PFF) feature on each NFL franchise’s best players over the past 20 years.

Richt-coached players from Georgia have had more time to make an impact in the NFL than Smart’s, many of whom are just beginning to reach elite levels in the pro ranks.

One thing for certain, Smart’s NFL players are curreently drawing bigger paychecks than those who played for Richt, with the exception of all-time NFL earner Matthew Stafford.

Here’s a look at former Georgia players that PFF has selected from among the best with the years they played with each team:, including two former UGA stars who are regarded as the best at their position for two different teams in the past 20 years:

(players recruited by Richt in boldface type)

QB Matthew Stafford (2009-2020), Detroit

QB Matthew Stafford (2021-2025), L.A. Rams

SLB Leonard Floyd (2016-2019), Chicago

SLB Leonard Floyd (2020-2022), LA. Rams

LT Andrew Thomas (2020-2025), N.Y. Giants

DL Jalen Carter (2023-2025), Philadelphia

C David Andrews (2015-2024), New England

WR A.J. Green (2011-2020), Cincinnati

DL Gino Atkins (2010-2020), Cincinnati

RB Nick Chubb (2018-2024), Cleveland

CB Champ Bailey (2006-2013), Denver

DL Richard Seymour (2009-2012), Las Vegas

DE Justin Houston (2011-2018), Kansas City

DE Charles Johnson (2007-2017), Carolina

LB Thomas Davis Sr. (2006-2016), Carolina

There’s no doubt that in time many of Smart’s players will ascend to such heights, as their experiences and contributions in the NFL grow.

Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers, just two years into NFL play, serves as perhaps the best example of a Georgia player recruited and coached by Smart who might soon be considered the best tight end in his franchise’s history.

Jordan Davis, a former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, is another player who could become the best at his position with the franchise.

Buffalo’s James Cook led the NFL in rushing last season, and linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker are now in Las Vegas and emerging.

Indeed, the majority of Smart’s NFL draft picks have come over the past six years, with 63 Bulldogs selected:

• 2021 -9 draft picks

First round: Eric Stokes (29th)

• 2022 -15 draft picks*

First Round: Travon Walker (1st); Jordan Davis (13th); Quay Walker (22nd); Devonte Wyatt (28th); Lewis Cine (32nd)

• 2023 – 10 draft picks

First Round: Jalen Carter (9th); Broderick Jones (14th); Nolan Smith (30th)

• 2024 – 8 draft picks

First Round: Brock Bowers (13th); Amarius Mims (18th)

• 2025 -13 draft picks