Georgia defense so loaded that all 11 starters could eventually be drafted by NFL
By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst
With top-ranked Georgia allowing an average of just 5.5 points in the first six games of the 2021 college football season, it would stand to reason that the boisterous throng in Athens or the analytical crowd might be considered the Bulldogs’ biggest fans.
In reality, that title might fall to NFL scouts, who see a defense teeming with early-round draft prospects along the line of scrimmage, at linebacker and in the secondary.
Given the secretive nature of scouting, talent evaluators are typically unwilling to share their views (or names), but I didn’t have to ask long before one longtime general manager said, "In terms of the 2022 draft, Georgia has the most gifted defense in the country, and it isn’t even close."
Another shared this telling comment: "I wouldn’t be surprised if every starter on that defense gets drafted at some point."
By now, even the most casual college football fans should be familiar with Georgia’s massive nose guard, Jordan Davis, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound behemoth who is among the best NFL prospects in the country.
Speedy inside linebacker Nakobe Dean has emerged as the jet-fuel that sparks the squad, however, with hard-hitting free safety Lewis Cine a silent weapon in a secondary that put four players in the 2021 draft.
Meanwhile, lanky edge rusher Adam Anderson could wind up overtaking all of them as the first Bulldog off the draft board when it's all said and done. That is, if playmaking cornerback Derion Kendrick doesn’t beat him to the podium.
This isn’t to suggest that Georgia is gifted only on the defensive side of the ball. Scouts are excited about fourth-year offensive standouts such as running back Zamir White and left tackle Jamaree Salyer, with true young tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington already turning heads.
But many of Georgia’s most productive players on offense are underclassmen, whereas the defense is loaded with experienced talent.
It is so gifted and veteran-laden, in fact, that former top recruit Jermaine Johnson opted to transfer to Florida State during the offseason in the hopes of getting more consistent playing time. The gamble appears to be paying off for Johnson — he has emerged as the Seminoles’ top prospect and a legitimate top-50 candidate in his own right — but he’s watching his former teammates talk titles while FSU is floundering at 2-4.
It isn’t just that defensive-minded head coach Kirby Smith has assembled as dominant a collection of talent on one side of the ball as you’ll find in the country. Creative and highly aggressive playcalling by defensive coordinator Dan Lanning puts the gifted players in position to succeed.
Since the duo began working full-time together in these roles, the Bulldogs finished third nationally in total defense in 2019 before ascending to second last season.
It remains to be seen whether the team will maintain its stranglehold as the top-ranked defensive unit in college football in 2021. After all, the season is only halfway over, and the Bulldogs host the 11th-ranked and also undefeated Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.
But regardless of where Georgia finishes in the polls or record books in January, NFL scouts are looking ahead to the final weekend of April, when the Bulldogs are expected to shatter the school record set just last year (nine) for the number of players selected in the NFL Draft.
Rather than wait for spring, we thought it time to offer a breakdown of a defensive class that some are already calling historic. As such, here are Georgia’s best NFL-draft-eligible defenders, with players listed in the order of their current draft projections.
Adam Anderson, OLB/DE, 6-5, 230, SR: First round
It is difficult to watch Anderson and not see flashes of former Bulldogs star and current Los Angeles Rams standout Leonard Floyd, whose ability to burn and bend the edge made him the ninth overall pick (by Chicago) five years ago.
Like Floyd, Anderson might be better suited to the NFL game than college. He entered this season with 34 career appearances but few starts. With last year’s top Dawg Azeez Ojulari now among the NFL’s most productive rookie edge rushers for the New York Giants, Anderson has exploded this year, having already eclipsed his previous career high in tackles (19) and being well on his way to doubling his previous top marks for sacks (5.5), with 4.5 through six games.
When he times the snap right, Anderson is lightning off the edge — just ask South Carolina, which gave up a sack and forced fumble to him before some of its blockers had left their stance. And talk about a guy who both looks and talks the part. Anderson will jump up draft boards in the pre-draft buildup based on both workouts and interviews, with his commitment to the team earning raves from Georgia’s coaches and peers.
Jordan Davis, NG, 6-6, 330, SR: First round
Given his size, strength and versatility — Georgia occasionally uses him as a fullback — Davis generates much of the buzz when it comes to the Bulldogs’ top defensive prospects. He has earned All-SEC honors each of the past three years and, like many of his teammates, is on pace to post career highs in virtually every category, including tackles, tackles for loss and sacks.
Davis’ bulk makes him a very effective run defender, but it is the raw power he shows as a pass-rusher, consistently pushing would-be blockers deep into the pocket and into the face of the quarterback, that has scouts intrigued about his ability to play all three downs effectively.
Lewis Cine, FS, 6-1, 200, JR: First or second round
While Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton deservedly receives most of the hype as the top free safety eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft, don’t say that to Cine (pronounced "seen") unless you want to risk getting knocked to the ground. True knockdown power from a 200-pound defensive back is rare, but Cine is extremely quick, bringing his hips and shoulders to level ball carriers in their tracks.
Given today’s focus on player safety, Cine is always a candidate to earn a penalty for excessive contact, having chosen the Bulldogs because the SEC emphasized the physicality with which he likes to play. Scouts are hoping he can generate more interceptions, but with five passes broken up already this year, Cine clearly can locate and separate the ball from the intended receiver.
Derion Kendrick, CB, 6-0, 190, SR: First or second round
In a case of the rich getting richer, Kendrick landed with the Bulldogs this season after transferring from Clemson, with which he earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2020 and Second Team accolades in 2019. Of Georgia’s top defensive prospects, Kendrick lacks the eye-popping statistics of his peers, registering only eight total tackles in six games. But that's because opponents are wisely staying away from him.
Kendrick possesses the top-end speed and change of direction required in coverage, but it is his ball skills that separate him from most cornerbacks. He signed with Clemson as a highly touted prep receiver, playing in 15 games at this position as a freshman before switching to defense.
The sticky hands and "my-ball" mentality are shown in Kendrick’s career numbers, with four of his 15 career passes broken up being interceptions. Teams will certainly probe the details of Kendrick’s transfer, and any irregularities there or in pre-draft workouts could impact him more than others, given that the 2022 draft should be loaded at cornerback But his tape screams early NFL starter.
Nakobe Dean, LB, 6-0, 225, JR: Second round
Considering that he was honored as a Butkus Award semifinalist last year, it would be inaccurate to describe Dean as a true breakout player. However, there is no question that he has taken his game to another level this season, already generating four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks through six games after posting just 1.5 in each category a year ago.
Dean’s explosive speed and body control make him a nightmare for opposing blockers to handle on the frequent blitzes used by the Bulldogs. The instincts required for the position show up in run support and when dropping into coverage. Dean is so aware and agile in coverage that he’s occasionally split out wide to handle receivers (as he did against Clemson in the opener). His ability to play in space helps Dean’s projection to the next level, as he has a relatively slight frame for the traditional inside linebacker role, with narrow shoulders. Although smaller than most, Dean has terrific weight-room strength and checks boxes with his leadership and his ability to diagnose plays.
Nolan Smith, OLB, 6-3, 235, JR: Second or third round
Smith would top the list of the most gifted player for most teams, but little limelight is left for the consensus five-star recruit and 2019 co-winner of Georgia’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year on a squad this gifted.
Smith is impressive on and off the field (his intended major is mathematics), demonstrating the burst, bend, power and smarts to fly up draft boards if his ascending play continues. Smith was dominant in Georgia’s victory over South Carolina, earning the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading the Bulldogs with eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and teaming up for a safety.
Travon Walker, DL, 6-5, 275, JR: Third round
Versatility and upside are the keys with Walker, whose frame and playing style should allow him to continue playing up and down the line of scrimmage in the NFL (when he chooses to make himself eligible) just like he does now for Georgia.
Although he’s bigger, in some ways Walker reminds me of current NFL rookie Jonathon Cooper, who languished a bit under the radar of highly touted prospects at Ohio State a year ago but has since "surprised" in making a talented Denver Broncos’ squad as a seventh-round pick. Walker might not be receiving as much hype as some of his teammates, but his power-packed frame, intriguing mobility and still-untapped potential project very well to the next level.
Devonte Wyatt, DT, 6-3, 315, SR: Third or fourth round
Given how big he is, it is easy to get overshadowed by the massive Davis, but Wyatt is a big man in his own right and has proven to be the more consistent and productive player during their respective careers in Athens. Wyatt has led the Bulldogs’ interior defensive linemen in tackles each of the past two seasons.
As one might expect for a player his size, Wyatt is powerful at the point of attack. He’s also surprisingly agile, sliding well laterally and using his long arms to cloud the vision of quarterbacks.
It might surprise even ardent Georgia fans that Wyatt currently ranks third on the team with 10 quarterback pressures.
Channing Tindall, ILB, 6-2, 230, SR: Fourth or fifth round
No analysis of the Bulldogs’ defense would be complete without Tindall, the current team leader in tackles, with 29 stops through six games. The bevy of 'backers ahead of him on the depth chart kept Tindall from seeing consistent playing time in his first three seasons, but he was highly effective as a blitzer, nonetheless, recording 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss among his 41 stops.
Unlike his batterymate Dean, Tindall absolutely looks the part of a traditional NFL inside linebacker while also possessing good awareness and enough speed to beat backs to the corner.
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.