Georgia Bulldogs 2018 NFL Draft prospects preview

The 2016 Georgia Bulldogs finished 8-5 under first-year head coach Kirby Smart. But the team was starting a true freshman quarterback, and star running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel were both working their ways back from injuries. Highly-touted QB Jacob Eason has a full year under his belt, and both Chubb and Michel are back for their senior seasons. The two big backs are part of a potentially deep group of 2018 NFL Draft prospects. Here’s a look…

KEY

⭐️= potential elite prospect (size/athleticism/production)
↑= potential riser
↓= potential faller/overrated
$ = major positive
⚠️= caution
+ = injury risk
# = off-field

PB = SPARQ power ball toss score (high school)
VJ = Vertical Jump (high school)
40 = 40 (high school)
SS = short shuttle (high school)

Davin Bellamy LB 6'5" 240 rSR

• DOB: 12/27/94⚠️
• 3-star recruit in 2013

Career: 33 games 45 solo TKL 16.5 TFL 8 SCK 2 FF 2 PBU

2016: 51 TKL (25 solo) 9 TFL 5 SCK 3 QBH 1 PBU

Jeb Blazevich TE 6'5" 242 SR

• DOB: 8/18/95
• 4-star recruit in 2014
• Freshman All-SEC in 2014
• PB: 42.0
• VJ: 33.5"
• 40: 4.94
• SS: 4.33

Career: 39 games 39 REC 482 YDS 12.4 AVG 3 TD

2016: 6 REC 69 YDS 11.5 AVG ⚠️

Lorenzo Carter LB 6’6” 242 SR ↑

• DOB: NA
• 4-star recruit in 2014
• PB: 41.5
• VJ: 40.0” $
• 40: 4.60
• SS: 4.32

Career: 39 games 52 solo TKL 13 TFL 9.5 SCK 4 FF 1 PBU 1 TD⚠️

2016: 44 TKL (23 solo) 6 TFL 5 SCK 4 QBH 2 FF 1 TD

Note: Carter failed to register a sack or tackle for loss as a sophomore despite playing in 13 games that season. He rebounded last year to tie for the team lead in sacks, and he combines a prototypical pass rush frame with freaky athleticism. If Carter can learn to get to the quarterback with any consistency, he is bound to rise during the draft evaluation process

Nick Chubb RB 5'10" 228 SR +↑

• DOB: 12/27/95
• 4-star recruit in 2014
• SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC in 2014
• Missed the final seven games of the 2015 season with a severe, multi-ligament knee injury⚠️
• Currently the second-leading rusher in school history
• PB: 43.0
• VJ: 40.8" $
• 40: 4.47 $
• SS: 4.10

Career: 32 games 3424 YDS 6.4 AVG 29 TD rushing, 27 REC 331 YDS 12.3 AVG 4 TD receiving $

2016: 1130 YDS 5.0 AVG 8 TD rushing, 5 REC 86 YDS 17.2 AVG 1 TD receiving

Note: Chubb's early-career production was off the charts, and he has the profile of an athletic, size/speed marvel. However, while he mostly remained healthy last season, Chubb had the look of a player who had not fully recovered from that devastating 2015 knee injury. His return to school this season was a bit of a surprise, but from Chubb's standpoint, a return to pre-injury form could vault him back up draft boards

Aaron Davis CB 6’1” 189 rSR +

• DOB: NA
• Walked-on in 2013
• Suffered an ACL injury in high school that required two surgeries and caused him to miss his junior and senior seasons⚠️
• VJ: 31.1”
• 40: 4.62
• SS: 4.26

Career: 38 games 92 solo TKL 8.5 TFL 2.5 SCK 2 FF 4 INT 8 PBU

2016: 55 TKL (35 solo) 4 TFL 1.5 SCK 3 QBH 2 FF 2 INT

Sony Michel RB 5'11" 222 SR +↑

• DOB: 2/17/95
• 5-star recruit in 2014
• Suffered a broken forearm in an ATV accident last summer⚠️
• VJ: 30.5
• 40: 4.46 $
• SS: 4.22

Career: 33 games 2411 YDS 5.5 AVG 17 TD rushing, 55 REC 525 YDS 9.5 AVG 5 TD receiving

2016: 840 YDS 5.5 AVG 4 TD rushing, 22 REC 149 YDS 6.8 AVG 1 TD receiving

Note: Michel is a team captain, and earned the Bulldogs' offensive MVP honors while filling in for an injured Chubb in 2015. Michel is probably under-appreciated because of his highly-touted teammate, but he offers a strong combination of size, speed and receiving ability.

Malkom Parrish CB 5’10” 185 SR

• DOB: 1/12/95
• 4-star recruit in 2014

Career: 37 games 59 solo TKL 8.5 TFL 2 SCK 2 FF 4 INT 11 PBU

2016: 49 TKL (36 solo) 1 TFL 1 SCK 1 FF 2 INT 9 PBU

Dominick Sanders S 6' 193 SR

• DOB: 11/17/95
• 3-star recruit in 2014
• VJ: 28.5"⚠️
• 40: 4.83⚠️
• SS: 4.11

Career: 39 games 73 solo TKL 8 TFL 2 SCK 12 INT 18 PBU 2 TD

2016: 34 TKL (23 solo) 1.5 TFL 0.5 SCK 3 INT 7 PBU

Trenton Thompson DT 6'4" 295 JR #↓

• DOB: 7/27/96
• 5-star recruit in 2015
• Hospitalized in February after university police found him wandering campus, apparently under the influence of some prescription pain medication⚠️
• PB: 30.0
• VJ: 23.7"⚠️
• 40: 5.76⚠️
• SS: 4.84

Career: 25 games 32 solo TKL 12 TFL 5.5 SCK

2016: 56 TKL (24 solo) 9.5 TFL 5 SCK 1 QBH 1 PBU

Notes: Thompson told police in February that he had taken two "Oxies," though tests for OxyContin came back negative. He is apparently healthy now, and back with the team. His athletic testing is another alarm bell here. It's significantly below average on paper, but he has reshaped his physique in college - down about 15 pounds - so we could see some significant improvements by the time he declares for the draft. It’s also worth noting that three of Thompson's 5.5 career sacks came during the bowl game against TCU last season, so his overall production is also a question mark.

Isaiah Wynn G 6’2” 302 SR

• DOB: 12/9/95
• 4-star recruit in 2014
• PB: 32.0
• VJ: 26.8”
• 40: 5.30
• SS: 5.06⚠️

Career: 26 starts at guard