Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Georgia Bulldogs’ heavily-anticipated class of prospects will perform in front of scouts at the school’s pro day. Here’s the group of prospects in full, led by a strong batch of first-round candidates.
When Is Georgia’s Pro Day?
The Georgia Pro Day will take place on March 15. They’ll join other Power Five programs such as Colorado, Michigan State, Minnesota, and UCLA, as well as Group of Five schools like Air Force, Louisiana, Central Michigan, and Kent State.
You can view the full list of pro days across the nation right here at Pro Football Network.
Georgia Prospects To Watch at Pro Day Include
Every cycle, it seems as though Georgia has the first round on lockdown. Last cycle, five Bulldogs products went in Round 1: Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Quay Walker, and Lewis Cine. And Brock Bowers is already being penciled in as a blue-chip TE prospect for next year.
At present, there are many talented players to keep an eye on from Athens as well. Much like last year, the defensive group is larger, but Georgia will have representation on offense early on in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Jalen Carter, DT
Most of the way through, the conversation surrounding Jalen Carter as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect was a simple one. On the field, he’s a blue-chip talent. But misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving were revealed against Carter during the NFL Combine. Those charges were related to a January 15 crash that killed a Georgia teammate and recruiting staffer.
Carter traveled to Georgia during the Combine and was booked at Athens-Clarke County Jail before being released on bond shortly after. There’s no direct implication against Carter in the crash, but the situation still hangs over his head as the draft approaches, and teams will do their due diligence.
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As of now, it’s expected that Carter will test at his pro day to make up for the opportunity lost at the Combine. He’ll also be given a chance to speak with more teams, who’ll undoubtedly have questions about his recent past. Carter should still be a first-round pick, but off-field evaluations could make a notable difference in that range.
Nolan Smith, EDGE
Don’t expect Nolan Smith to do much, if any, testing at the Georgia Pro Day. The former five-star recruit blew onlookers away at the NFL Combine, logging a 4.39 40-yard dash, a 41.5″ vertical, and a 10’8″ broad jump at 6’2″, 238 pounds. He also put up a 1.52 10-yard split — the best figure among edge rushers.
Smith could partake in agility drills, but at this point, we know he’s a freak athlete. It’ll be more illuminating to watch and see if coaches have him take part in linebacker drills, moving in space. He has undeniable pass-rush upside, but the projected versatility that comes with his athleticism is just as exciting.
Kelee Ringo, CB
It’s rare for a prospect to be labeled as a likely early-round pick and still have a potential range as large as Kelee Ringo. He could be a mid-Round 1 selection, or he could fall to Day 2. The possibilities are vast with the Georgia CB — a product of both the strong CB class and his polarizing athletic profile.
Ringo has the size and speed. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at 6’2″, 207 pounds at the NFL Combine. But his explosiveness numbers were average at best, and he didn’t partake in agility drills. Especially at his weight, fluidity in space will be a concern for some evaluators. Solid three-cone and shuttle times could help Ringo at the Georgia Pro Day.
Broderick Jones, OT
If you weren’t solid on Broderick Jones being a first-round prospect before the NFL Combine, his testing locked it in. Jones ran a position-best 4.97 40-yard dash at 6’5″, 311 pounds, with arms nearly 35″ long, and he also logged a 9′ broad jump and a 30″ vertical.
For Jones, who still has room to further refine his hand usage, athletic testing was more important than most. He could still run agility drills at the Georgia Pro Day, but his recovery athleticism is a visible strength on tape. For some evaluators, seeing Jones in person might be all they need to sell themselves on taking him early.
Darnell Washington, TE
Darnell Washington has nothing more to gain from testing. His NFL Combine showing sealed the deal, as the 6’7″, 264-pound TE prospect registered a 4.64 40-yard dash, a 10’2″ broad jump, and a position-best 4.08 short-shuttle time. The shuttle time was particularly surprising, putting Washington in the 98th percentile in an agility drill.
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Washington has always been regarded as a near-elite physical talent, but his quantified athletic profile somehow exceeded expectations. There are times when the agility, in particular, doesn’t completely translate on film, but Washington’s pure size/athleticism mix is a lot to deal with. He’ll awe evaluators with his wingspan alone, catching passes from Stetson Bennett.
Christopher Smith, S
Many prospects at the NFL Combine end up resting on their testing numbers, but there’s incentive for safety Christopher Smith to test again at the Georgia Pro Day. Smith was a highly-regarded player who underwhelmed in Indianapolis, putting up a 4.62 40-yard dash, a 33″ vertical, and a 9’8″ broad jump at 5’10 5/8″ and 192 pounds.
One of Smith’s biggest knocks has always been that he isn’t an elite physical talent, but his testing still surprised at the Combine. A 1.56 10-yard split over the 80th percentile provided some reason for optimism, but Smith still stands to gain something from improving his numbers at his pro day.
Warren McClendon, OT
As we’ve seen in the opening days of free agency, being a natural right tackle can help your prospects a lot at the NFL level. Warren McClendon is one of only a few natural RT talents in the 2023 NFL Draft, including Darnell Wright, Dawand Jones, and Wanya Morris.
McClendon didn’t work out at the NFL Combine but said at the event that he would test at the Georgia Pro Day. Measuring in at 6’4″, 306 pounds, with 34 1/2″ arms, McClendon already has a very appealing size profile, much like his teammate on the other side.
Stetson Bennett, QB
It’s been a whirlwind draft cycle for Stetson Bennett, who was already a polarizing 2023 NFL Draft prospect during his time at Georgia. A fruitless all-star cycle and an arrest for public intoxication preceded Bennett’s appearance at the NFL Combine, where he ran slower than expected in the 40-yard dash.
Bennett did run a position-best 4.20 short-shuttle time — a figure that illustrates his visible short-area agility on tape. And he did show some zip as a passer in throwing drills. He’ll get a chance to show that again at the Georgia Pro Day, and he’ll also have a chance to talk with teams about his offseason thus far.
Kenny McIntosh, RB
Not dissimilar to Smith on the defensive side, Kenny McIntosh might have something to gain from testing again at the Georgia Pro Day. He was one of the more underwhelming performers in a stacked RB group at the NFL Combine. McIntosh ran a 4.62 40-yard dash at 6’0″, 204 pounds, and didn’t participate in any other tests.
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On tape, McIntosh shows more burst and speed than what he tested with, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can show better at his pro day. His age is already working against him a bit at RB, so the margin for error is small. Regardless, McIntosh will field plenty of interest with his smooth receiving ability, and the pro day is a great chance to put that in the spotlight again.
Robert Beal, EDGE
Nolan Smith wasn’t the only freakish athlete from Georgia to test at EDGE during the NFL Combine. Robert Beal’s showing flew under the radar because of Smith, but the Bulldogs veteran put up a 4.48 40-yard dash and a 10’3″ broad jump at 6’4″, 247 pounds, with nearly 35″ arms.
Physically, Beal absolutely looks the part, but given his low sack production, teams may be interested in watching his pass-rushing drill work. And like Smith, he has the athleticism to work in space as a linebacker, too.
Kearis Jackson, WR
The odds of Kearis Jackson being drafted are fairly low. He wasn’t overly productive at Georgia, turns 24 years old in December, and ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the Combine. But as his 1.52 10-yard split and 10’6″ broad jump showed, he does have some explosiveness in the tank. He was also a frequent game captain for Georgia and has special-teams experience — all qualities that could make him a popular PFA candidate.
Warren Ericson, OL
Though it’s not likely he’ll be drafted, Warren Ericson is an under-the-radar interior offensive line prospect to keep an eye on. He started 14 games at right guard in 2021 and can also play center. He was ultimately relegated to a reserve role in 2022, but at 6’4″, 305 pounds, he has the natural leverage and versatility to earn a PFA opportunity.
