Daylen Everette stood out as one of the top pass defenders on Kirby Smart’s Georgia squad in the 2025 season. He consistently elevated his play in crucial moments, making him a compelling prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Daylen Everette Hits 40-Yard Dash Record After First Kirby Smart Hot Mic Moment
Everette was the first of Georgia’s 10 NFL combine invitees to participate in the athletic testing drills, and he had a strong performance. He recorded 4.38 in the 40-yard dash portion of the combine workouts on Friday, ranking as the second-fastest among cornerbacks at the combine. Missouri cornerback Toriano Pride recorded the fastest time, as his 4.32Â bested Everette’s effort.
Everette also recorded the fastest speed at the position in three skill drills and finished in the top three in two additional drills. He recorded a 37.5′ vertical jump and a 10′4″ broad jump, while his measurements came in at 6 foot 1 and 196 pounds.
Before turning heads with his athletic testing, Everette also hit the headlines by hilariously recalling his first “Smart hot mic” moment as a freshman.
“We were at fall camp, and it was my first time getting reps with the ones, and you know, I gave up some plays,” Everette said. “And he [Smart] just starts cussing me out on the mic. He’s like, ‘Man, you can’t guard him?’ You want to play right? And you can’t even do that. What are we doing?’ That was the first time he really got on me, like bad, on the mic.”
“I’m not going to lie, I went back to my room that day and probably talked to my mom like, ‘Man, I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.’ But that’ just how he is as a coach.”
Everette was generally viewed as a mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will start with the first round on April 23 and conclude on April 25. However, his draft stock may rise after his Friday performance, as he has the potential to become Georgia’s first cornerback selected in the first round since 2021.
Everette totaled 149 tackles, 5 interceptions, 17 passes defensed, and one sack, including interceptions in each of the last two SEC championship games over his four-year career at Georgia.
He appeared in 13 games in the 2025 season, recording 49 tackles and one interception, contributing to a Georgia defense that scored 83.3 in the PFSN’s CFB Defense Impact Metric. He also brings a strong resume to the NFL, having started 41 games at Georgia.
