The Georgia Bulldogs and Kirby Smart set a record in the 2021 NFL Draft, as a record nine players have been taken. The previous school record had been eight, which was set back in 2013 and 2002.
The ninth pick was Mark Webb, taken in the seventh round of the draft by the Los Angeles Chargers He becomes the third day three pick of the draft from Georgia.
The Bulldogs had six players taken in the first three rounds, which also set a school record.
The Georgia players taken to this point in the draft are:
- Eric Stokes -- Green Bay Packers round 1, pick 29
- Tyson Campbell -- Jacksonville Jaguars round 2, pick 33
- Azeez Ojulari -- New York Giants round 2, pick 50
- Monty Rice -- Tennessee Titans round 3, pick 92
- Ben Cleveland -- Baltimore Ravens round 3, pick 94
- Tre’ McKitty -- Los Angeles Chargers round 3, pick 97
- Richard LeCounte -- Cleveland Browns round 5, pick 169
- Trey Hill -- Cincinnati Bengals round 6, pick 190
- Mark Webb -- Los Angeles Chargers round 7 pick 241
This particular draft class carries extra significance to Georgia and Smart, as it was the first draft class to be comprised solely of players signed and developed by Smart.
Smart took over the Georgia program in December of 2015. Since then the Bulldogs have won three SEC East titles, three New Years Six bowl games and made an appearance in the national championship game.
Those teams were made up largely of players that Smart and the Georgia coaching staff developed.
“It just means a lot,” Smart of this draft class. “A lot of those guys were a part of our first class, some were second class, but all are special to our staff. They’ve been great to Georgia.
“The most important thing I want them to know is that they aren’t just great football players but they’re great people, they’re great leaders and we want to help them so they can be successful the rest of their life without football.”
The Bulldogs had seven players drafted in each of the previous two NFL Drafts. Alabama and Ohio State currently have the most players drafted with 10.
Georgia went 8-2 this past season, ending the season with a win over Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. The Bulldogs figure to have a similarly talented team to start the 2021 season, led by quarterback JT Daniels and defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
More Georgia football stories from the 2021 NFL Draft
- Tennessee Titans select Georgia LB Monty Rice in 2021 NFL Draft
- Trey Hill taken by Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 NFL Draft
- Mark Webb taken by Los Angeles Chargers in 2021 NFL Draft
- Cleveland Browns select Richard LeCounte in 2021 NFL Draft
- New York Giants select Georgia OLB Azeez Ojulari in 2021 NFL Draft
- Tyson Campbell taken by Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 NFL Draft
- 3 things: Georgia in NFL draft more than meets eye, Bulldogs burgeoning
- What the 2021 NFL Draft first round taught us about Georgia football
- Eric Stokes Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick, ‘feels like a dream’
- Kirby Smart bluntly sums up why the NFL draft is so important for Georgia football
