ATHENS — Georgia safety Javon Bullard has risen through the NFL draft process, with some considering him in the top safety prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“He can do it all,” ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently said.
Indeed, and the 5-foot-10, 200-pound Bullard does it all with force, to the extent Kirby Smart once likened him to a “stick of dynamite.”
Bullard is the latest former 3-star prospect that Smart has built into a high-level performer, following in the footsteps of former UGA 3-star DB prospects turned first-round picks Deandre Baker and Eric Stokes.
Bullard credits the system at Georgia for setting the right kind of expectations.
“This game is physical, (and) this place is physical, and it’s always going to be like that,” Bullard said. “It’s not because of certain players. It’s just the standard we hold within this organization. It was physical before I got here, and it’s going to be physical after I leave. So just the physicality that we bring, I pride myself on that.”
Buckeye crunch
Bullard will forever be tied to the “Buckeye Crunch” hit on Marvin Harrison Jr. that arguably led to Georgia’s 2022 CFP Championship.
Ohio State held a 35-24 lead on Georgia with 35 seconds left in the third quarter and was on the verge of landing a knockout blow when Bullard separated Harrison from the ball in the end zone with a clean hit.
Harrison’s helmet hit the turf after he fell, leading him to stay out of the game, as Georgia rallied for a 42-41 win to advance to the CFP title game where they beat TCU 65-7.
Bullard’s Oil Painting Moment was such that a local cookie dough company signed Bullard to an NIL deal and marketed the flavor, “Buckeye Crunch.”
Fast 40
Bullard ran a 4.47-second time in the 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Combine, surprisingly some draft analysts who had questioned his speed.
“Bullard is a guy that is a steady dependable player who puts himself in the right positions, so it was sometimes hard to gauge his speed,” said Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, who was a scout on the staff of four Super Bowl-winning teams.
“The 40-yard dash time was big. There were speed concerns in the league before timing in the mid 4.4 range at the combine, which is plenty fast for safeties.”
MVP, MVP, MVP
Bullard holds a unique distinction of winning back-to-back CFP Defensive MVP honors in 2022 for his performances in Georgia’s wins over Ohio State (42-41) and TCU (65-7).
But perhaps more importantly where the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft is concerned, Bullard was voted the top safety on his Senior Bowl squad by teammates.
It was there, in front of NFL general managers, coaches and scouts, that Bullard’s skills translated working in an NFL-style defense.
Bullard’s attitude was just as encouraging for NFL teams, as his interviews were said to be among the best.
“Tackling, playing the ball, angles — you can always enhance your game,” Bullard said. “We have a saying, ‘better never rests.’ It doesn’t matter how good you think you are, there’s always something you can do better.”
NFL Combine Breakdown
• Height: 5-foot-10 1/2
• Weight: 198 pounds
• Arm: 30 3/4-inches
• Hand: 9-inches
• 40-yard dash: 4.47
• 10-yard split: 1.51
