ATHENS — Tykee Smith and Javon Bullard are typical Georgia defensive backs in the sense they operate with a chip on the shoulder.

It comes with the territory when you play in the position group most closely overseen by head coach Kirby Smart.

Smith and Bullard, both NFL draft prospects, had work to do in the eyes of some scouts at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine.

Both got it done and are on the rise, according to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy.

“Javon and Tykee are moving up, those 4.4 (-second 40-yard dash) times were big,” said Nagy, who was part of four Super Bowl-winning staffs while working as an NFL scout.

“Both of them were good players on tape, but both had speed concerns in the league before timing in the mid 4.4 range at the combine, which is plenty fast for safeties.”

Smith and Bullard are both less than ideal height for safeties — 6-foot up — but each had the chance to show they could be effective playing the position at the Senior Bowl.

Smith was as stand out at the nickel (Star) position at UGA, leading the Bulldogs in tackles and interceptions.

“Tykee, by coming to the Senior Bowl, got to play some safety and showed teams he could play from depth and show great instincts,” Nagy said. “He had a great Senior Bowl game with three PBUs.”

Indeed, Smith was named the American Team MVP in the game.

“We all knew Tykee was an instinctive underneath player,” Nagy said. “But he showed he could play the field in the back, kind of like Jalen Pitre.”

Bullard nearly skipped playing in the Senior Bowl before his agent made another call to him.

Bullard now says it was the best decision he could have made, as he had an incredible second practice that opened eyes and carried through the week.

“Bullard is a guy that is a steady dependable player who puts himself in the right positions,” Nagy said, “so it was sometimes hard to gauge his speed.”

Indeed, Bullard was so assignment-sound he was rarely in position to have to show “catch up” speed.

The same held true at the Senior Bowl, and other players noticed, as he was voted the Defensive Back of the Week by the receivers that had to go up against him in practice.

Georgia defensive back Tykee Smith led the Bulldogs in tackles and interceptions last season, and he's ready to show NFL teams what he can do at the NFL Combine. . (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings/Dawgnation)

Nagy said Smith and Bullard are prime examples of players who “embrace the whole process,” and have bettered their draft stock by competing while others sat out.

The Senior Bowl work and willingness to compete in combine workouts helped Bullard and Smith show just how versatile they are.

“They can all play safety, they can all play Star, (and) they can all probably play corner, at least a couple of those guys have done that in their careers,” Smart said, grouping Smith and Bullard in with outgoing cornerback Kamari Lassiter.

“It’s a great group, but I feel like we’ve said that every year.”

Georgia DBs drafted in Kirby Smart Era

2023 NFL Draft

2022 NFL Draft

2021 NFL Draft

2019 NFL Draft