NFL Draft 2022: Biggest winners

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart

2. The University of Georgia

Georgia produced the number one overall pick, five first-rounders and an NFL draft-record of 15 total prospects selected. Just from a reputation and player-development perspective, that’s awesome. They did lose a lot of great players who could help them make a run at another national title next season, particularly on defense.

They arguably still have two of the top three or four players on that defensive line in-house, their starting quarterback and several other talented pieces. Jermaine Johnson, who decided to transfer after a couple of years with the Bulldogs, was the last one selected among that group in round one, despite having the best production.

Most had Johnson as a top-ten overall prospect, which shows that the NFL clearly understands what role individual players have in a defense. A defense that didn’t lend itself to their pass-rushers having high production, with how they funnel everything to their linebackers.

High school recruits and players on the transfer portal saw where those Georgia guys got selected and understood that they can boost their draft stock if they join Kirby Smart’s program. Even if it means they’re more a piece of the puzzle rather than having crazy production.

Those 15 names did also include six offensive players and even a punter. The Bulldogs have clearly established themselves as one of the top two programs in the best conference we have in college football. They may not yet have the consistency of Alabama yet, but they’ve had one of the top-four recruiting classes in each of the last six years and there’s no end in sight.