UGA Football Players Earned Honors and Made Impact at Reese's Senior Bowl
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With the NFL Draft looming in just a couple of months, UGA Football players are getting ready to position themselves for April, and the first step of that came at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this past week in Mobile, Alabama.
Five Georgia Bulldogs competed in Senior Bowl drills and activities this week and in the game that took place on Saturday afternoon: Running back Trevor Etienne, linebacker Smael Mondon, defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, safety Dan Jackson and wide receiver Arian Smith.
Two players dropped out of the competition this week after originally being signed up for the event. Two-time All-American guard Tate Ratledge and center Jared Wilson were supposed to be there, and dropped out early in the week. Both of them dealt with injuries during the 2024 season, and Ratledge fought the injury bug for much of his Georgia career.
Since Kirby Smart took over the Georgia head coach job, 63 players from the program have been drafted. That number will likely be north of 70 after this year’s draft in April. Along with the seven aforementioned players, Malaki Starks, Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, Xavier Truss, Chaz Chambliss, Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Dylan Fairchild, Dominic Lovett and Benjamin Yurosek will look to hear their names called in April.
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Two Dawgs were recognized by their peers this week for their excellent performance in the events leading up to today’s matchup between the “American” and “National” teams they were divided into. Etienne was named the top running back by the American team. Jackson was named the top safety by the American team.
Etienne’s decision to forgo a second year at Georgia and enter the NFL Draft was one that raised some eyebrows in January. In a running back class that is considered to be the deepest and most talented in a few years, Etienne was originally projected by scouts to be a fifth round pick or beyond. His stock is rising after a more than solid week in Mobile where he showed off his shiftiness and receiving skills in drills. ESPN now has him ranked as the 8th best running back in the upcoming draft class.
Jackson is a player that not many viewed as a future NFL talent, especially not before the 2024 season. After a senior year where he made many impact plays (including the game-saving forced fumble against Georgia Tech) and a strong Senior Bowl week, Jackson is being touted as one of the more interesting safety prospects in this class and potentially the hardest-hitting one.
Smith made some highlight-reel catches throughout the week that turned heads. He also had an impressive back-shoulder catch for a 32-yard gain in the actual game on Saturday. Georgia’s pass catchers led the country in drops this past season. Hauling in catches like these in game action will only help Smith’s stock. His speed was evident all week, and that is the part that nobody is questioning.
While Mondon and Ingram-Dawkins did not put up highlight reel plays or perhaps help their draft stock as much as the other three participants, both showed skills and discipline during the game on Saturday, each contributing a couple of tackles.
The NFL Draft will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin from April 24-26. Players will have a few more chances to perform in front of coaches, scouts and general managers at Pro Day in March, the NFL combine and in private workouts.