The All-Georgia NFL Team
Following last week’s draft, there are currently 77 Bulldogs on NFL rosters (includes 61 active players, eight unsigned draft picks, five undrafted free agents, and three unrestricted free agents)—or more than enough players to fulfill an entire league roster.
For the third consecutive year, UGASports decided to play the role of general manager of a hypothetical NFL team composed entirely of former Georgia players currently active in the league.
In anticipation of the 2026 season, UGASports first trimmed down the 77 players to a 53-man roster. From there, depth charts for offense, defense, and special teams were established.
Considering the following depth charts, how would an NFL team comprised of only those who played at Georgia just prior to entering the NFL—an All-Georgia team—fare in the league this season?
Something to maybe consider, six former Georgia players on our 53-man roster—quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back James Cook, receiver George Pickens, tight end Brock Bowers, defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and linebacker Roquan Smith—were named to the initial 88-player rosters of last season’s Pro Bowl. By comparison, four teams (Broncos, Ravens, 49ers, and Seahawks) led the league last season with the same total (6) of initial invites to the Pro Bowl.
And it could be argued that the All-Georgia team should feature at least a seventh Pro Bowler, as defensive tackle Jordan Davis was considered by many as the biggest snub of last season’s Pro Bowl.
(Each former Georgia player is followed by his NFL team and number of years of league experience, including the 2026 season, in parentheses. Players’ names in parentheses are already listed on the depth chart. Nick Chubb is an unrestricted free agent. ‘Rk’ in red=Rookie.)
The All-Georgia offense not only features Stafford, the defending league MVP, at quarterback, but also the NFL’s No. 1 (Cook) and No. 12 (D’Andre Swift) rushers from last season. We decided to keep Nick Chubb, an unrestricted free agent currently without a team, as a No. 4 running back to provide depth and experience—and we still think the ninth-year veteran still has some gas in the tank for a semi-productive 2026 season.
The receiving corps—or what was a major deficiency for our original team two years ago—features two 1,000-yard receivers in Pickens and Ladd McConkey. At tight end, third-year Bowers is already considered one of the best at the position in league history.
The toughest decision we had in shaping our team was deciding which two of the six top-notch offensive tackles in the league from Georgia (including rookie Monroe Freeling) we cut to make room for a rookie, sixth-round guard, Micah Morris. Starting guards Tate Ratledge and Dylan Fairchild, and center Jared Wilson, all had standout rookie campaigns last season. Whether from one of our reserve tackles or one of the centers, Morris will likely need some support, at least at first, backing up Ratledge and Fairchild.
Since the All-Georgia team is loaded with defensive linemen, we’ll often form a 4-3 alignment. Although starting off the season as a reserve, we’re expecting a big jump for defensive end Mykel Williams in his second season if he can stay healthy. Entering his 14th season, reserve nose tackle John Jenkins is the team’s defensive veteran. We won’t be surprised in the least if rookie Christen Miller is starting by the end of the season.
The defense is simply loaded at linebacker, as well, especially at middle linebacker. Nolan Smith, Jalon Walker, and CJ Allen—all likely shoo-in starters on their respective teams—are reserves for the All-Georgia squad. Notably, of the seven starters on the team’s front-seven, five of them, including linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, had their final season at Georgia during the 2021 national championship campaign.
With Javon Bullard as a reserve, our safety positions are now solidified, having been a major area of concern just a couple of years ago. Along with Davis, we see cornerback Kamari Lassiter becoming Georgia’s next new Pro Bowler. Lassiter will start opposite veteran Tyson Campbell, who totaled a career-high 87 tackles and 18 passes defensed last season.
Special teams is the one area in which we must improvise, as there is currently no former Georgia placekicker on an NFL roster. So, for our No. 53 roster spot, maybe we can simply select one from the last two Bulldog kickers in the league: Rodrigo Blakenship (active as recently as 2022) or Jack Podlesny (released from Green Bay in June 2024)?
We’re more than satisfied that Brett Thorson, Georgia’s No. 2 punter of all time (45.6 average), will be punting for us at the next level. Nick Moore is considered one of the top long snappers in the league. And, finally, as All-Georgia’s starting slot receiver and primary kickoff and punt returner, we’re expecting a lot from third-rounder Zachariah Branch as a rookie this season.
There you have it—the All-Georgia NFL team. What do you think? For the past two years, the team has been short in a couple of positions. But what about this particular team?