We are 48 hours away from the 133rd edition of Georgia Bulldogs football. Expectations for this season are high once again for the defending SEC champions as they look to defend that crown and add some more hardware to the trophy case. In the meantime, Dawg Nation has the chance to keep up with some great Dawgs of yesterday who took their talents to the NFL.
The 2025 NFL Draft saw 13 players from Georgia hear their names called to continue their football careers at the next level. Three of these players were
taken in the first round: Mykel Williams to the San Francisco 49ers, Jalon Walker to the Atlanta Falcons (finally!), and Malaki Starks to the Baltimore Ravens. Overall, Kirby Smart has had 20 of his players selected in the first round, which is more than the number of losses (19) he has had as the head Dawg.
While guys like Williams, Walker, and Starks will have lots of eyes on them this season, one Georgia rookie is already impressing his head coach. Jared Wilson, who was the starting center last season and one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise inconsistent offensive line, drew praise from his new head coach, Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots.
Wilson, who was selected in the third round, has emerged as a potential starter for the Patriots this season. There is a good chance he could slide into the center position, which was a role held down by another former Bulldog in David Andrews for a decade.
The NFL season officially kicks off on September 4th when the Dallas Cowboys, the new location of former Bulldog wide receiver George Pickens, visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Bulldogs/Eagles, a game that will have no shortage of former Bulldog greats. Stars such as Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, Nakobe Dean, Kelee Ringo, and more will look to lead Philly to a second straight Lombardi trophy.
While the preseason isn’t known for too many highlight-worthy moments, a certain two-time National Champion quarterback has made the most of his opportunities over the past few weeks with the Los Angeles Rams. Right now, Stetson Bennett is second in preseason passing yards with 512, along with five touchdowns. The pride of Pierce County also led the Rams to a comeback victory over their stadium roommates, the L.A. Chargers, thanks to some incredible throws that made Dawg fans nostalgic for the 2021 and 2022 natty winning teams:
It is unlikely that he will take the starting QB job away from another former Georgia gunslinger in Matthew Stafford going into week one, but his performance could likely help him rise up the depth chart as the backup for the 37-year-old Stafford, who is trying to heal a back injury.
Another former Dawg seeking to make a comeback after an injury is running back Nick Chubb. The second all-time leading rusher in school history and former Cleveland Brown suffered a horrendous knee injury in 2023 that was eerily similar to the one he suffered in college against Tennessee in 2015. Chubb did return in 2024, rushing for just 332 yards in eight games.
He signed with the Houston Texans in the offseason and was/is expected to be a backup to Joe Mixon. On Monday, however, the Texans moved Mixon to the reserve/non-football injury list and will miss the beginning of the season. This opens the door for Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler, to prove to the NFL world that he can still be a reliable running back in the league.
Of course, there are more pro-Dawgs out there than I have space for, and we wish them success as they embark on a new season. Once a Dawg, always a Dawg.
Go Dawgs!
