Georgia Football: The modern standard for an NFL pipeline

There’s a dominant fact about Georgia Bulldogs football under Kirby Smart that’s sitting right out in the open.

Most folks still don’t see it.

They get caught up in message‑board arguments, talk radio hot takes, whatever their rival fan buddy said at work. Meanwhile, the people whose opinions actually matter—the ones whose jobs, reputations, and family mortgage payments depend on getting it right—have already made up their minds.

NFL decision‑makers know exactly what Georgia is under Kirby Smart:

The modern standard for an NFL pipeline.

This post goes hand‑in‑hand with the full episode of the HBTFDAWGSCAST that this transcript came from. If you haven’t watched that yet, hit play, then come back here for the deeper dive.

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Let’s lay it out.

Follow the Money: The 2021 Georgia Defense Is Growing Up Rich

We can talk about development, culture, and “the process” all day long. But sometimes the easiest way to cut through the noise is just this:

Follow. The. Money.

Three leaders from Georgia’s historic 2021 defense just signed big‑time second contracts this offseason:

– Jordan Davis – 3 years, $78M with $65M guaranteed (Philadelphia Eagles)

– Nakobe Dean – 3 years, $36M with $20M guaranteed (Las Vegas Raiders)

– Quay Walker – 3 years, $40.5M with $28M guaranteed (Las Vegas Raiders)

Those are not “nice little role player” deals.

Those are “you are a central piece of what we do on defense” deals.

– For a nose/IDLT like Jordan Davis to push almost $80M tells you everything you need to know. Philly doesn’t see him as just a big body. They see an anchor you can build a front around.

– Nakobe Dean was too small, too banged up, “fell” in the draft… and still cashed in a legit second contract. That’s leadership, intelligence, and instincts being rewarded at a premium.

– Quay Walker is being paid like the prototype modern linebacker—length, speed, three‑down versatility. That’s exactly the kind of athlete everyone in the league is chasing.

And here’s the scary part for everybody else:

They’re just the front of the wave.

Waiting behind them:

– Jalen Carter – Already looked like an All‑Pro level 3‑tech as a rookie. If he stays healthy and focused, his next deal is going to be monstrous.

– Travon Walker – No. 1 overall pick. If the sack totals catch up to the pressures and run defense, he’s getting true “elite EDGE” money.

– Devonte Wyatt – Interior disruptor who keeps flashing more every year. Once the snap count and consistency jump, the pay will match.

One college defense.

Multiple first‑rounders.

Multiple massive second contracts already secured.

More on the way.

When I say that 2021 Georgia defense is one of the most talented units in the history of the sport, this is what I’m talking about. The NFL is literally building defenses around those dudes.

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What the NFL Decision‑Makers Actually Think About Georgia

Fans can say whatever they want.

The haters are going to hate. The “Georgia’s overrated” crowd will always manufacture a reason to be salty. None of that moves the needle.

The people whose opinions really matter are the ones who get fired when they’re wrong.

And they have been very clear about Kirby Smart’s program.

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes:

“I’ve been to Georgia practices a lot and have been around that program a lot, and it’s unlike anything else that I’ve seen live in terms of college practice… When you can go through that kind of regimen and you practice like that, they’re ready.”

He didn’t just say it and walk away, either. He backed it up. After those comments, he:

– Drafted Tate Ratledge

– Drafted Dominic Lovett

– Signed Dan Jackson

Because he knows exactly what he’s getting if that guy has the Georgia Power G on the front of his jersey.

And he’s not alone. Just in the last couple of years you’ve heard:

“They love football… they’ve essentially been in a program that has a lot of demands on them and is run like an NFL program.”

“Very smart, disciplined, tough, resilient… you kind of know what you’re getting when you get a Georgia Bulldog.”

“If you’re coming out of Georgia, you are tough, mentally tough, physically tough… you just put on the Georgia tape and you see how those players play down in and down out. It’s very impressive.”

“Those guys are basically 18‑, 19‑year‑old pros… Kirby does a great job down there.”

That’s not one quote from one scout at one podium.

That’s a chorus from:

– General managers

– Head coaches

– Personnel VPs

– Super Bowl champions

– Organizations that have bet their future on Bulldogs: Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, Chargers, Seahawks, Lions, Raiders, and more

Kirby has said it himself:

“If you want to know what we’re about, go talk to the NFL.”

They’ve talked.

They’ve drafted.

They’ve signed.

They’ve extended.

And oh, by the way, they’ve won a lot of football games doing it.

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The Numbers Don’t Lie: Draft Dominance Under Kirby Smart

Let’s connect the quotes to the hard numbers.

During Kirby Smart’s tenure in Athens, Georgia has been on a historic draft run:

– 76 total players drafted so far under Kirby.

– 15 players drafted in 2022 — a modern‑era NFL record for one draft class.

– 13 players drafted in 2025, leading the SEC in that cycle.

– At least one first‑round pick in each of the last eight NFL Drafts.

– A span where Kirby legitimately had more first‑round picks than losses (21 first‑rounders vs. 19 losses through the 2025 draft).

Read that last one again.

More first‑round picks than losses.

That stat pops up every spring between the NFL Combine and the Draft, and it’s one of those “you can’t really argue with this” moments. You don’t luck into that kind of production.

And it’s not like Georgia is just pumping out one position group and riding that headline. The Dawgs are flooding the entire board:

– Defensive Line / Edge: Travon Walker, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Nolan Smith

– Linebacker: Roquan Smith, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean

– Secondary: Eric Stokes, Lewis Cine, plus a steady wave of corners and safeties

– Offensive Line: Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wynn, Broderick Jones, Tate Ratledge and more

– Skill Positions: D’Andre Swift, James Cook, George Pickens, Ladd McConkey, etc.

And that’s just the drafted guys.

As I said on the show: you might not hear your name on night one or even day three, but if you grind through the program in Athens, there’s a very strong chance you’re going to get signed and you’re going to get a shot.

The league knows:

“If I spend a draft pick or a camp invite on a Georgia kid, that’s not the player who’s going to get me fired.”

You want to go deeper on all those draft classes, pick by pick? That’s the kind of breakdown we live on. Subscribe to the HBTFDAWGSCAST so you don’t miss it, and if you want full draft guides, film rooms, and bonus pods, HBTFDAWGS+ on Patreon is where it all lives.

From Getting Drafted to Getting Paid

This is the part that really reinforces the point.

People talk about players making NIL money in college football, but that’s not what it’s about. Not when you’re talking about Georgia Bulldogs football under Kirby Smart.

It’s one thing to get drafted. Lots of schools can send guys to the league.

It’s another to get second contracts. Big ones.

That’s where the NFL separates “nice college player” from “real pro.”

Look back at those 2021 names:

– Jordan Davis – 3 years, $78M, $65M guaranteed

– Nakobe Dean – 3 years, $36M, $20M guaranteed

– Quay Walker – 3 years, $40.5M, $28M guaranteed

Now stack in:

– Roquan Smith cashing in at linebacker

– Andrew Thomas getting elite LT money

– The next wave staring down their own paydays: Carter, Travon Walker, Wyatt, and more

NFL front offices do not throw that kind of money around just for fun. They are saying, loudly:

“These guys translate. The traits we saw in Athens still win on Sundays.”

And you’ll notice something else Kirby’s been pointing out:

It’s not like these guys are getting drafted and then washing out a year later.

They stick. They start. They get paid.

That’s the difference between being a “school that produces NFL players” and being a true NFL pipeline.

Why Georgia Translates So Cleanly to Sundays

All of this rolls back to what I call the superstructure in Athens.

You can draw a straight line—in pen—from:

1. High school recruiting

2. The developmental process inside the program

3. NFL Draft picks

4. Second contracts

No squinting. No mental gymnastics. Just results.

1. Kirby Recruits the Right Kind of Talent

Not just stars. Not just 40‑times.

He recruits:

– NFL frames and athletic profiles on both lines

– Linebackers who can run and communicate

– DBs who can cover and tackle in a variety of schemes

– Receivers and backs who can play in a pro system, not stat‑pad in a gimmick

These guys aren’t maxing out at 20, 21 years old. They have room to grow, which is exactly what happens in Athens.

2. Georgia Is Run Like an NFL Program

You heard Brad Holmes. You’ve heard other execs. You’ve heard former Dawgs.

The words repeat over and over:

– “Demanding.”

– “Disciplined.”

– “Run like an NFL program.”

– “18‑, 19‑year‑old pros.”

That shows up in:

– Pro‑style schemes, especially on defense

– Real‑deal strength, conditioning, and nutrition

– High‑pressure practices and constant competition

You don’t just say “the process” in Athens. You live it every day—or you get passed.

3. Iron Sharpens Iron, For Real

Micah Morris laid it out at the Combine, and it might be the clearest explanation you’ll ever hear:

“Even on scout team, we were going against Devonte Wyatt, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter every day… You’ve been going against the best of the best for three years before you even step on the field.”

You show up at 17, 18 years old and:

– Your normal Tuesday practice rep is against multiple first‑round picks.

– You’re in a two‑ or three‑deep where there is no hiding place.

– By the time you start at Georgia, you’ve already played “NFL speed” in practice.

That’s why, when these guys get to the league, you see them say:

“The game slowed down for me. I was ready.”

Because they were.

If you’re a recruit or a parent trying to figure out who’s actually going to prepare you for the league, rewind Micah’s quote, replay it ten times, then go look at how many of those former teammates are already cashing NFL checks.

And if you want that kind of insight delivered straight from the players and coaches every week, you know what to do: subscribe to the HBTFDAWGSCAST, and join HBTFDAWGS+ for the premium film‑study and behind‑the‑scenes content.

This Isn’t a One‑Year Spike. It’s a Machine.

Here’s what separates Georgia from the “flash in the pan” programs that have one monster class and then disappear for a few years.

Under Kirby Smart:

– Georgia has had at least one first‑rounder eight straight years.

– Georgia set the modern record with 15 draft picks in 2022… and then threatened that again, even in years they “only” won the SEC.

– Georgia led the SEC with 13 draft picks in 2025.

– Georgia has produced more first‑round picks than losses over a multi‑year stretch.

On top of that:

– Georgia has won three of the last four SEC Championships, including the last two against the “new hot thing” programs—Texas and Alabama.

– Georgia has been a constant in the playoff conversation, no matter how the playoff format changes.

The pipeline isn’t slowing down. It’s accelerating.

And as long as Kirby Smart is the architect in Athens, nothing about that is going to change.

The Bottom Line: Georgia Is the NFL Pipeline

People can argue about who’s “No. 1 program in the country” right this second. You can slice that however you want.

But you are not getting past No. 2 and sure as heck not past No. 3 without saying “Georgia.”

And if we’re talking about a pure NFL pipeline—draft picks, Pro Bowlers, second contracts, plug‑and‑play pros across all positions—Georgia isn’t just in the conversation.

Georgia is the conversation.

– NFL executives are telling you: these kids are built like pros.

– Draft numbers are telling you: the league keeps calling Athens’ name.

– Second contracts are telling you: these Bulldogs stick and get paid.

– Former players are telling you: Kirby Smart and that superstructure changed their lives.

You don’t have to take my word for it. You don’t even have to take Kirby’s.

Listen to the guys who:

– Draft the players

– Sign the checks

– And get fired if they’re wrong

They’ve already decided:

If there’s a Georgia Bulldog on the board at a position of need, that guy is getting the nod more often than not.

That’s what an NFL pipeline looks like.

If you’ve read this far, you’re exactly the kind of Dawg fan I built this show for.

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Go premium. Be elite.

And as always…

How ’bout them Dawgs!

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