2013 NFL Draft Prospects: Georgia

These are the school’s prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft by status * – denotes 2014 prospect ** – denotes 2015 prospect.

This page was last updated April 24, 2013. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Jarvis Jones*, OLB, Georgia
Height: 6-2. Weight: 242. Arm: 33.08.
40 Time: 4.9.
Projected Round (2013): Top-25 Pick.
4/24/13: Scouts at the East-West Shrine told WalterFootball.com that Jones would slide on draft day because they believed he would test poorly before the draft and isn’t a hard worker in the weight room. The scouts said that watching the game tape, Jones is worthy of being a top draft pick, but they don’t believe he will go that high. Jones passed on working out at the Combine.

The scouts predictions were validated at Jones’ pro day when he ran the 40 in an ugly time of 4.9-5.0 seconds. NFL.com’s Gil Brandt said that he could see Jones falling to the second round. That might be an exaggeration, but him falling to the mid-teens seems likely.

Jones is an elite edge-rusher who also is phenomenal in pursuit. He had 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 24.5 tackles for a loss, seven forced fumbles, three passes broken up and one interception in 2012. Jones finished the year strong with two sacks against Nebraska and announced he would skip his final collegiate season to enter the 2013 NFL Draft. Jones led the nation in sacks, tackles for a loss and forced fumbles.

Jones notched two sacks and a forced fumble against Alabama. His sack-fumble was a phenomenal play on which he beat blocks from right tackle D.J. Fluker and running back Eddie Lacy to take down A.J. McCarron. Jones picked up another coverage sack later, but the Crimson Tide had a lot of success running straight at him. It was an ugly game for Jones as a run-defender.

The junior missed the Kentucky game with a knee injury and didn’t look the same against South Carolina, but he came back with a vengeance against Florida. Jones turned in a massive performance to push his team to a huge victory over the Gators. He totaled 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Jones also made the game-saving play with a forced fumble around the Georgia 5-yard line in the final minutes. It was a tremendous outing that illustrated his ability to make big plays in big games.

Jones had a similar showing in Week 2 against Missouri with a game for the ages. He stepped up with huge plays to help lead the Bulldogs to a win. Jones had nine tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, a pass batted and an interception returned 21 yards to the goal line. The turnovers he created came late in the game and sealed the win for Georgia.

8/29/12: The USC transfer was a pass-rushing terror last year for the Bulldogs. The sophomore tied for fifth in the nation in sacks with 13.5. He also had 70 tackles with 19.5 tackles for a loss, two passes broken up and two forced fumbles. Jones’ season was highlighted with a four-sack game against Florida, but he was held in check against Michigan State in the Outback Bowl.

Jones is an explosive pass-rusher off the edge who is a perfect fit in Georgia’s 3-4 defense. His speed and agility make him extremely difficult for tackles to get a hold of. He has a non-stop motor and gives relentless effort.

Jones is best in pursuit in run defense. He isn’t particularly stout at the point of attack when runs come directly at him. Even though Jones could use more bulk, he is a very good tackler. He wraps up ball carriers and quarterbacks well. Jones also skillfully goes for strips when hitting quarterbacks. His closing speed is phenomenal as both a run-defender and a pass-rusher.

After leading the SEC in sacks in 2011, Jones won’t take anybody by surprise this season and will see plenty of extra attention. The junior should still produce a quality season, and if he does, he could be a high first-round pick next April. If Jones can add 8-10 pounds of muscle for the NFL, that would make him an even better prospect.

Jonathan Jenkins, DT, Georgia
Height: 6-3. Weight: 359. Arm: 33 1/8. Hand: 9 1/2.
Projected 40 Time: 5.45.
Projected Round (2013): 1-2.
4/24/13: Scouts have told WalterFootball.com that Jenkins could be a late first-round pick and should easily go in the second round.

Jenkins racked up 50 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack in 2012. He stood out with good games against Missouri, South Carolina, Florida and Auburn. Jenkins played well in the SEC Championship and beat Alabama guard Chance Warmack for a sack.

Jenkins is a load at the line of scrimmage who can collapse the pocket while stuffing runs. He helped his stock this season and was dominant at the Senior Bowl. Jenkins was destroying interior linemen with his bull rush and showed some serious explosiveness off the snap. It isn’t out of the question for Jenkins to be a mid first-rounder.

8/25/12: The junior college product Jenkins showed off massive size with some surprising athleticism in his debut last year for the Bulldogs. The junior had 28 with six tackles for a loss and three sacks.

Jenkins is a massive load at the line of scrimmage. He is a natural fit as a zero-technique nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. It helps that Jenkins already plays that position for Georgia.

Alec Ogletree*, ILB, Georgia
Height: 6-3. Weight: 236. Arm: 33.48.
40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2012): 1-2.
4/24/13: There ton of opinions on where to project Ogletree, but a lot of teams love his pass-coverage skills and overall athletic ability. Many 4-3 teams are looking at Ogletree as an outside linebacker. He could start his career as an outside linebacker and move into the middle in the future.

Ogletree didn’t stand out at the Combine and that came on the heels of a DUI arrest in early February. There are a lot of concerns about him off the field and that could cause a fall on draft day despite having a rare skill set of size and speed.

Ogletree was suspended for four games to start 2012 because of a failed drug test. He was excellent after returning to the lineup. Ogletree was a play-maker as a run-defender and was always around the ball. He totaled 111 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks an interception and five passes broken up.

The former safety has the potential to be a standout pass-coverage linebacker in the NFL. He moves well and covers a lot of ground. Ogletree is very fast and can go sideline-to-sideline. For the next level, he needs to work on runs coming directly at him and shedding blocks.

8/31/12: Ogletree really came on in the second half of the 2011 season. In the final seven games, he produced 52 tackles with 7.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Ogletree broke his foot in the season opener against Boise State, and that caused him to miss the next seven games. He really stood out with big games against Georgia Tech, LSU and Michigan State.

Ogletree had 34 tackles as a freshman in 2010. He is very fast and instinctive. The junior has the frame to get bigger and stay as a middle linebacker in the NFL. Ogletree has a lot of upside and it wouldn’t be surprising if he pushed his stock into first-round consideration after the 2012 or 2013 season.

Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
Height: 6-0. Weight: 218. Arm: 30 1/2. Hand: 9 1/8.
40 Time: 4.56.
Projected Round (2013): 2-4.
4/24/13: Rambo was suspended for the first four games of the 2012 season. He was excellent for Georgia after coming back, totaling 76 tackles, three interceptions, one sack and three forced fumbles in his nine games. Rambo had an impressive outing against Florida with a sack and interception. He played well against Georgia Tech and Alabama.

Off-the-field issues knock Rambo down, so the earliest he could go is on Day 2. Rambo was solid at the Senior Bowl, but did not participate in the Combine field work. Scouts have told WalterFootball.com that not being very fast or athletic hurts Rambo’s ranking among the safeties.

9/2/12: Rambo has first-round talent, but has been his own worst enemy. He will start 2012 with a four-game suspension by Georgia for violating team rules regarding drug usage. The off-the-field concerns have been a big detriment to Rambo’s draft stock, and it is hard to predict how heavily they will be weighed against him by NFL teams.

Rambo had an excellent season last year and was one of the nation’s leaders in interceptions with seven. The junior also had 52 tackles with seven passes broken up. Rambo is a physical player with good instincts. He has the speed to fly around the field and get in position to make plays.

If you watched Georgia in 2010, it was hard not to notice Rambo as a sophomore. The instinctive safety always found his way to the ball and was a play-maker. He totaled 82 tackles with three interceptions, three passes broken up and three forced fumbles. Rambo is a talented player who should be a starter in the NFL.

Cornelius Washington, ILB/DE, Georgia
Height: 6-4. Weight: 264. Arm: 33 7/8. Hand: 9 1/4.
Projected 40 Time: 4.99.
Projected Round (2013): 2-4.
4/24/13: Washington became a hot prospect late in the prospect and stands a chance of cracking the second day of the 2013 NFL Draft. As an inside linebacker, Washington recorded just 22 tackles, three tackles for a loss and .5 sacks in 2012. In 2011 and 2009, he had five sacks and four sacks, respectively. His highest tackle total was 24 in 2010. Washington had an excellent Combine performance in which he showed off that he is a size/speed specimen.

4-3 defenses are projecting Washington to defensive end in the NFL. A 3-4 defense would play him at outside linebacker.

Kwame Geathers*, DT, Georgia
Height: 6-5. Weight: 342. Arm: 35.28.
40 Time: 5.44.
Projected Round (2013): 3-5.
4/24/13: Geathers played well as part of a rotation on Georgia’s defensive line. He had 40 tackles, five tackles for a loss, a sack and a blocked kick in 2012. Geathers would have been an every-down player on the majority of teams.

The junior struggled in the second half of the SEC Championship Game against Alabama. Barrett Jones wore him down and dominated him. Even though Geathers could have taken over as the starting nose tackle next season, he decided to enter the 2013 NFL Draft.

Geathers didn’t impress at the Combine. The decision to come out early looks like a mistake as he is a mid-round pick at best.

8/25/12: Geathers is a mountain of man who is difficult to move at the line of scrimmage. He looks like a good fit for a 3-4 defense, especially at nose tackle.

Geathers should receive more playing time as a junior as he was team’s defensive MVP for spring practice in 2012. He was mostly a backup in 2011 with 14 tackles. The sophomore also missed a few games. Nose tackles with Geathers’ size are hard to find.

Shawn Williams, S, Georgia
Height: 6-0. Weight: 213. Arm: 30. Hand: 8 1/4.
40 Time: 4.46.
Projected Round (2013): 3-5.
4/24/13: Williams recorded 98 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and four passes broken up in 2012. He was a solid defender for Georgia in run and pass defense, but didn’t produce any splash plays. Part of that is because Williams is not very instinctive. He was unimpressive in the SEC Championship loss to Alabama.

Williams surprised at the Combine with one of the fastest 40 times of any safety. He is more of an in-line safety and could be a solid mid-round pick.

9/2/12: Williams is a tough, physical safety that also has some quickness and ball skills. He broke into the starting lineup as a junior in 2011. He led the team with 72 tackles while also recording four interceptions, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and six passes broken up.

Sanders Commings, CB/S, Georgia
Height: 6-0. Weight: 216. Arm: 31 1/8 Hand: 8 1/4.
40 Time: 4.41.
Projected Round (2013): 4-5.
4/24/13: Commings (5-11 7/8) checked in at the Senior Bowl almost three inches shorter than his previously listed height (6-2). He is strong and built, but didn’t stand out in practice. Overall, it was a disappointing week for Commings. He bounced back to a degree at the Combine. There are some teams that project Commings to safety in the NFL.

The senior had 51 tackles, three interceptions and two passes broken up in 2012. Two picks came against Tennessee to help the Bulldogs win that game. He had an impressive performance in coverage against the Volunteers’ talented receivers. Commings snagged an interception in the end zone in the SEC Championship Game to help take points away from Alabama. He looks much improved over his junior season when he had 55 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, 12 passes broken up, one forced fumble and one interception.

Tarvarres King, WR, Georgia
Height: 6-0. Weight: 192. Arm: 32 5/8. Hand: 9 3/8.
40 Time: 4.47.
Projected Round (2013): 5-7.
4/24/13: King totaled 42 receptions for 950 yards and eight touchdowns in 2012. He had some disappointing games as a senior. King was shut out by Florida and had underwhelming performances against South Carolina and Tennessee. He stepped up in the SEC Championship with five receptions for 142 yards against Alabama. King was solid, but unspectacular, at the Senior Bowl. He ran well at the Combine.

8/17/12: With A.J. Green and Kris Durham having graduated, King was the No. 1 receiver in 2011 for quarterback Aaron Murray. However, King didn’t produce as much as expeceted. He had modest results last season, snagging 47 receptions for 705 yards and eight touchdowns. The redshirt junior had a huge game against Michigan State in the Outback Bowl with six receptions for 205 yards and a score.

King was the third receiver in 2010, catching 27 balls for 504 yards and three touchdowns. He had 18 receptions for 377 yards and one score in 2009.

Branden Smith, CB, Georgia
Height: 5-11. Weight: 182.
Projected 40 Time: 4.53.
Projected Round (2013): 6-FA.
4/24/13: Smith collected 25 tackles and eight passes broken up in 2012 as Georgia’s nickelback. He had some good moments at the East-West Shrine, but showed that he still needs more development. Smith could turn into a quality depth player in the NFL, but probably does not have starting potential. He didn’t work out at the Combine.

9/1/12: Smith has been a contributor for the Bulldogs since his freshman season in 2009. He won a starting corner spot as a sophomore and totaled 17 tackles and two interceptions in nine games.

Smith started seven of the 14 games he played in last season and showed some improvement. He recorded 55 tackles with seven passes broken up and four interceptions.

Assuming Smith continues that trend as a senior, he should be a mid-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Smith needs to fill out is frame, and Georgia needs him to step up with Brandon Boykin in the NFL.

Christian Robinson, ILB, Georgia
Height: 6-2. Weight: 235.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2013): 7-FA.
4/24/13: Robinson picked up 47 tackles and 7.5 tackles for a loss with a forced fumble in 2012. He didn’t stand out while Alec Ogletree and Bacarri Rambo were suspended.

8/31/12: Robinson recorded 46 tackles with six tackles for a loss in 2010. He started 11 games as a sophomore, but went down to only four starts in 12 games played as a junior. Robinson had 47 tackles in 2011.

Robinson needs to increase his production and add weight over his final season. With the talent around him, he should be able to produce more in 2012.