With Pro Days halfway completed and the 2026 scouting combine in the rear view mirror, ESPN NFL Draft expert Field Yates unveiled his top 50 for the 2026 NFL Draft earlier this week. While it will be hard to top Georgia's achievements in the 2022 draft class, which saw a record five first-round defensive players selected and 15 players taken overall, Yates expects big things from the Bulldogs again in 2026. Two of them make the top 32, indicating they are now seen as first-round prospects.
Up first is offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, who moves up 11 spots to No. 11 overall and No. 2 among offensive tackles.
With only 18 starts to his name, Freeling is a greener prospect than almost any other player so far in this ranking. That's a testament to his enticing skill set and exciting measurables (34¾-inch arms, 4.93 40-yard dash and 33.5-inch vertical jump).
Freeling showed dramatic improvement over the course of the 2025 season, and he's a smooth mover who covers a ton of surface area despite his frame. Freeling needs to further improve his body control and strength, so he would be best suited in a situation in which he could develop before being thrust into a starting role.
I am bullish that Freeling has as much upside as any offensive lineman in this class; he has all the skills to be a longtime left tackle.
CJ Allen comes in next, dropping 13 spots to No. 36 overall and No. 2 among pure linebackers.
The quarterback of Georgia's defense in 2025, Allen is a slightly undersized inside linebacker. He is a cerebral, standout communicator who has good range and strong instincts that show up often in run defense. Allen has some tightness on tape, but he's comfortable spot-dropping in pass coverage. He set a career high in total tackles in 2025 with 88, and he contributed to Georgia's pass rush with 3.5 sacks. He's a solid, steady player with a high floor.
Next is defensive tackle Christen Miller at No. 42 overall and No. 3 among defensive tackles.
Miller appeared in 43 games and had 1,041 career defensive snaps for the Bulldogs. That modest number of snaps is important to note as it led to only 4.0 career sacks, but Georgia's scheme relies heavily on a defensive line rotation. And the scheme doesn't call for linemen to simply penetrate gaps or hunt splash plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Miller has excellent power to hold his ground, stay square and take on double-teams. He's a stout, selfless run defender who made life better for linebackers behind him. Miller's pass-rush impact is better than his sacks suggest, as his length and ability to drive offensive linemen back forced quarterbacks to reset their throwing platform or scramble from the pocket. Some players bring the sizzle; Miller brings the steak to make a defense better.
In his positional rankings, Oscar Delp comes in at No. 3 among H-Backs, and Brett Thorson is ranked No. 1 among punters.