Fifty-One Bulldogs On Rosters As NFL Season Begins
ATHENS, Ga. --- A total of 51 Georgia football alums will begin the 2020 season on NFL rosters. There are currently 32 Bulldogs on 53-man rosters and an additional 15 on practice squads for 22 NFL teams. Another four Bulldogs are on team reserve lists. The NFL season begins this week with the Thursday contest between Houston and Kansas City. Receiver/Pro Bowl return specialist Mecole Hardman helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV and extend Georgia’s streak of at least one player in the final game to 19 straight seasons. Six Georgia veterans have joined new teams since last season -- running back Todd Gurley to Atlanta, defensive lineman John Jenkins to Chicago, linebacker Leonard Floyd to the Los Angeles Rams, linebacker D’Andre Walker to Seattle, linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Jets, and linebacker Thomas Davis to Washington. Davis is the oldest Bulldog in the league at 37. Fourteen players who were on the 2019 Georgia roster made teams as rookies -- quarterback Jake Fromm (Buffalo); running back D’Andre Swift (Detroit); receivers Lawrence Cager (New York Jets) and Tyler Simmons (Houston); tight ends Charlie Woerner (San Francisco) and Eli Wolf (Baltimore); offensive linemen Solomon Kindley (Miami), Andrew Thomas (New York Giants) and Isaiah Wilson (Tennessee); defensive lineman Michael Barnett (New England); linebacker Tae Crowder (New York Giants); defensive backs Tyrique McGhee (Los Angeles Rams) and J.R. Reed (Los Angeles Rams); and kicker Rodrigo Blankenship (Indianapolis). Chicago has the most Bulldogs with five, followed by Detroit, New England, and the Los Angeles Rams with four apiece. Georgia has 10 receivers and 10 linebackers in the league, while there are seven each on the offensive and defensive lines. Georgia has at least one player at every position. 53-Man Rosters (32) David Andrews OL New England Patriots Geno Atkins DL Cincinnati Bengals Rodrigo Blankenship PK Indianapolis Colts Lorenzo Carter LB New York Giants Nick Chubb RB Cleveland Browns Chris Conley WR Jacksonville Jaguars Tae Crowder LB New York Giants Thomas Davis LB Washington Football Team Leonard Floyd LB Los Angeles Rams Jake Fromm QB Buffalo Bills Lamont Gaillard OL Arizona Cardinals A.J. Green WR Cincinnati Bengals Todd Gurley RB Atlanta Falcons Mecole Hardman WR Kansas City Chiefs Justin Houston DE Indianapolis Colts Jordan Jenkins LB New York Jets John Jenkins DL Chicago Bears Abry Jones DL Jacksonville Jaguars Ben Jones OL Tennessee Titans Solomon Kindley OL Miami Dolphins Isaiah McKenzie WR Buffalo Bills Sony Michel RB New England Patriots Riley Ridley WR Chicago Bears Roquan Smith LB Chicago Bears Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Lions D’Andre Swift RB Detroit Lions Andrew Thomas OL New York Giants D’Andre Walker LB Seattle Seahawks Shawn Williams DB Cincinnati Bengals Javon Wims WR Chicago Bears Charlie Woerner TE San Francisco 49ers Isaiah Wynn OL New England Patriots Practice Squads (15) Davin Bellamy LB Houston Texans Lawrence Cager WR New York Jets Reggie Davis WR Chicago Bears Terry Godwin WR Jacksonville Jaguars Elijah Holyfield RB Philadelphia Eagles Tyrique McGhee DB Los Angeles Rams Nick Moore LS Baltimore Ravens Isaac Nauta TE Detroit Lions Cam Nizialek P Atlanta Falcons Alec Ogletree LB New York Jets Natrez Patrick LB Los Angeles Rams J.R. Reed DB Los Angeles Rams Tyler Simmons WR Houston Texans Jayson Stanley DB Seattle Seahawks Eli Wolf TE Baltimore Ravens COVID-19 Reserve (1) Isaiah Wilson OL Tennessee Titans Injured Reserve (1) Michael Barnett DL New England Patriots Non-Football Injury (1) Jonathan Ledbetter DL Miami Dolphins COVID-19 Opt Out (1) John Atkins DL Detroit Lions