ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia Bulldogs will be represented by 52 alums on 27 teams as the 2022 NFL season gets underway this week. Georgia’s total includes 43 players on active rosters, five on reserve lists, and four on practice squads.
Of note regarding the 2022 Bulldogs in the NFL: • There will be 272 regular-season games this season, with 262 slated to feature at least one Bulldog currently on an active roster. That computes to 96.3 percent of the NFL contests in 2022. • Georgia has eight offensive linemen; seven outside linebackers and defensive backs; six running backs; five receivers, tight ends, defensive linemen, and inside linebackers; and one quarterback, kicker, punter, and snapper on NFL rosters. • Georgia has at least one active player at every position for the second straight year and just the second time in school history. • The 15 rookies drafted in 2022 all made rosters: Jaguars outside linebacker Travon Walker (the No. 1 overall pick), running backs James Cook of Buffalo and Zamir White of the Raiders, Steelers receiver George Pickens, Falcons tight end John FitzPatrick, offensive linemen Jamaree Salyer of the Chargers and Justin Shaffer of the Falcons, defensive linemen Jordan Davis of the Eagles and Devonte Wyatt of the Packers, Dolphins outside linebacker Channing Tindall, inside linebackers Nakobe Dean of the Eagles and Quay Walker of the Packers, defensive backs Lewis Cine of the Vikings and Derion Kendrick of the Rams, and Buccaneers punter/kicker Jake Camarda. Shaffer will begin the season on the practice squad and FitzPatrick is on injured reserve. Also of note, Chiefs defensive lineman Malik Herring missed his rookie season with an injury, but he is on the active roster for 2022. • Forty-three players, including 36 of the actives, competed for Coach Kirby Smart at Georgia. • Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the oldest Bulldog with an opening day age of 34 years, 222 days. Cardinals receiver A.J. Green is next at 34 years, 47 days. Stafford is starting his 14th season in the NFL, while Green and Ravens outside linebacker Justin Houston are heading into their 12th. The youngest Bulldogs are Pickens at 21 years, 193 days; Travon Walker at 21 years, 269 days; and Dean at 21 years, 274 days. • The Chargers have the most overall Bulldogs at four, and they are joined by the Ravens, Packers, Rams, and Giants with three active Bulldogs. • The Bulldogs are members of 14 AFC teams and 13 NFC squads. • Georgia heads into the season with a national-best 21 straight years of having a Bulldog on a Super Bowl roster. LSU is tied with Georgia, followed by Florida at 20. Stafford, running back Sony Michel, and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd helped the Rams win last year’s Super Bowl. • Five veterans have new homes this season: Chargers running back Michel, Falcons outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter, Jets tight end Lawrence Cager, Raiders outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, and Raiders defensive back J.R. Reed. Cager has made a successful transition to tight end from wide receiver. Jenkins will miss the 2022 season after suffering a torn ACL on his fifth play as a Raider in an exhibition game. Reed will begin the year on the practice squad after camping with Denver. • Thirteen Bulldogs were previous first-round draft picks: Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith, Packers defensive back Eric Stokes, Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas, Patriots offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn, Cine, Davis, Floyd, Green, Michel, Stafford, Quay Walker, Travon Walker, and Wyatt. Stafford and Travon Walker were overall No. 1 selections 13 years apart. • With 43 active players, Georgia is the fourth-ranked school in NFL representation. • Three Georgia alums are coaching in the NFL. Thomas Brown is the Rams’ assistant head coach and tight ends coach, Nick Jones is the Rams’ offensive line assistant, and Tony Gilbert is Jacksonville’s inside linebackers coach. Former Georgia assistants/support staffers Doug Marrone (Saints), Tracy Rocker (Eagles), Robert Saleh (Jets), Joe Danna (Texans), Mike Macdonald (Ravens), Kirk Olivadotti (Packers), Wendel Davis (Packers), and George Edwards (Cowboys) are serving on NFL staffs as well.