Georgia Bulldogs' highest NFL draft picks since 1970

While most colleges and universities field a football team as part of its general athletics program, there are some for which football is more than merely a sport—it's akin almost to a religion. Devotion to the team and its colors is as important to that school's culture as a religious icon is to a believer. These programs actively scout and recruit notable high school players, and are in turn rigorously applied to by matriculating seniors eager to make a name for themselves at the collegiate level.

Among the most notable college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—the list goes on and on.

But for every touchstone football school, there is an outlier that has produced some of the most successful and cherished players in the game. Think Jackson State, which gave us "Sweetness" himself, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. Or Mississippi Valley State, which yielded 3-time Super Bowl champion and #1 Player in NFL History, as voted by the NFL Network, '49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Each year, the college draft serves as a source of renewal to professional football and a testament to the quality of college programs nationwide. With the 2022 NFL draft set to take place April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Stacker compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the Georgia Bulldogs using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Matt Stinchcomb (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #18 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. David Pollack (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#18. Jarvis Jones (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Thomas Davis (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (3 Pro Bowls)

#16. Bernard Williams (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Lindsay Scott (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1982
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Marcus Stroud (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (3 Pro Bowls)

#13. Knowshon Moreno (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Todd Gurley (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (3 Pro Bowls)

#11. Leonard Floyd (OLB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Royce Smith (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Roquan Smith (ILB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Champ Bailey (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (12 Pro Bowls)

#7. Tim Worley (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Johnathan Sullivan (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Richard Seymour (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (7 Pro Bowls)

#4. Andrew Thomas (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. A.J. Green (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (7 Pro Bowls)

#2. Garrison Hearst (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Phoenix Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (2 Pro Bowls)

#1. Matthew Stafford (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (1 Pro Bowls)