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Georgia's Earnest Greene touted as potential major 2025 NFL Draft prospect by PFF

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe05/14/24JakeMRowe
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Rob Davis/UGA Sports Communications

Georgia has had five offensive tackles taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Kirby Smart took over as head coach in 2016. Pro Football Focus believes that the sixth might just be in the projected starting lineup this coming season. The analytics-based site recently listed 10 offensive tackles to know for the 2025 NFL Draft and it listed returning starting left tackle Earnest Greene.

“Greene’s athleticism at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds pops off the tape,” Max Chadwick writes. “He explodes out of his stance in pass protection and can easily get to the second level. Greene is still relatively raw though. He only posted a 70.0 grade or higher in two of his 14 games last season, and one came against UAB. If Greene can become more consistent as a redshirt sophomore, he can go very high next April.”

Greene started all 14 games for Georgia in 2023 and it was the first action of his career. Unlike most players who take a redshirt in today’s college game, Greene didn’t play a single snap as a true freshman in 2022.

That’s because he sustained a back injury prior to the season, one that required surgery and forced him to miss every game. He went the entire football season without playing or practicing and didn’t get back into action until the start of preseason camp.

Greene had to work himself back into shape and won the starting left tackle job during preseason camp. He didn’t get off to the strongest of starts. In fact, he struggled through his first few college games before starting to show flashes. Those flashes became more consistent and by season’s end he was playing the premium position on an offensive line that was considered one of the best in the country.

The California native is one of four returning starters for Georgia on the offensive line in 2024. The Bulldogs have seven returning offensive linemen who saw meaningful snaps in 2023, giving them three offensive tackles and four offensive guards who have at least some experience under their belt. In total, Greene will anchor the left tackle position for a group that returns over 5,000 career snaps. Almost 900 of those belong to Greene.

As a prospect Greene finished the 2022 cycle as the nation’s No. 48 overall prospect per the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that includes all four sites that publish recruiting rankings. He was listed as an interior offensive lineman and ranked No. 3 at that position and finished as the No. 3 prospect in California.

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