Georgia Mock Draft Roundup: Final look at 2024 NFL Draft, Bulldog landing spots

It’s finally here. The days of mock drafts are done and tonight, it goes down for real. The 2024 NFL Draft starts Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN, NFL Network). It can’t come soon enough, and with it’s arrival, dreams are about to come true for several former Georgia players.

No, the draft isn’t just a one-night thing. It’s more than just a single round, and that’s important to keep in mind as Bulldogs continue to come off the board in the coming days. That’s why our emphasis for this final mock draft roundup is on seven-round mocks only. The first 32 picks are great, but we want a look at the entire picture and we give that to you below…

Jordan Reid – ESPN

Brock Bowers – No. 10 (New York Jets)

It’s a tough call between an offensive tackle and an offensive playmaker. New signee Tyron Smith has been injury prone over the past two seasons, leaving the door open to take an OT here. But the pressure to win next season is at an all-time high in New York, as Aaron Rodgers returns from an Achilles injury at age 40. Bowers would give him an immediate top-tier option in the passing game behind Garrett Wilson, and the Jets would love his after-the-catch ability.

Amarius Mims – No. 21 (Miami Dolphins)

Terron Armstead will return for the 2024 season, but Miami could start planning ahead at offensive tackle, especially because it lost key players off the O-line in free agency. Mims arguably has the most upside of any offensive tackle in this class. The problem is he has only eight starts to his name, so the sample is small. Even so, Mims’ movement skills, lower-body quickness and power are all off the charts. Ability isn’t the question; it’s durability. If Mims is able to stay healthy, he’s more than capable of playing on the left side in the NFL and giving the Dolphins a successor to Armstead.

Ladd McConkey – No. 37 (Los Angeles Chargers)

The Chargers’ WR depth chart is arguably the thinnest in the league. And because we had L.A. go with an offensive tackle in Round 1, it’s time to get a pure separator and go-to target for Justin Herbert. McConkey has a knack for getting open, and he’d be important to this offense right away after the Chargers traded Keenan Allen and cut Mike Williams.

Javon Bullard – No. 60 (Buffalo Bills)

The Mike Edwards signing is part of the solution at safety after the Bills released Jordan Poyer in early March, but I like the idea of drafting Bullard to pair with Taylor Rapp at the other spot. Bullard has experience at free safety, strong safety and nickel. He broke up eight passes last season and had at least 50 tackles in each of the past two years.

Kamari Lassiter – No. 67 (Washington Commanders)

Corner help is needed — especially because Benjamin St-Juste is only under contract for one more season — and Lassiter is tough and physical. He broke up eight passes last season.

Sedrick Van Pran – No. 98 (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Van Pran-Granger screams Pittsburgh Steeler to me. Wide-bodied and savvy, he’s a model of consistency at the center position.

Tykee Smith – No. 142 (Carolina Panthers)
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint – No. 212 (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Chad Reuter – NFL

Brock Bowers – No. 9 (Indianapolis Colts)
Amarius Mims – No. 34 (New England Patriots)
Ladd McConkey – No. 38 (Tennessee Titans)

Kamari Lassiter – No. 57 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Javon Bullard – No. 58 (Green Bay Packers)
Tykee Smith – No. 72 (New York Jets)

Sedrick Van Pran – No. 163 (Buffalo Bills)
Kendall Milton – No. 224 (Cincinnati Bengals)

Dane Brugler – The Athletic

Brock Bowers – No. 10 (New York Jets)

NOTE: In Brugler’s final mock released Thursday morning, he has Bowers going at No. 12 to the Denver Broncos

Amarius Mims – No. 22 (Philadelphia Eagles)

NOTE: In Brugler’s final mock released Thursday morning, he has Mims going at No. 18 to the Cincinnati Bengals

Ladd McConkey – No. 33 (Carolina Panthers)
Javon Bullard – No. 53 (Philadelphia Eagles)
Kamari Lassiter – No. 74 (Atlanta Falcons)

Sedrick Van Pran – No. 104 (Arizona Cardinals)
Tykee Smith – No. 143 (Atlanta Falcons)

Pro Football Focus

Brock Bowers – No. 10 (New York Jets)

The top three receivers are off the board, so the Jets take the best available weapon in Bowers. He is arguably the greatest college tight end of all time, providing elite ability after the catch. The Jets pair their revamped offensive line with a loaded skill group that includes Bowers, Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams.

Amarius Mims – No. 22 (Philadelphia Eagles)

Lane Johnson, 34, isn’t getting any younger and has dealt with injuries in three of the past five seasons. At 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, Mims is raw but an impressive pass blocker, allowing just one pressure on 168 such snaps last year. A season of him developing behind Johnson should set up the Eagles’ offensive line nicely for the next several years.

Ladd McConkey – No. 32 (Kansas City Chiefs)

McConkey’s college production won’t wow anyone, but his film and efficiency numbers tell a different story. McConkey’s 3.26 yards per route run figure ranks fourth in the class, and 86.5% of his targets in 2023 were deemed “open.” McConkey slots in as a quarterback-friendly option for Patrick Mahomes who can win on the money downs when Travis Kelce draws too much attention.

Javon Bullard – No. 41 (Green Bay Packers)

Another piece for Green Bay’s defensive back group, Bullard can step in and play safety or in the slot. He provides physicality as a smaller player and strong coverage instincts to make an impact on the field, regardless of alignment.

Kamari Lassiter – No. 47 (Carolina Panthers)

Despite finishing his college career with only one interception, Lassiter should do well in the NFL. In his final season at Georgia, Lassiter allowed only five first downs and no touchdowns in coverage with 10 forced incompletions.

Sedrick Van Pran – No 91 (Green Bay Packers)

This is more interior offensive line help for Green Bay with expiring contracts after this season (Josh Myers) and question marks (Sean Rhyan) projected to start right now. Van Pran didn’t allow a single sack over the past two years across nearly 1,000 pass-blocking snaps for Georgia.

Tykee Smith – No. 120 (Philadelphia Eagles)
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint – No. 178 (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Zion Logue – No. 247 (Houston Texans)

Along with the mock drafts, many of the top draft analysts also release rankings, both overall and by position. We’ve got a look at a pair of those for you from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

Brock Bowers

Kiper (No. 7 overall, No. 1 TE): Bowers was an instant difference-maker for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2021, catching 56 passes for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. He followed up that season with 63 catches for 942 yards and seven scores as Stetson Bennett’s No. 1 target, winning his second consecutive national title. He’s an advanced pass-catcher and should make an instant impact when he gets to the NFL. Though he’s not huge — former teammate Darnell Washington made him look small at times — he’s a matchup nightmare for defenses. He has great hand-eye coordination and run-after-the-catch ability, and he can stretch the field down the seams. I also love the way he tracks the ball, high-pointing it above defenders. Bowers had 56 catches for 714 yards and six touchdowns during the season, his first with Carson Beck throwing him passes. He had surgery on his injured left ankle in October but was able to return a few weeks later.

Jeremiah (No. 7 overall, No. 1 TE): Bowers is an undersized tight end with elite speed, strength and playmaking ability. He lined up all over the field at Georgia — in-line, on the wing, split out and even at running back. He is very sudden in his release, and he uses his upper-body strength to chuck defenders when pressed at the line of scrimmage. He catches a lot of quick-hitters in the flat and he’s a maniac on screens. He attacks the ball in the air and is quick to transition up the field. He has the speed to pull away, but his greatest asset is his tackle-breaking power. He runs through contact without gearing down. He is an effective run blocker when he can get his hands on opponents, but he will get pressed out by longer-armed edge rushers. Overall, Bowers reminds me a lot of George Kittle, and I see him having a similar impact in the NFL. 

Amarius Mims

Kiper (No. 23 overall, No. 5 OT): I included Mims in my preseason Big Board, even after he had started only two college games, because of the talent I saw in his minimal playing time and because of how college coaches and NFL front office execs talked him up. They expected great things. Mims didn’t disappoint, though he got off to a slow start in 2023 because of ankle surgery that limited him to playing in seven games. If you could draw up the perfect right tackle prospect, it would be Mims, who is light on his feet and can deliver a jolt in run-blocking situations. He has a massive wingspan. He didn’t allow any sacks in nearly 400 career pass-blocking snaps. He was incredibly impressive against Georgia Tech, showing off his upside. Though he started just eight career games and there’s some risk in Round 1, the potential is immense.

Jeremiah (No. 23 overall, No. 6 OT): Mims is an enormous right tackle prospect with long arms. He has very limited starting experience (eight total starts in three years at Georgia), partially due to injury. While the résumé is light, the skill set is impressive. In pass pro, he plays with a firm, wide base and uses his length to control defenders. He stays square and patient. When he does throw his punch, it jolts defenders, making them take a second to recover. He can sink his weight against power rushers and doesn’t give up ground. He plays with good awareness. In the run game, he can latch, run his feet and finish. He struggles in space on occasion because he’s out of control. To see him at his best, watch the College Football Playoff game against Ohio State in the 2022 season, when he was healthy and dominant. He battled through an injury during the 2023 season. Overall, there is risk because of the limited body of work, but Mims is a unique talent.

Ladd McConkey

Kiper (No. 37 overall, No. 9 WR)

Jeremiah (No. 30 overall, No. 6 WR): McConkey is a slightly undersized receiver with excellent speed, quickness and polish. He lines up both outside and in the slot. He is quick off the line, and he understands how to attack the leverage of his man. He changes speed throughout the route and is efficient getting into and out of breaks. He will utilize head nods to sell routes and create separation. He has an excellent feel to settle in space versus zone coverage. He has strong hands to pluck balls thrown away from his frame, and he is quick to transition up the field. After the catch, he relies on his quickness to make defenders miss. Overall, McConkey isn’t quite as physical as former Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin, but I see a lot of similarities in their route running and instincts. I could see McConkey having a similar career.

Rest of the Rankings

Javon Bullard (Jeremiah – No. 60 overall, No. 2 S / Kiper – No. 47 overall, No. 1 S)
Kamari Lassiter (Jeremiah – No. 69 overall, No. 10 CB / Kiper – No. 44 overall, No. 7 CB)
Tykee Smith (Jeremiah – No. 86 overall, No. 5 S / Kiper – No. 130 overall, No. 10 S)

Sedrick Van Pran (Jeremiah – No. 102 overall, No. 9 IOL / Kiper – No. 120 overall, No. 4 C)
Kendall Milton (Kiper – No. 23 RB)
Daijun Edwards (Kiper – No. 25 RB)

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (Kiper – No. 28 WR)
Zion Logue (Kiper – No. 24 DT)
Tramel Walthour (Kiper – No. 35 DT)