
Eric Stokes headlines Bulldogs on their way to the NFL
Finishing with a 7-2 record on their regular season pursuits, the Georgia Bulldogs were assigned to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats, essentially removing them from the College Football Playoff. As such, with no hopes of a championship, the exodus of talent for the 2021 NFL Draft has begun.
Head coach Kirby Smart recently confirmed that several players have opted out of the Peach Bowl and will begin preparation for their jump to the next level.
The decision by each player is completely understandable with no shot at a national title. But in this era of pandemic issues and the risk of injury, each player is making a strong business decision. Each of these players has built a strong resume to be drafted in the spring, particularly cornerback Eric Stokes.
Outlook of Eric Stokes
The former high school running back turned defensive back in his junior year before heading to Athens, and has flashed intriguing potential as a first round caliber talent. Standing at 6-1 and listed at 185 pounds, Stokes may be light in the pants, but he is one of the fastest Bulldogs on the roster and has shown a knack for turnovers with four interceptions in only nine games this year. Two of those picks he returned for touchdowns. The Draft Network‘s Drae Harris acknowledges that Stokes has mouthwatering movement skills and is a natural in coverage:
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"“In coverage, he shows effectiveness to stay on top and remains in phase as needed. Stokes has a good understanding of leverage and where his help is, too. Does a good job opening his hips and running upfield against outside releases. He will be a matchup problem in the red zone area as he defends slants/fade situations exceptionally well.”"
With other cornerbacks like Patrick Surtain II, Jaycee Horn and Caleb Farley all contending for the top spot at their position, Stokes declaring and showing off his physical skills during the draft process could shoot him up boards to be in contention as well. As of right now, it is realistic to see him land with a team like the New York Jets, who own the 27th overall pick, or possibly land on Day 2, early in the second round.
The best of the rest
The seniors that have declared all have enormous potential too. Monty Rice was once considered one of the top draft-eligible linebackers in the country, but a bad foot injury that has lingered through the year hampered his chances at securing that billing for the 2021 NFL Draft. Rice, Ben Cleveland, and Tre McKitty all have solid potential to be drafted by Day 3, and the Senior Bowl is a perfect chance for them to get to 100 percent health and compete with some quality talent.
Georgia will be without these quality players on game day for the Peach Bowl, but it will be exciting to see where they land this spring. Working toward their goals starting now will give them quality time to heal from a hard season and prepare for the pro jump.