NFL Draft shows why Georgia fired Mark Richt

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and once again the SEC had more players drafted than any other conference in the country. But what might surprise you is the state that had the most players drafted in this year’s draft.

The state of Georgia had more players drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft (27) than any other state in the entire country according to Chris Hummer of 247sports.

Despite being the eighth most populated state in the country according to World Population Review, the Peach State still managed to have the most draft picks in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Most 2017 NFL Draft picks by State (Total Population)

Georgia – 27 (10,450,316)

Apr 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans first round draft pick Deshaun Watson poses with a jersey during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Florida – 26 (21,002,678)

California – 25 (39,8489,872)

Texas – 24 (28,449,186)

The state of Florida has over twice the population of Georgia, and California has nearly four times the population of the Peach state.

How does this pertain to Mark Richt and Georgia?

Well, of those 27 players drafted from the state of Georgia, not one came from the Bulldogs. Let me repeat that… Zero.

Georgia only had one player drafted in this year’s draft, which was wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who is from Miami.

In Georgia’s defense, the Bulldogs had arguably six players who might have been drafted in Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Lorenzo Carter, Davin Bellamy, Dominick Sanders, and Aaron Davis, but all six decided to return for their senior seasons, which is a good thing for the Dawgs.

There were two former Bulldogs from the Peach state that were drafted in Brendan Langley, who transferred to Lamar, and Josh Harvey-Clemons, who transferred to Louisville.

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But it is still unacceptable for Georgia to not have one senior on the entire football team that was capable of being drafted, and that was a failure on Mark Richt.

In a piece I wrote for Dawn of the Dawg, I pointed to the 2013 recruiting class that crippled Georgia football. And that disappointing class made up the Bulldogs’ seniors and fourth-year Juniors last season, which explains the disappointing seasons of 2015 and 2016.

There were three first round picks from the state of Georgia in Deshaun Watson (Clemson), Jarrad Davis (Florida), and Evan Engram (Ole Miss).

Even Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Albany State, and West Georgia each had a player from the state that was drafted. And West Georgia even had 2 players total that were drafted, which was one more than the Bulldogs.

Georgia is one of the most talent-rich states in the entire country, and if Kirby Smart wants to have a different fate than his predecessor Richt, he is going to have to take advantage of that.

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