The Southeastern Conference had 53 players selected in the 2017 NFL draft, which concluded Saturday evening in Philadelphia.
SEC West teams provided 35 of them. Georgia provided one.
When receiver and return specialist Isaiah McKenzie was chosen by the Denver Bronocs during the fifth round Saturday afternoon, he became the lone representative of the Bulldogs. The 5-foot-7, 173-pounder, who elected to forgo his senior season in Athens after admittedly running into academic difficulties, was the 172nd overall selection.
"Getting the call from (Broncos executive vice president and general manager) John Elway and him telling me he wants me to be a part of this team was just great," McKenzie said on a conference call. "Not a lot of people get this opportunity, and I'm going to come in and give my best effort. I will compete, work for this team and show him he didn't make a bad pick."
McKenzie set a Georgia career record with six special-teams touchdowns, returning five punts and one kickoff for scores. He also led the Bulldogs in receiving as a junior with 44 catches for 633 yards and seven touchdowns.
Elway called McKenzie "an electric runner and productive offensive player" who will give the Broncos a dual threat.
Georgia produced five draft picks last year: outside linebackers Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins, receiver Malcolm Mitchell, offensive tackle John Theus and running back Keith Marshall. Floyd went to Chicago as the ninth overall pick.
Floyd has been the only member of Georgia's 32-member signing class in 2013 to get drafted, though cornerback Brendan Langley, who left the program after the 2014 regular season, was a third-round pick Friday night out of Lamar. Three current Bulldogs defenders - Davin Bellamy, Reggie Carter and John Atkins - are the chief remaining members of that class.
The other reason for Georgia's low total is due to a trio of five-star signees in the 2014 class - tailbacks Nick Chubb and Sony Michel and outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter - choosing to return for their senior seasons.
Several undrafted Bulldogs agreed to free-agent contracts after the draft ended, including tackle Tyler Catalina (Washington) and defensive backs Quincy Mauger (Atlanta) and Maurice Smith (Miami).
Alabama, meanwhile, hasn't experienced NFL draft peaks and valleys in the Nick Saban era and finished this time around with 10 selections. Safety Eddie Jackson became the 10th Crimson Tide player taken, going as the fifth pick of the fourth round (112th overall) to Chicago.
The 6-foot, 201-pound Jackson tore his ACL in the spring of 2014 and broke his leg last October while returning a punt against Texas A&M.
"I'm fine right now," Jackson said on a conference call. "I'm healthy, and I'll be ready to go by training camp. Last year was frustrating, but it was something I couldn't control. I'm just ready to get there and work with the training staff of the Bears.
"I know I'm going to be ready for training camp at 100 percent with no limitations."
Vanderbilt had its second player selected when 6-7, 311-pound tackle Will Holden went in the fifth round (157th overall) to Arizona. Kentucky and South Carolina were the lone SEC programs without picks in this year's draft.
The sixth round opened with Cleveland selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley. The 6-3, 307-pounder had been considered a first- or second-round pick earlier in this draft cycle until earlier this month, when he was charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly punching a woman so hard that it dislodged a tooth and left her unconscious.
"Facts may come up that prevent us from keeping him on our roster," Browns general manager Sashi Brown said.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly was the 253rd and final selection of this year's draft, and the SEC had four notable offensive players who bypassed their senior seasons but did not get picked: Kentucky running back Stanley "Boom" Williams, Ole Miss receiver Damore'ea Stringfellow and Texas A&M receivers Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil.
Seals-Jones and Noil signed with the Aggies as five-star prospects.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.