Without NFL combine, Bulldogs appreciative of pro day opportunity

Georgia photo by Tony Walsh / Former Georgia outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, a projected first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, goes through drills Wednesday during pro day in Athens.
Georgia photo by Tony Walsh / Former Georgia outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, a projected first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, goes through drills Wednesday during pro day in Athens.

A significantly scaled-down version of the NFL combine took place at the University of Georgia on Wednesday.

Georgia's annual pro day event included 11 players who recently received letters from the NFL informing them they would have played a part in last month's extravaganza in Indianapolis had there been one. Only Ohio State's 14 invitations topped the 11 Georgia landed, though the Bulldogs were matched by Alabama and Notre Dame.

"I was ready to go today," cornerback DJ Daniel said on a Zoom call after his workout. "Getting the invitation to the NFL combine and then it being canceled due to COVID - that was one of the biggest dreams I ever wanted to do. Being here was like a slight, little combine, and it was a different experience, but I wasn't really nervous."

Daniel was one of four former Bulldogs cornerbacks who received combine invites, joining Tyson Campbell, Eric Stokes and Mark Webb. The other seven players were offensive guard Ben Cleveland, defensive end Malik Herring, center Trey Hill, safety Richard LeCounte III, tight end Tre' McKitty, outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari and inside linebacker Monty Rice.

The SEC Network dedicated two hours of coverage to Georgia's pro day, with Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart admitting the event meant a lot to him personally.

"This is really the first group that we've completely recruited," Smart said.

A CBS mock draft within the past week projected Ojulari as the 15th overall selection to the Tennessee Titans. Ojulari was the only Georgia player tabbed in the opening round of that projection, and he disagrees that this year's class does not have an elite edge-rushing threat like recent Buckeyes such as Joey and Nick Bosa and Chase Young.

"I just feel like I have a quick first step," Ojulari said. "I'm explosive. I use my hands well. I can bend. I just feel like I'm that guy."

Campbell and Stokes were pegged as second-round picks by CBS, while Cleveland and Hill were listed as third-round selections. The same mock draft had quarterback Jamie Newman, who transferred from Wake Forest to Georgia last year but then opted out of the 2020 season, going as the first pick in the fourth round.

Both Campbell and Stokes are pushing for first-round status, with Stokes running an unofficial 4.28 seconds Wednesday in the 40-yard dash.

"Anyone would say they would want to be a first-rounder," Campbell said. "Of course, I want to be a first-rounder, but at the end of the day, I am leaving it in God's hands."

Cleveland entered pro day hoping for 50 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, which would have established a combine record, but he fell well short with 30.

The NFL always sends out more combine invitations than the number of those who actually get drafted, so it's no guarantee a player such as Daniel gets picked. Daniel said he used Wednesday to "wake them up," which is an attitude every player looks to take whether it's at pro day or the combine.

"This is still a dream come true," Stokes said. "Of course, being in Indy would have been perfect, and that was always a dream, but I'm still here on pro pay and I've still got scouts around me. I've still got a chance to reach my dream."

Many Muschamps

Georgia's coach and player roster for 2021 includes Will Muschamp as a senior defensive analyst, Robert Muschamp as a quality control defensive assistant and Jackson Muschamp as a redshirt freshman walk-on quarterback.

Robert is Will's nephew, while Jackson is Will's son.

Will Muschamp was a Georgia opponent for the past decade, serving as Florida's head coach from 2011-14, Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2015 and South Carolina's head coach from 2016-20. He had been let go as Gamecocks coach before Georgia's 45-16 win in Columbia this past December.

"It probably took me about a day to get used to that," Bulldogs senior punter Jake Camarda said this week when asked about Muschamp working for Georgia. "Coach Muschamp is awesome, and we love having him here. I hadn't really known Coach Muschamp until he got here, but I've talked to him so many times.

"He's an awesome guy, and we're really happy to have him here."

A-Day on ESPN

Alabama announced Wednesday that its A-Day spring game on April 17 will start at 1 p.m. Eastern and be televised by ESPN. The Crimson Tide will begin their fifth spring under seven-time national championship coach Nick Saban on Friday afternoon.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.

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