The Georgia Bulldogs Have Made NFL and NBA Draft History Ahead of the 2025 Season.

ATHENS, GA — The red and black of Georgia isn’t just dominating SEC Saturdays anymore — it’s painting its influence across the highest stages of both professional football and basketball. In a staggering dual achievement that has never before occurred in collegiate athletics, the University of Georgia Bulldogs have made history in both the NFL and NBA Drafts, rewriting what’s possible for a college program known primarily for its gridiron dominance.

The 2025 NFL and NBA Drafts, held just months apart, saw an unprecedented 14 Georgia Bulldogs selected between the two sports — a new NCAA record for combined draft picks in a single academic year. The message is clear: Georgia doesn’t just develop football stars — it produces elite athletes in every arena.

And heading into the 2025–26 athletic year, the ripple effect is undeniable: UGA has become the modern blueprint for total program excellence.

Kirby Smart’s football juggernaut once again flexed its muscle in the 2025 NFL Draft, sending 11 players to the next level — a staggering total that included:

• 3 First-Round Picks
• 7 Top-100 Selections
• Players across every position group
• Carson Beck (QB) – No. 7 overall to the Minnesota Vikings. Beck, a Heisman finalist and the nation’s most efficient passer, became the highest-drafted Georgia QB since Matthew Stafford.
• Amarius Mims (OL) – No. 10 to the New England Patriots. The 6’7″ tackle was hailed as a “cornerstone pass protector” by multiple NFL scouts.
• Smael Mondon Jr. (LB) – No. 19 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A relentless, sideline-to-sideline enforcer, Mondon is viewed as the next great Georgia linebacker to hit the pros.

This marks the third straight year Georgia has produced double-digit NFL Draft picks, a feat unmatched in the modern era of college football. It’s a testament not only to talent acquisition, but to development, discipline, and system continuity.

“Georgia is the NFL’s training ground,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. “If you’re a high school recruit looking to play on Sundays, Athens is your launching pad.”

For a program historically known more for defense and Dawg Walks than alley-oops and fadeaways, Georgia basketball’s emergence has been just as stunning.

In a shocking but thrilling twist, three Georgia Bulldogs heard their names called in the 2025 NBA Draft, marking the program’s most prolific draft class in school history — and the first time since Michigan in 1994 that an SEC school sent three players into the NBA in a single year.

Drafted Bulldogs:

• Silas Demps (SG) – Round 1, Pick 28 to the Denver Nuggets. The sharpshooting sophomore averaged 17.3 points per game and led the SEC in 3-point percentage.
• Tyrese Hines (SF) – Round 2, Pick 39 to the Miami Heat. A versatile 6’8″ forward who blossomed under head coach Mike White, Hines became a matchup nightmare with his length and motor.
• Malik Richardson (PG) – Round 2, Pick 55 to the Indiana Pacers. Known for his court vision and defensive grit, Richardson was a fan favorite and team captain.

These selections not only elevate the status of Georgia basketball, but mark the first time in NCAA history that a single university had both a quarterback and a point guard drafted within the same year’s professional drafts.

Georgia’s meteoric rise in both sports stems from two dynamic leaders — head football coach Kirby Smart and men’s basketball coach Mike White.

Smart, a former Georgia defensive back, has transformed the football program into the modern dynasty of college football, winning national titles in 2021 and 2022, with deep Playoff runs every year since.

White, hired from Florida in 2022, has orchestrated a rapid rebuild of Georgia basketball, emphasizing athleticism, tempo, and NBA development. In just three seasons, he’s elevated the Bulldogs from SEC bottom-feeders to a top-four conference finish and back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.

“Our mission is bigger than wins,” said White. “It’s about opportunity. It’s about preparing these young men to succeed at the next level — whether that’s the NFL, NBA, or life.”

So how has Georgia done it?

It starts with elite facilities and cross-disciplinary development programs that allow athletes to maximize their potential year-round. Notably:

• The Georgia Performance Institute, a $90M facility with cutting-edge training tech used by both football and basketball athletes
• A unified sports science staff, with shared nutritionists, strength coaches, and recovery systems across teams
• A NIL strategy that emphasizes dual-sport branding, encouraging athletes to grow their marketability across multiple platforms

UGA also implemented a mental performance department, bringing in sports psychologists and former pro athletes to guide players through the mental transition from college to the professional stage.

The results are reverberating on the recruiting trail. Georgia already boasts the No. 2 ranked football class for 2026 and is trending upward in hoops as well, with two Top-50 basketball commitments and multiple McDonald’s All-American targets mentioning Georgia as a “program on the rise.”

“I see what they’re doing in both sports,” said 5-star wing Zion McCaffrey. “If Georgia’s getting guys to the league in football and now basketball too? That opens eyes.”

And on the gridiron, elite quarterbacks, receivers, and edge rushers are flocking to Athens to be part of a program that not only wins — but sends players to the highest level.

This two-sport explosion has elevated Georgia from regional powerhouse to national brand. UGA merchandise sales are up 44% year-over-year. Instagram and TikTok follower counts are exploding. And Bulldogs athletes are now appearing in national NIL campaigns for Nike, Gatorade, and even Netflix’s new QB docuseries.

When you walk through airports in Los Angeles or airports in London, you now see Georgia gear next to the traditional bluebloods — Alabama, Duke, Michigan, USC.

The historical nature of Georgia’s 2025 dual-sport draft class wasn’t lost on former Bulldog greats.

• Matthew Stafford, now with the Los Angeles Rams: “I always knew Georgia produced top-tier talent. Now we’re doing it on the hardwood, too? That’s elite.”
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves star and former Georgia guard: “Man, I was waiting on it! Told y’all Georgia hoops was next.”

Former NFL great Champ Bailey added: “It’s not just a football school. It’s an everything school. This is Georgia’s era.”

Let’s put Georgia’s 2025 accomplishment in perspective:

• 1st NCAA program to send 10+ players to the NFL and 3+ players to the NBA in the same academic year
• 1st time in school history both the QB1 and PG1 were drafted in the same year
• UGA becomes only the 2nd school in history (after Florida in 2007) to produce first-round picks in both NFL and NBA drafts in the same year

And perhaps most importantly: no other program has ever done it with such balance, development integrity, and culture-driven leadership.

For Georgia, the future is just as bright.

• On the football side, QB Jared Curtis could be the program’s next top-10 pick.
• WRs like Micah Caldwell and TE Jalen Monroe are already being scouted by NFL teams.
• On the basketball court, sophomore PF Amari Langston is drawing first-round projections for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Kirby Smart’s roster remains loaded, and Mike White’s team has only scratched the surface.

Meanwhile, the athletic department is planning a joint ceremony this fall — a “Draft Day Tribute” at Sanford Stadium — where the NFL and NBA draftees will be honored at halftime of Georgia’s SEC opener.

“This year was special,” said UGA AD Josh Brooks. “Not just because of the draft numbers. But because of the way it happened — with humility, discipline, and a brotherhood across sports.”

There was a time — not long ago — when Georgia meant Herschel Walker, red helmets, and SEC championships. That Georgia still exists.

But now?

Georgia means versatility. Georgia means dominance. Georgia means NFL Sundays and NBA primetime.

The Bulldogs aren’t just barking anymore. They’re making history — and everyone else is just trying to keep up.

Red and black runs deeper now — all the way to the league.

Let me know if you’d like a version of this formatted for press release, newsletter, or podcast script!