Georgia Bulldogs linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree were selected 17th and 30th last night in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Manti Teo from Notre Dame was picked….well, his first draft status was imaginary. I don’t mean to keep piling on Teo….Yes, I do. Two Georgia Bulldogs LBs heard their names called at Radio City Music Hall; and ZERO LBs from Notre Dame came to the podium.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Jarvis Jones 17 while the St. Louis Rams picked Ogletree 30.
These two Georgia Bulldogs taken in the first round are the first UGA representation since the Cincinnati Bengals took A.J. Green with the fourth overall pick in 2011. The last time a pair of Georgia Bulldogs went in the first round was 2008: Matthew Stafford went first to the Detroit Lions and Knowshon Moreno 12th to Denver.
The Georgia Bulldogs now have 15 players selected in the last three years.
Jarvis Jones was once considered number one overall pick material. In his final game with the Georgia Bulldogs, Jarvis Jones set the single season record for sacks in the Capital One Bowl.
Alec Ogletree piled up 111 tackles and was the team’s leading tackler in each of the final six games. He was considered damaged goods because of his long legal rap sheet. However, I did say on the air Thursday morning that Ogletree has less baggage/is a better pick than Manti Teo. I said this on ESPN 1420 Honolulu. Yes, I know Teo is from Hawaii. Just like 2 years ago on draft morning I said Tim Tebow would fail in the NFL on the air; on CBS radio Jacksonville. Quoting Chris Rock in his most recent stand-up special “Kill the Messenger,” “yeah I said it.” “In Johannesburg I said it.” “At the Apollo in Harlem I said it,” “in London I said it.”
I knew Ogletree would go ahead of Teo, and probably land with the CinciNAUGHTY Bengals. Because it’s always good to mock draft criminals to the Bengals. But I really thought Teo would go 25 to the Vikings. I was a bit surprised he didn’t make it to the first round.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
Banks has appeared on Comcast SportsNet and the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks)