Mel Kiper grades Georgia’s as top safety ahead of 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL draft will take place this week in Detroit, and the Georgia Bulldogs are predicted to have another strong season.

No other college football program has had as much success at the tournament as Georgia has in the last three years.

Georgia has sent 34 players through the NFL draft during that time period, including 15 picks in 2022, a league record.

While Brock Bowers and Amarius Mims represent the Bulldogs at the top of this year’s draft, a number of guys further down the board are unknown. One of those prospects is safety Javon Bullard.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had high regard for the two-time national champion defensive back. Kiper just named Bullard as his favorite safety (subscription required) for Thursday’s first round.

“As I wrote in my two-round mock draft, Bullard’s value comes in his versatility, as he played as a slot corner, center fielder and up near the line of scrimmage for the Bulldogs. He had four picks over the past two campaigns, and he was stellar in coverage last season. He allowed just 54 passing yards as the nearest defender in coverage in 2023, and that came on 20 attempts.

Bullard is a little undersized at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, but I love his all-around game and instincts in coverage.”

Bullard may be tiny according to NFL standards, but he plays much bigger. The former three-star recruit consistently delivered devastating hits to rival players. The Peach Bowl game between Georgia and Ohio State was perhaps the most talked-about example. Bullard made a strong, legal hit to star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., knocking him out of the game.

Bullard was named Defensive MVP in Georgia’s victory over the Buckeyes, and he repeated the title in the national championship triumph over TCU.

After starting at nickelback, or “STAR” in UGA jargon, in the 2022 season, Bullard shifted to safety after NFL departures cleared a starting slot in 2023. He never missed a beat, receiving second-team All-SEC recognition for his performances.

In 32 games as a Bulldog, Bullard recorded 114 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions, and eight pass breakups.

Kiper anticipates Bullard hearing his name called on Day 2.

“Projection: In a safety class with no consensus No. 1 guy, Bullard is at the top of my board. He should be drafted in Round 2.”