Justin Shaffer is Off to the NFL

Starting right guard Justin Shaffer has announced his decision to declare for the NFL Draft.

Andrew Carroll | Jan 17, 2022

Starting right guard Justin Shaffer has announced his decision to declare for the NFL Draft.

“First I would like to thank the man above, without him I would not be the man I am today. I also would like to thank Coach Smart and the University of Georgia for giving me the opportunity to be a student athlete at the best university in the nation. To my family and friends, I appreciate all the love and support you have shown me in my time at UGA. My goal was to graduate and leave the Georgia Football program better then I found it. I have accomplished both of my goals in my time here. To my teammates, my brothers, I will cheriesh all the time and moments that we have had together. Those times and bonds will never be forgotten. It is at this time, and after careful consideration, I am excited to announce that I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft.”

NFL Draft Declarations Update:

January 17th, 2022 - Georgia LB Nolan Smith will return to Athens
January 16th, 2022 - Georgia DB Tykee Smith will return to Athens
January 16th, 2022 - Georgia P Jake Camarda declares for the 2022 NFL Draft
January 15th, 2022 - Georgia DB Derion Kendrick declares for the 2022 NFL Draft
January 15th, 2022- Georgia DL Devonte Wyatt declares for the 2022 NFL Draft
January 14th, 2022 - Georgia S Lewis Cine declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.
January 14th, 2022 - Georgia LB Nakobe Dean declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.
January 14th, 2022 - Georgia DL Travon Walker declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.
January 14th, 2022 - Georgia WR George Pickens declares for the 2022 NFL Draft
January 14th, 2022 - Georgia RB Zamir White declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.
January 12th, 2022 - Georgia RB James Cook declares for the 2022 NFL Draft.

TRANSFER PORTAL UPDATE

January 15th, 2022- Jalen Kimber will transfer to Florida
January 15th, 2022- Justin Robinson will transfer to Mississippi State
January 14th, 2022 - Lovasea Carroll has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal
January 13th, 2022 - Latavious Brini Announced he will be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal
January 12th, 2022 - Sources confirm Georgia DB Jalen Kimber is in the NCAA transfer portal
January 12th, 2022 - Georgia WR Justin Robinson has requested to enter the portal according to sources.
January 11th, 2022 - Georgia WR Jaylen Johnson has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal according to sources
January 11th, 2022 - Sources confirm DB, Ameer Speed has entered the NCAA Transfer portal

The conclusion of this season now sparks the conversation of players who are draft-eligible and could be leaving the program to chase their dreams of becoming an NFL player. It also creates the question of players who could possibly be returning for another season as a Georgia Bulldog, and with the additional year of eligibility granted by NCAA due to COVID-19, things are gonna get messy.

The following players listed below are ones who have obtained the required three years in college football and are eligible to enter the 2022 NFL draft:

Warren McClendon, OL, RS Sophomore
George Pickens, WR, Junior *Declared for NFL Draft
Nolan Smith, LB, Junior
JT Daniels, QB, Junior
Kenny McIntosh, RB, Junior
Lewis Cine, S, Junior *Declared for NFL Draft
Nakobe Dean, LB, Junior *Declared for NFL Draft
Tykee Smith, DB, Junior *Returning to Athens
Travon Walker, DL, Junior *Declared for NFL Draft
Warren Ericcson, OL, Junior
John Fitzpatrick, TE, Senior
James Cook, RB, Senior *Declared for NFL Draft
Zamir White, RB, Senior *Declared for NFL Draft
Quay Walker, LB, Senior
Kearis Jackson, WR, Senior
Ameer Speed, DB, Senior *Entered Transfer Portal
Jaylen Johnson, WR, Senior *Entered Transfer Portal
Derion Kendrick, DB, Senior *Declared for the NFL Draft
Stetson Bennett, QB, Senior
Christopher Smith, DB, Senior *Returning to Georgia for 2022
William Poole, DB, Senior
Robert Beal Jr, LB, Senior
Latavious Brini, DB, Senior *Entered Transfer Portal
Channing Tindall, LB, Senior
Justin Shaffer, OL, Senior
Jamaree Salyer, OL, Senior *Declared for the NFL Draft
Jake Carmada, P, Senior *Declared for the NFL Draft
Julian Rochester, DL, Senior
Devonte Wyatt, DL, Senior *Declared for NFL Draft
Jordan Davis, DL, Senior

As stated above, during last year's season all college athletes were granted an extra year of eligibility due to the chaos that the global pandemic created. Therefore, that means a player who has completed all four years as a college football athlete would still have another year of eligibility left at the college player.

This provides the opportunity for a player like Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, who is currently a senior of the team, the ability to still return for the 2022-23 college football season.

Prior to last season, Georgia had a good number of players announce they would be returning for another season with the program instead of declaring for the draft. With a long list of draft-eligible players, it will be very interesting to see over the next month who decides to declare for the draft, third-year players who return, and those who take advantage of the extra year of eligibility that they have been granted.

Buckle up, because things are about to get very interesting in regards to how Georgia's roster shapes up for the upcoming season.

As for the Transfer Portal, Kirby Smart mentioned in his championship press conference and said that they are expecting quite a bit of portal movement as well, conversations that they've already had with players about leaving.

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Published Jan 17, 2022

ANDREW CARROLL