Former assistants could give Georgia football prospects a boost in NFL draft

Todd Monken has a leg up on his fellow coaches when it comes to the 2026 NFL draft.

The new Cleveland Browns head coach already knows what it’s like working with some of the prospects in the draft, given he was on Georgia’s staff when Oscar Delp, Dillon Bell and Micah Morris were members of the 2022 national championship team.

Delp had a memorable moment that year when he subbed for Darnell Washington in the Peach Bowl win over Ohio State. Bell, meanwhile, caught 20 passes that season for 180 yards and three touchdowns.

It’s been a minute since Monken was at Georgia, as he spent the previous three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. But his ties to Athens are still strong. You only need to look at a recent interview with ESPN’s Kevin Clark to see how much weight Monken’s voice still carries in Athens.

Monken wouldn’t be a head coach right now were it not for his successful stint in Athens. The Bulldogs won two national championships in his three years working for Kirby Smart. He had been fired by the very franchise he now leads prior to being hired at Georgia in January of 2020.

Monken is in a position to potentially further elevate the Georgia program, as he can advocate for a number of his former players as potential draft picks.

And he’s not the only former Georgia assistant who holds that ability when the draft begins Thursday night.

The Dallas Cowboys are one of just four teams (along with the Washington Commanders, Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints) that have not drafted a player from Georgia since Smart became head coach.

While Dallas hasn’t drafted a Georgia player in almost 15 years, it did pluck an assistant from Smart’s staff this offseason, hiring Chidera Uzo-Diribe to be its outside linebackers coach.

Given the need the Cowboys have on the defensive side of the ball, Uzo-Diribe brings a great perspective on some of Georgia’s top prospects. Inside linebacker CJ Allen being chosen at No. 20 overall is certainly a possibility Thursday night.

“He’s going to be a really good NFL player for somebody,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s talented. He can run. He can lead. He’s conscientious about his work. He’s basically been a consummate pro the whole time he’s been here. He takes notes. He listens. He’s a pleaser. He wants to please his coaches, and that usually adapts well in the NFL.”

Other top defensive prospects from Georgia in this year’s draft are defensive lineman Christen Miller and cornerback Daylen Everette. While Uzo-Diribe wasn’t the position coach for those players, he has insight into their abilities on and off the field after spending the last four years in Athens.

As for Monken, Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling has been linked as a possible target with either the sixth or 24th overall pick.

Freeling never played for Monken, but he did sign to play with Georgia when Monken was still with the program.

Freeling is seen as the Georgia player most likely to be taken in the first round. Given the Browns are overhauling their offensive line, he could be a building block for the former Georgia offensive coordinator.

“He still has tremendous upside,” Smart said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Monroe all the way yet. He’s going to be probably a 10-, 15-year pro because he’s really durable. He takes care of his body. He’s intelligent. He can play all the positions.”