Georgia Football: How First-Round NFL Draft Picks Played Against Dawgs

The Georgia Bulldogs were relatively uninvolved in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, seeing as no Dawgs were selected.  That being said, there were still plenty of players of interest selected for Bulldog fans to keep an eye on.

With the SEC's strength and the success of several recent out-of-conference foes like Clemson and Michigan State, it's no surprise that a number of talented players who once faced off against the Dawgs heard their name called on Thursday night.

Here's how these first-round selections played against the Dawgs.

*Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.

Jadeveon Clowney: Pick No. 1

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Position: Defensive End

School: South Carolina 

Games Against Georgia: Three

Record Against Georgia: 2-1

Career Stats Against Georgia: Nine Tackles (six for a loss), four Sacks, one Forced Fumble 

For Georgia fans, this moment couldn't come soon enough.  Clowney terrorized Georgia for the better part of three games and only in 2013 did the Dawgs manage to scheme around him and find success.

Greg Robinson: Pick No. 2

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Position: Offensive Tackle

School: Auburn

Games Against Georgia: Two

Record Against Georgia: 1-1

Career Stats Against Georgia: Auburn racked up 804 yards of offense against Georgia in these two games.

While it's hard to statistically quantify Robinson's performance against Georgia, enough can't be said about the Tigers' offense in 2013.  Against the Dawgs last season, Robinson helped block for 243 passing yards and 323 yards on the ground.

Sammy Watkins: Pick No. 4

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Position: Wide Receiver

School: Clemson

Games Against Georgia: One

Record Against Georgia: 1-0

Career Stats Against Georgia: Six Catches, 127 Yards, one TD

Watkins gave everyone fits in college, and Georgia was no different.  Including one rush attempt and a kick return he accounted for 152 total yards against the Bulldogs in last year's season opener.

Odell Beckham, Jr.: Pick No. 12

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Position: Wide Receiver

School: LSU

Games Against Georgia: Two

Record Against Georgia: 1-1

Career Stats Against Georgia: Six Catches for 118 Yards, seven Kick Returns for 175 Yards

Beckham can do a little bit of everything and his performance in Athens last season proved just that.  He ran routes and hauled in passes to perfection and had plenty of opportunities to showcase his kick returning skills.  In the 2011 SEC Championship Game he returned two punts against the Dawgs for a total of eight yards.

C.J. Mosley: Pick No. 18

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Position: Linebacker

School: Alabama

Games Against Georgia: One

Record Against Georgia: 1-0

Career Stats Against Georgia: Seven Tackles (one for a loss)

Mosley was one of the most productive linebackers in Alabama history and he certainly played his part in the 2012 SEC Championship Game against Georgia when he registered seven crucial takedowns.

Ja'Wuan James: Pick No. 19

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Position: Offensive Tackle

School: Tennessee

Games Against Georgia: Four

Record Against Georgia: 0-4

Career Stats Against Georgia:  In his four starts the Vols averaged 355 yards of offense.

James arrived at Tennessee just in time to enjoy the turmoil that accompanied the backlash to Lane Kiffin's departure, the Derek Dooley era and the transition to Butch Jones.  It's no surprise that his Vols had limited success against the Dawgs over that four-year period.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: Pick No. 21

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Position: Safety

School: Alabama

Games Against Georgia: One

Record Against Georgia: 1-0

Career Stats Against Georgia: Three Tackles, oNE Interception (returned 35 yards) 

With Georgia and Alabama tied at seven in the final few minutes of the SEC Championship's first half in 2012, Clinton-Dix intercepted an Aaron Murray pass at the Alabama 18 and returned it 35 yards.  A few plays later Alabama took a 10-7 lead on a field goal as the half ended.  In a game of momentum, Clinton-Dix created a swing.

Dee Ford: Pick No. 23

Hal Yeager/Associated Press

Position: Defensive End

School: Auburn

Games Against Georgia: Four

Record Against Georgia: 2-2

Career Stats Against Georgia: Eight Tackles (three for a loss), three Sacks, one Forced Fumble

Ford's presence is misrepresented by his statistics.  Particularly last season, he forced his way into Georgia's backfield more often than not.

Darqueze Dennard: Pick No. 24

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Position: Cornerback

School: Michigan State

Games Against Georgia: One

Record Against Georgia: 1-0

Career Stats Against Georgia: Four Tackles, two Interceptions (38 return yards, 1 TD), two Passes Defensed

In many ways, Dennard's performance against Georgia in the 2012 Outback Bowl was his coming out party.  Although he'd played a pivotal role in Michigan State's defense prior to that game, his two-interception performance in front of a large television audience announced his arrival as one of the best defensive backs in the nation.

Dominique Easley: Pick No. 29

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Position: Defensive Tackle

School: Florida

Games Against Georgia: Three

Record Against Georgia: 1-2

Career Stats Against Georgia: Four Tackles

An injury early in 2013 kept Easley from playing against Georgia last year, but he could have been a difference maker for the Gators as they came up three points short.