Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon has been labeled as a player to watch for the 2025 NFL Drat according to Matt Miller.
The Georgia Bulldogs had some big names announce a return for the 2024 college football instead of declaring for the draft. One of those names was linebacker Smael Mondon. He has been a crucial piece to Georgia’s defense for the last two seasons and is returning for a third season as a starter.
Mondon’s return came as a bit of a surprise considering some viewed him as one of the best linebackers in the class and that last year’s linebacker group wasn’t exactly the strongest compared to other position groups. But after pushing through the last portion of the season with a foot injury, Mondon elected to return for another season.
ESPN released an article where NFL draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid ranked their top five players at each position for next year’s draft class. Mondon did not make either of their top-five linebacker rankings, but Miller did note that the Bulldog veteran is a player to watch next year.
“We were discussing Mondon as a top-100 prospect this time last year, but he returned to school and should be one of the nation’s best linebackers. At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Mondon has excellent size and length, allowing him to be a three-down difference-maker who registered 42 tackles and three sacks last season. Improvement in pass coverage could make Mondon a top-five linebacker,” Miller wrote.
Mondon will play alongside rising star CJ Allen after Jamon Dumas-Johnson transferred to Kentucky this offseason. Mondon’s lengthy experience in college football paired with a player like Allen who is on the cusp of having a massive breakout year after his freshman season could be a potent duo for opponents this season.
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