Three Mark Richt Georgia recruits selected in first round

The importance of having your players reach the NFL cannot be understated in college football. Miami Hurricanes Head coach Mark Richt saw three players he recruited to the University of Georgia selected in the first round on Thursday night.

Linebacker Roquan Smith went to the Chicago Bears with the eighth pick, offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn to the two time defending AFC Champions New England Patriots with the 23rd pick and running back Sony Michel also to New England at number 31 in the first round.

Mark Richt can add those to an already impressive list of players he coached that were first-round selections. Richt understands the importance of his protégés being selected in the NFL Draft. He was active on social media on Thursday night to congratulate each of his former players that went in the first round.

Ahead of the draft, Richt tweeted good luck with a montage of the former Miami players that can be selected this weekend. No Hurricanes were selected in the first round for the first time since 2014, that was expected. Miami’s presence in the draft should begin with earnest on Friday night.

Running back Mark Walton and defensive linemen Chad Thomas and R.J. McIntosh could all be selected by the end of Friday night’s third round. Two of Richt’s former Georgia players are also expected to be selected on Friday night. Running back Nick Chubb and defensive end Lorenzo Carter are both projected to be selected in the second round.

Richt has had 96 players he coached at Georgia drafted into the NFL. Add in nine players from Miami last season and that’s an impressive 105 players Richt has coached on their journey to the NFL.

Heading into this season’s draft that’s an average of 6.375 per year. That number will increase significantly by the end of Saturday.

Richt will still have at least one more class from Georgia plus any potential players that redshirted for him in Athens in 2015. With the talent that Richt is accumulating in Coral Gables, just over six players per draft seem like a safe number to continue.

Walton, McIntosh and fellow Junior, defensive tackle Kendrick Norton are the only Miami Hurricanes that entered the draft a year this season. Richt and his staff face the possibility of losing more than that early to the 2019 NFL Draft.

Wide receiver Ahmmon Richards, defensive end Joe Jackson and linebackers Shaq Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud could all make the decision to enter the NFL Draft after their Junior seasons this fall.

Next: Where are the Miami Hurricanes likely to go in 2018 NFL Draft?

McCloud isn’t projected as highly as his more lauded teammates at linebacker. They could all decided to leave for the draft the same way they came to Miami, together.