SEC Football

Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams announced he's declaring for the 2022 NFL draft.

Williams ranked 12th overall and third at his position on the big board for Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department before suffering an injury during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. He was also projected to go 17th overall to the Los Angeles Chargers on B/R's mock draft before the injury on Monday.

B/R NFL scout Nate Tice compared him to three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson:

Jameson Williams is an outside wide receiver with true home run speed that will translate to any NFL offense. He has excellent burst and long speed that lets him take the top off defenses on deep routes, but he can also split defenders on underneath throws and consistently create yards after the catch.

Although Williams' calling card is his overwhelming speed, he shows polish and nuance with his route running. He will tempo his routes to keep defenders off-balance and has good body control and balance to consistently stay tight when breaking on routes. This ability flashes the most on double-moves and makes him a tough guard for defenders throughout a game.

The 6'2" pass-catcher took full advantage of the NCAA's new transfer rules and headed south to Tuscaloosa ahead of the 2021 season following two nondescript years at Ohio State.

"To me, things were just unclear," Williams said of his situation with the Buckeyes, per BamaInsider's Andrew Bone. "I wasn't certain of my role in the offense. The receiver room got crowded. I just decided I needed a fresh start. I decided to enter the portal."

If he had stayed in Columbus, the 20-year-old probably would have been overshadowed by the trio of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave once again. As a member of the Crimson Tide, he instead played a starring role in the passing game.

The St. Louis native was the team's leading receiver, finishing with 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns.

His best performance came in a 42-35 victory over Arkansas on Nov. 20. He finished with eight receptions, 190 yards and three touchdowns.

Especially after he reportedly suffered a torn ACL in the national championship game, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, questions lingered as to whether Williams would return to Alabama for his senior year.

DeVonta Smith was a prime example of why exhausting one's eligibility can be beneficial.

Smith could have made the jump to the NFL after his junior season and still been an early-round pick. Instead, he stayed at Alabama for 2020 and had one of the most prolific years for any FBS receiver ever (117 receptions, 1,856 yards, 23 touchdowns) en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. He was also the 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft.

Bryce Young is back for 2022 as well, so it's not as if Alabama's offense is likely to take a step backward, either.

But Williams put enough on tape to almost certainly be a Day 1 this spring, even with the ACL injury. His breakaway speed is clear to see with a cursory viewing of his highlight reel, and that big-play ability will tantalize NFL scouts.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban might be disappointed he only had Williams' services for one season.

In terms of finding a replacement, Saban has already shown a willingness to lean on the transfer portal for immediate results. Alabama also has commitments from three 4-star receiver recruits: Shazz Preston, Aaron Anderson and Kobe Prentice.

Fresh off watching his alma mater win the College Football Playoff Championship, WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg hopes to have another reason to cheer for Georgia football in the near-future. 

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Goldberg said his son's "No. 1 goal right now is to be a Georgia Bulldog."

Gage Goldberg still has two more years of high school before he will go off to college. TMZ noted the 15-year-old has been attending Georgia head coach Kirby Smart's football camp for years. 

The elder Goldberg noted that Gage is involved in multiple sports, including baseball, football and wrestling. 

Bill did joke he will support his son no matter where he ends up going to college, so long as it's not the University of Florida. 

"Our goal as parents is to provide our son with the best opportunity to follow his dreams," he said. "Whether it's football, baseball or wrestling. Whatever it may be, we’re in his corner. One hundred percent. Unless he wants to go to Florida—then I have to put him up for adoption."

Goldberg appeared in 22 games for the Bulldogs between 1987 and 1989. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL draft but didn't appear in a game until 1992 with the Atlanta Falcons. 

The Carolina Panthers selected Goldberg in the 1995 expansion draft. He wound up being the first player to be cut by the franchise. 

Goldberg moved into professional wrestling soon after, making his debut in WCW by defeating Hugh Morris on the Sept. 22, 1997, episode of Nitro to kick-start his famous undefeated streak that would last 15 months until he lost the WCW title to Kevin Nash. 

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Alabama linebacker and former 5-star recruit Drew Sanders has reportedly entered the transfer portal, according to The Athletic's Max Olson. 

Sanders is expected to "command a lot of interest," Olson added. The sophomore started three games and appeared in 12 contests this campaign, but a hand injury he suffered in October against Ole Miss limited his availability.

In those 12 games, Sanders recorded one sack, 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two passes defended.

Sanders joined the Crimson Tide as the 22nd-ranked recruit in the class of 2020, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He was also ranked as the third-best player out of Texas behind Jaylon Jones and Zach Evans. 

247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks had this to say about Sanders when he was in high school:

Big-framed jumbo athlete who could play high-major football on either side of the line of scrimmage in multiple spots. Owns outstanding height and frame length with a ton of space to add bulk. Physical profile fits edge defender and tight end. Playing experience at QB, tight end, receiver, and multiple spots on defense. Possesses size and athleticism to play traditional in-line tight end or a predominantly flex role. Shows good body control as a receiver. Adjusts well to the ball when needed. Encouraging consistency as a hands catcher. Owns a large catch radius. Motor runs high and physical style suggests high ceiling as a blocker. Will face adjustment to playing one position full-time after multiple roles in high school. Honing route-running precision and overall technique as a receiver will be keys in college. Great frame but must fill it out with proper bulk and strength. Can improve pad level and leverage consistency. Should become an impact Power 5 starter with the potential to reach an early-round NFL Draft projection.

It's unclear which schools Sanders might consider. He received offers as a recruit from LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon and Penn State, among others. 

In addition to Sanders, Crimson Tide tight end Jahleel Billingsley, linebacker King Mwikuta, wide receiver DJ Rias, defensive back Brylan Lanier and offensive lineman Tommy Brown entered the transfer portal, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. The decisions came after Alabama fell to Georgia 33-18 in the national championship game on Monday night. 

Despite losing several players, Alabama has plenty of incoming talent in 2022, including two 5-star recruits in edge Jeremiah Alexander and quarterback Ty Simpson; 5-star running back Emmanuel Henderson has also signed his letter of intent.  

The University of Georgia is planning a parade Saturday to celebrate the Bulldogs' victory over Alabama on Monday night to win the college football national championship for the first time since 1980.

Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday the preliminary plans call for the celebration to get underway at noon ET followed by a gathering at Sanford Stadium, which is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. local time.

The Dawgs used a second-half surge to score a 33-18 win over the Crimson Tide at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to secure the program's second national title.

Georgia Parade Information

When: Saturday, Jan. 15 at noon. ET

Where: Lumpkin Street and Sanford Stadium in Athens

Watch: TBA

Live Stream: TBA

Georgia has become the home of championship parades in recent months with MLB's Atlanta Braves previously celebrating their 2021 World Series championship in November.

Fans were quick to note they hope the Bulldogs' buses move a little slower than those carrying members of the Braves, which zoomed through downtown Atlanta en route to the club's Truist Park in nearby Cobb County:

The Dawgs opened the 2021 campaign with a tense 10-3 victory over No. 3 Clemson, and then began a run of dominance that saw them win all of their remaining regular-season games by at least 17 points.

Alabama handed them their first loss of the season, a 41-24 defeat in the SEC Championship Game, but the UGA defense returned to form in Monday's title game by holding the Tide to 18 points. 

Stetson Bennett and the Georgia offense, which were held in check for much of the night, came alive late with a pair of passing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take control. Adonai Mitchell and Brock Bowers were on the receiving end of the game-changing scores.

Kelee Ringo added a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown inside the final minute to bring an end to Bama's comeback efforts and secure the win for the Bulldogs.

It capped an impressive end to the year for Kirby Smart's group, which had blown out second-seeded Michigan in the CFP semifinals.

Georgia and its fans will celebrate the championship Saturday, but the work to defend the title is already well underway. The Bulldogs own the third-best recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports' rankings.

The Dawgs are scheduled to kick off the 2022 campaign Sept. 3 when they welcome Oregon to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

INDIANAPOLIS – First, they threw beer bottles. Then, they cried.

Tears of joy. Tears of disbelief. Tears of emotions that have gone untapped since Georgia's last national championship more than four decades ago.

For 41 years, Georgia fans wondered when it would come. And they wondered, perhaps most of all, who would be the person to finally guide them there. 

Kirby Smart is that person. In one night, the questions surrounding his ability to take that next, next step vanished. The lost opportunities and that lingering, overpowering feeling of almost vanished over the course of four hours.  

The understudy finally beat the teacher. The G.O.A.T. finally lost to his former defensive coordinator and friend—a moment neither Smart nor Nick Saban is soon to forget. 

"It's not for me," Smart said after Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 to win the national championship. "I know it's for the Georgia people and all that, but it's really for these guys that have given so much, and I certainly appreciate what they've done." 

This was very personal and very emotional. For Smart. For Saban. For the fans.

Those emotions poured out of the Lucas Oil Stadium seats and on to the field throughout Monday night. When things looked to be turning in Alabama's favor following a fumble, the aluminum bottles went flying.

But when Georgia finally conquered Alabama, somewhat fittingly on a Kelee Ringo interception that he ran back 79 yards for a touchdown, the tears began to flow.

Joy, an emotion Bulldogs fans have struggled to grasp, radiated through the stadium in a way it rarely does.

At the center of it all was the architect. Not quarterback Stetson Bennett, who shared his own tears on the sideline as the seconds ticked away and the outcome was realized. Not Jordan Davis nor Nakobe Dean, the defensive staples for the best defensive team in college football, who loomed large all season.

But Smart, who's never received the proper credit for Georgia's meteoric rise. Even now, having won the school's first national championship since 1980, the credit will undoubtedly be spread elsewhere first. And Smart will gladly help facilitate that praise.

"It's a blessing to be the head coach at University of Georgia, and the men on this team, a lot of them juniors and seniors, will be remembered for a long time," Smart added. "This is a special group." 

Before Monday, the conversation surrounding Smart was rarely about what he's built along the way—a run of historic recruiting classes that grew into the most talented roster in the country. It was never about building a dominant program. It was never about constructing one of the greatest defenses the sport has seen in some while. 

It was about his shortcomings. It was about his 0-4 record against Alabama heading into Monday. It was about the loss to his former boss in the SEC Championship Game. It was about everything Georgia wasn't in key moments. 

And for much of this game, it appeared as though a similar script was being crafted.

Georgia's offense mustered up just six points in the first half. Penalties stalled drives. Mistakes, in a game where little detail mattered, were more pronounced.

You could feel it. All the same emotions. All the same concerns. They were unfolding in real time, right on cue. 

And then, the doubt was no more. 

Georgia found its offense, largely through Bennett. While many clamored for Smart to turn to backup QB JT Daniels after Alabama cruised past Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, the head coach never budged. 

Even on Monday, before the touchdowns came, it felt like Daniels might appear. But he never did.

Smart stuck with his quarterback, the former walk-on, rather than the former 5-star recruit who was thought to be the missing piece. Had the decision backfired, it would have lingered throughout Athens all offseason. 

It never did. Bennett threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Georgia to a win. 

"The one thing that stood out to me was Stetson," running back Zamir White said. "Just seeing him have all this pressure on him, all the crowd noise and him going through that and fighting it out and just seeing him just cry, just tears of joy, man. It was really priceless."

Along the way, Georgia pushed back. The offensive line carved out huge holes for the running backs. The defensive line, which could do little to slow Bryce Young in the first game, overwhelmed the Heisman winner this time around. 

Georgia never broke. In fact, the roles reversed, and Alabama could do nothing to stop it.

When the game ended, Smart and Saban met at midfield. The two, having won championships together in Tuscaloosa, shared an embrace you rarely see from coaches with the kinds of stakes and passion attached.

The master hugged his prized pupil. Heck, Saban even cracked a smile at Smart's triumph—the ultimate sign of respect from the man who has made these moments look so normal. 

"I love Kirby," Saban said following the loss. "He did a great job for us for a long time. If we had to lose a national championship, I'd rather lose one to one of the former assistants who certainly did a great job for us and has done a great job for his program and his team. If any team deserves, they deserve it."

Georgia did it. Smart did it.

It didn't happen overnight. It took time and talent. And, yes, it took disappointment along the way. The journey, while imperfect, made the moment that much sweeter.

With a roster largely compiled of some of the best football players in the country, there's no reason the Bulldogs won't be in a position to do it again next year and beyond. Smart has constructed something built to last. Having seen exactly what sustained greatness looks like at Alabama, Smart has established a foundation that is likely to carry into 2022 and beyond.

That conversation, however, will have to wait. This one cannot and should not go quietly. Not after 41 years of waiting. Not after so many close calls. There are still tears to be shed and celebrations to be had.

Georgia fans waited four decades for this moment. They questioned whether it would ever come.

They just needed the right coach at the right time.

At long last, they've found him.

Alabama's Bryce Young was the best player in college football during the regular season as the Heisman Trophy winner, but he was unable to lead his team to the sport's highest peak.

He threw two interceptions during Monday's 33-18 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship and told reporters after the defeat, "I just wish I could have been better tonight."

The stats were solid outside of the two picks, as Young went 35-of-57 passing for 369 yards and one touchdown.

However, his touchdown pass to Cameron Latu was the only time Alabama found the end zone. Its promising drives kept stalling into field-goal tries, and Will Reichard did what he could by converting four of his five kicks even though a crucial one was blocked in the second half.

Still, finding a way to convert those into touchdowns would have made a big difference.

It also would have helped if he didn't throw a pick-six to Kelee Ringo in the final minutes to clinch Georgia's victory or an interception to Christopher Smith early in the second half when the Crimson Tide were attempting to build on a 9-6 lead.

While Young will rue those mistakes and the missed chances, he was also working with a short-handed offense.

Star wide receiver John Metchie III didn't play, and fellow star pass-catcher Jameson Williams exited in the first half with a knee injury he suffered after breaking free in the middle of the field for a big gain.

That left Young without his two primary targets from the regular season, and the offense struggled.

The College Football Playoff National Championship figures to be a great showcase for Will Anderson Jr. on Monday night, but the Alabama star's NFL draft stock may not have much higher to climb.

The MMQB's Albert Breer spoke to an executive from an AFC team who said there's "no doubt" Anderson is the No. 1 player on the 2023 draft board.

Bryce Young lifted the 2021 Heisman Trophy, but the Crimson Tide quarterback may not even be the best player on his own team.

Anderson has had one of the most dominant defensive seasons in recent memory. He's second on the team with 98 tackles, and he has been in a class by himself as a pass-rusher. In addition to 17.5 sacks, he has 34.5 tackles for loss, an FBS record.

The 6'4", 243-pound linebacker has drawn comparisons to another Alabama legend, Derrick Thomas. Thomas had 27 sacks in 1988 and wreaked havoc on opposing offensive linemen during his time with the Tide.

Former Mississippi State quarterback Tony Shell played against Thomas and saw shades of the Hall of Famer when watching Anderson.

"They have a lot in common with the way they can take over a game," he said to ESPN's Alex Scarborough. "Against my Bulldogs, I can't tell you how many sacks he had."

Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding explained to Glynn A. Hill of the Washington Post how Anderson's physicality sets him apart from others at his position:

Obviously, he’s an elite pass rusher, but I think one of his best traits is how physical he is at the point of attack and knocking guys back and being able to play the run. Everybody from a draft standpoint is looking for guys that specialize in certain things, and I think he’s got all the tools that you’re looking for from an every-down standpoint. You throw that on top of who he is as a person, his character, his want-to, his leadership ability. He’s as special as I’ve been around.

Barring something unforeseen, Anderson figures to firmly be in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in 2023. 

Some of his stiffest competition may come from within his own team since Young will also be draft-eligible next year. Ohio State star quarterback C.J. Stroud will likely be in the conversation as well.

Between Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux and Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson, there's a good chance an edge-rusher will go first overall in 2022. Anderson could make it two years in a row.

LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. will enter the 2022 NFL draft, he announced Thursday in an article for The Players' Tribune.

Stingley wrote that he knows he's "ready to lock in and focus on what’s next" as he prepares for the jump to the next level:

I can't say thank you enough to LSU and the fans for the support that you have given me throughout my time there, and how much I appreciate the moments we have shared together. They will never be forgotten. To my family that has been there every step of the way, thank you … your support means everything to me. I hope I continue to make you proud.

Stingley has been projected as a top NFL draft pick since his freshman season when he recorded six interceptions, 15 passes defended and 38 tackles. However, the 20-year-old has been limited by injuries over the last two seasons.

Stingley appeared in seven games in 2020, finishing with 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He played even less in 2021, appearing in three games before undergoing a foot procedure in October that sidelined him indefinitely. 

Despite his injury history, ESPN's Todd McShay (h/t 247Sports) believes Stingley could be a top pick in the 2022 draft and potentially a top-five selection:

“I don’t know if there’s a consensus because we haven’t seen much of him. Three games this year. He just hasn’t played much in the last two years. You go back to 2019 and you study that tape. He had six interceptions as a freshman, and he has everything you look for physically. He’s long, he’s got oily hips, just so loose in terms of his ability to turn and run. He’s got the top-end speed, he’s got the arm length you look for, he’s got the ball production I mentioned before with the six picks. But is he gonna be healthy enough? You’ve gotta study the medical if you’re an NFL team. And I think workouts are gonna be critical for him, not just combine and Pro Day workouts, but individual workouts for teams just trying to get a feel for where he is and has his game slipped any, or post-injury, is he gonna get back to the player he was in 2019? And if he is, I think he has a chance to be a top-5 pick. He’s that special from a talent standpoint.”

McShay listed Stingley second in his 2022 NFL draft rankings in October after he had been ruled out. It's unclear which teams might be interested in the young cornerback. 

Per B/R's NFL scouting department, Stingley is the top-ranked cornerback and No. 8 overall player. He's also listed as the best player in man coverage among all draft-eligible corners this year. 

Stingley will look to become the first Tigers cornerback since Tre'Davious White in 2017 to be drafted in the first round. 

The 2022 NFL draft is expected to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas from April 28-30. 

Stetson Bennett isn't trying to play outside of himself when his No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game next Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The young quarterback also isn't trying to treat the matchup as something different than any other football game.

"Maybe I'm not capable of holding that weight on my shoulders, but no, I'm just treating it as a football game," Bennett told reporters Monday. "Do I know that means a lot to a lot of people? Yes. Am I trying to play some kind of savior by winning a national championship for millions of people? No.

"I don't think that's my job. My job is to go out there and throw completions to very talented people we have on this team. And I think it's as simple as that."

Bennett threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in Georgia's first meeting with Alabama this season, a 41-24 loss in the SEC Championship Game. But he also had two costly interceptions. 

"You've got to play well," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told reporters about facing Alabama. "You've got to play well in the red area. You've got to play [good] situational football. You can't turn the ball over and expect to beat good football teams. Those are things that we have done when we played them. We turned it over, and we can't do that."

It would be easy for Bennett and Smart to feel the pressure against Alabama. For one, a national championship is on the line. But Georgia has also lost seven straight games against the Crimson Tide, including a 26-23 defeat in the CFP Championship Game in the 2017 season. 

Bennett was a redshirt scout-team quarterback during that season. He was on the sidelines for that loss. He knows what this game means. He also knows that, for 60 minutes between the white lines, it's still just football. 

"I know it means a lot to a lot of people," he said. "Is it just another game? No, I'm not silly. But I don't think for 20-year-old kids you can put that kind of pressure on yourself, because you might go crazy."

If Bennett plays like he did against Michigan in the CFP semifinals, finishing 20-of-30 for 313 yards with three touchdowns, Georgia is going to be tough to beat.

And if he gives that type of performance and the defense can limit the sort of big downfield plays that Bryce Young and his talented group of receivers pulled off in the first meeting, the Bulldogs are going to be celebrating a national championship in a week. 

The New York Jets thought highly enough of Zach Wilson to select him with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and the BYU product has reportedly come up as a comparison point for prospect Matt Corral ahead of the 2022 draft.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted some have compared the Ole Miss signal-caller to Wilson even though others are concerned about his ceiling.

"I think Corral is a fringe guy who could start with the right pieces around him, but he's not ideal," a scout said. "Zach had more physical ability. Corral is tougher, mentally and physically, from what I've heard. For a small guy that doesn't live on the deep ball, I expected Corral to anticipate and process better."

The Wilson comparisons make some sense.

After all, Corral is listed at 6'2", which is the same height as Wilson. They are also both capable of making plays with their legs and their arm, which gives defenses more to account for.

Wilson has been anything but consistent as a rookie, although he's on a rebuilding Jets team and not surrounded by the same level of talent as fellow first-year quarterback Mac Jones of the New England Patriots.

The 22-year-old has completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 2,247 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with 161 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. 

He has shown some strides of late, though, and has seven total touchdowns and one interception in his past five games even if the Jets are 1-4 in that stretch.

There was a time when Corral was seen as a surefire Heisman Trophy candidate, but he fell behind other quarterbacks such as Alabama's Bryce Young—the eventual winner—and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud as the season progressed. It surely didn't help that his Rebels lost to Young's Crimson Tide 42-21.

Still, Corral led Ole Miss to a 10-3 record and appearance in the Sugar Bowl while completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions to go with 614 yards and 11 scores on the ground.

Yet there are now questions about his health after he suffered an ankle injury in the Sugar Bowl loss to Baylor and was seen on the sidelines with crutches.

The B/R NFL Scouting Department listed Corral as the No. 3 quarterback prospect this year behind Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett in November, but that was before the injury.