Eagles GM Howie Roseman Could Add Another Former Georgia Bulldog
Kirby Smart became the head coach at the University of Georgia in 2016. He transformed the program into a defensive powerhouse that Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was forced to take notice of. While Roseman attended the University of Florida, he had to sit back and watch as Georgia took over the SEC in recent years.
Yet after being criticized for failing to draft players from the SEC for several years, Roseman wasn’t going to let that happen again. Ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, Roseman knew it was time to bring some of the former Georgia Bulldogs to the City of Brotherly Love. Although he might not have realized how deep his obsession with former Bulldogs would take the Eagles in the future.
Roseman started off by selecting two former Bulldogs in Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean in the 2022 NFL Draft. Then Roseman tripled down in the 2023 NFL Draft, where he selected three former Bulldogs and famously told Nolan Smith how much it hurt him to do so.
“I’m a Florida Gator. Do you know how much this hurts my soul to take all these f****** Georgia Bulldogs?” Roseman said.
“Hell yeah! You want to win though, you want to win,” Smith replied.
“I do want to win, I do want to win, my man,” Roseman responded. “More than you know. I like that confetti.”
Fast forward to 2025 and the Eagles just won Super Bowl LIX with several former Bulldogs playing key roles and Roseman calling the shots. Now Philadelphia is looking to repeat as champions and Roseman continues to add more former Georgia players to the team.
Since the 2021 NFL Draft, the University of Georgia has had 30 defensive players selected. Eight of those players are currently on Philadelphia’s 90-man roster. Yet another former Bulldog was recently waived that Roseman could have his eyes on next.
Who Could Be the Next Former Bulldog To Join the Eagles?
The Los Angeles Rams officially waived former Georgia cornerback Derion Kendrick on June 13th. Kendrick started 18 games for the Rams during his first two seasons in the NFL, totaling 14 passes defended and one interception. Kendrick suffered a torn ACL during practice in July of 2024 and missed all of last season.
Now Kendrick will be subject to waivers and could easily be poached by another team before the Eagles have the chance to do so. Yet thanks to performance escalators, Kendrick is set to make $3.4 million in 2025 and could go unclaimed due to recovering from a major injury.
While Kendrick’s current cap hit could scare teams off, I’d expect the Eagles to show interest in the 24-year-old CB. Another reason Kendrick could go unclaimed on waivers is that he was arrested in October of 2023 for illegal possession of a concealed weapon.
Yet Philadelphia has the culture in place to give Kendrick another chance in the NFL, while being surrounded by several of his former teammates.
The Eagles haven’t been scared to take a chance on former Georgia players with off-field questions or injury concerns. Former Georgia safety Lewis Cine suffered a major injury early in his NFL career, yet Philadelphia added him late last season and now he’ll have a chance to compete for a final 53-man roster spot in 2025.
If Kendrick lands in Philadelphia, he would add more competition at outside CB. While Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo and Mac McWilliams are all locks to make the final 53-man roster, there isn’t much certainty beyond them.
Adoree’ Jackson is a proven veteran but Kendrick is five years younger and also has starting experience in the NFL. Meanwhile, Eli Ricks hasn’t shown much in two years with the Eagles and Parry Nickerson is limited to playing slot CB.
It’s clear that Roseman appreciates the culture that Smart has built in Georgia. There’s a strong presence of former Bulldogs on Philadelphia’s roster and Kendrick could be the next one to join the Eagles as Roseman looks to find more of the confetti that he likes so much.