ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia wide receivers Riley Ridley and Mecole Hardman and tight end Isaac Nauta are skipping their senior seasons to enter the NFL draft, taking away three of the Bulldogs’ top receivers.
All three announced the decisions on Friday on their Twitter accounts.
“I could not imagine any other program preparing me for the next stay the way this one has,” Ridley said, adding thanks for coach Kirby Smart and the coaching staff.
Ridley, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons rookie Calvin Ridley, led Georgia with 44 catches for 570 yards and nine touchdowns. He finished strong with five-catch games against Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game and against Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Nauta was third on the team with 30 catches for 430 yards and three touchdowns this season. His top game of the season came against Florida, when he had five catches for 73 yards.
Nauta said he made the decision to pursue his “life-long dream” of playing in the NFL after consulting with his family and coaches.
Hardman had 34 receptions for 532 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018.
“This has been a dream since I picked up a football and now that my dreams are becoming a reality I could not be more excited,” he wrote on Twitter.
Georgia could have other underclassmen enter the draft. The school is awaiting decisions from others, including tailback Elijah Holyfield and defensive back J.R. Reed.
Also on Friday, Georgia tight end Luke Ford announced he would be transferring to Illinois, citing his grandparents’ deteriorating health and family’s “inability to afford to see me play in person each week.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.