Dan Jackson will be able to add another chip to his shoulder.

 

91st Allstate Sugar Bowl – Notre Dame v Georgia

The NFL Combine is right around the corner meaning that the next batch of Georgia football stars will get their chance to impress NFL organizations ahead of the NFL Draft later this spring. Invites to the NFL Combine were just sent out on Thursday, and UGA had an astounding 14 players invited to this year’s Combine.

 

This is two more players than last year’s 12 participants and is the second most players invited to the 2025 Combine. The National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes had the most players invited with 15 while the Texas Longhorns tied Georgia with 14.

 

While all 14 of these Bulldogs deserved to be invited, there was one player who was clearly left out that should have been invited. And not only is he an elite player, but he is a fan favorite.

 

Where is Dan Jackson?

Defensive back Dan Jackson somehow was not invited to the 2025 NFL Combine later this month. This news came as a huge shock to everyone because Jackson was one of the better players in Georgia’s secondary who proved how great of a leader he is too.

 

Jackson is coming off an impressive season where he recorded 64 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions. Arguably the best play of his season was when Jackson forced a fumble late in the Georgia Tech game that helped spark the Bulldogs comeback victory.

 

While Jackson 100 percent deserved to be invited, being left out doesn’t mean his NFL career is over. There still is a good chance that he will be drafted and be given his chance to make an impact at the next level. Take former linebacker Tae Crowder for example who did not get an invited to the 2020 NFL Combine. He ended up being the last pick in that year’s draft and quickly proved everyone wrong by leading the New York Giants in tackles in his second season in the league.

 

Crowder is just one example of players having great careers in the NFL after not being invited to the Combine, and if any player is able to prove all the critics wrong, Georgia knows that Jackson is that player.

 

 

The Georgia Bulldogs continue to search for their future quarterback, but things may not be progressing as hoped with one top prospect. Head coach Kirby Smart and his staff are among the leading contenders for the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class.

 

However, it seems the Dawgs might be losing ground to another powerhouse. Georgia also faces uncertainty over who will be the starting quarterback for the 2025 season.

 

Gunner Stockton will compete with Ryan Puglisi, Ryan Montgomery, and others for the starting role. Looking ahead, On3.com’s Steve Wiltfong believes Georgia is falling behind in the race to secure five-star quarterback Jared Curtis.

 

Wiltfong now sees the Oregon Ducks as the front-runners to sign the Nashville Christian standout.

 

“The top-ranked quarterback in the class and No. 4 overall prospect is most interested in Georgia, Oregon, and South Carolina,” Wiltfong wrote on Tuesday.

 

“He recently spoke highly of the Bulldogs. However, after speaking with multiple sources, it seems like Oregon is taking the lead.

 

“… Curtis has really connected with offensive coordinator Will Stein,” Wiltfong added. “He has visited Eugene twice. Dan Lanning’s in-home visit in January left a strong impression. This is shaping up to be Oregon’s to lose.”

 

“Georgia is currently in a battle with Oregon, with South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, North Carolina, and Ohio State also in the mix.”

 

Curtis is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 class by both ESPN and On3. The 6-foot-3 signal-caller has a projected NIL value of $2.7 million, ac

cording to On3.