Las Vegas Raiders Sign Slew of Former Georgia Bulldogs

The Raiders have added several ex-Georgia players to their roster during NFL free agency.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Las Vegas Raiders have signed a number of former Georgia Bulldogs players during the NFL's free agency period, including linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, and cornerback Eric Stokes. This continues a trend of the Raiders and other NFL teams stocking up on talent from the University of Georgia's championship-winning football program.

Why it matters

The Raiders are hoping that by signing these former Georgia stars, they can boost their defense and turn the franchise around to compete for Super Bowls. Other teams like the Philadelphia Eagles have found success with a similar strategy of building around Georgia players.

The details

The Raiders have added linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, both of whom were key contributors to Georgia's 2021 national championship team. Dean previously played for the Eagles, while Walker has been with the Packers. The team also retained cornerback Eric Stokes, who played for Georgia from 2017-2020 and was a first-round draft pick.

  • The Raiders signed Dean, Walker, and Stokes during the 2026 NFL free agency period.
  • Dean was a member of the Eagles in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury in the playoffs.
  • Walker has recorded over 100 total tackles for the Packers since his rookie season in 2022.

The players

Nakobe Dean

A linebacker who previously played for the Philadelphia Eagles and was a key part of Georgia's 2021 national championship team.

Quay Walker

A linebacker who has played for the Green Bay Packers since being drafted in 2022 and was also a standout at Georgia.

Eric Stokes

A cornerback who played for Georgia from 2017-2020 and was a first-round draft pick, and is now entering his second season with the Raiders.

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What’s next

As the NFL offseason continues, it remains to be seen if the Raiders will select more former Georgia Bulldogs players in the draft or free agency.

The takeaway

The Raiders' strategy of signing multiple former Georgia players reflects a broader trend in the NFL, where teams are finding success by building around talent from the Bulldogs' championship-winning program.