The 2026 NFL Combine is underway in Indianapolis, and just like every year, Georgia was well represented. While 10 former Bulldogs’ prospects were invited for the event, an 11th one reportedly participated without an invitation.

Despite earning first-team All-SEC honors, former Georgia long snapper Beau Gardner was not among the official Combine participants. He was still present in Indianapolis, snapping for fellow Bulldog and punter Brett Thorson, who was the one actually invited.

However, it should be noted that Gardner was not part of the NFL’s official timed drills, medical evaluations, or team interview schedule, which are reserved for players selected by the league’s Player Selection Committee. Instead, his presence in Indianapolis was entirely to provide snaps for Thorson during specialist work while remaining off the formal participant list. Being in the building was one thing. Getting on a roster is another. That distinction matters when projecting his draft path.

Gardner remains one of the few draft-eligible long snappers hoping to hear his name called in April, despite not getting invited to the Combine. The position itself carries little draft certainty. Specialists are often selected late on Day 3 or signed afterward as priority free agents, making exposure opportunities far more limited compared to other positions.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Gardner started his college career at UCLA and played for the Bruins for three years (redshirted his freshman year). His first two seasons saw him getting limited action, but by 2023, he had established himself as a starter, earning a reputation for producing elite velocity on his snaps.

Before the 2024 season, he transferred to Athens and became a key member of Georgia’s special teams unit. His performances got him the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long snapper in college ball. 

Long snappers, in particular, are rarely prioritized among the roughly 300-plus prospects chosen for the event each year. Even highly regarded specialists often rely more heavily on pro days and private workouts for evaluation, as teams typically draft the position in the seventh round or address it in undrafted free agency.

If we look at the recent long snappers that were drafted in the NFL draft, the numbers are few and far between. These include Julian Ashby in 2025 to the Patriots as a seventh round selection. Then we have to go all the way back to 2021 where two long snappers were picked up. These were Camaron Cheeseman in the sixth round to Washington, and Thomas Fletcher, also in the sixth round to the Panthers. If we look beyond that we find a pattern of at most one long snapper being picked up in the final two rounds.

Although he wasn’t invited to the Combine, Gardner will get a chance to showcase his skills right before the draft on March 18 at Georgia’s Pro Day. The scouting reports rank him among the top 2 prospects at his position.

Georgia’s Pro Day is expected to carry significant weight not only for Gardner but also for several Bulldogs who were not selected for Combine participation, including Cash Jones, Noah Thomas, Josh McCray, Cole Speer, and JaCorey Thomas. For that group, standardized testing and direct interaction with team scouts in Athens could prove more pivotal than in Indianapolis.

His frame may make you think you’re looking at a tight end or a linebacker. And that’s what may get him to an NFL roster, as teams love snappers who can make tackles in punt coverage. Currently, Gardner is seen as a 7th-round pick or a priority free agent. 

Even if he ultimately goes undrafted, long snappers with his physical profile and collegiate résumé frequently earn contracts shortly after the draft, as teams carry only one active snapper and prioritize reliability over positional flash.

While Gardner’s path to April will hinge largely on Georgia’s Pro Day, Thorson’s evaluation still moved directly to the main stage in Indianapolis.

NFL Combine report of Brett Thorson

Georgia’s punter Brett Thorson completed his NFL Combine drills on February 25. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Australian punter arrives at the combine with an impressive resume, averaging 45.5 yards per punt and pinning 23 kicks inside the 20-yard line last season for the Bulldogs.

Thorson won the Ray Guy award in 2025 after being a finalist in 2024. He also made the AP All-American second-team in 2024 and 2025. It becomes even more remarkable when you realize that he did all that as he battled back from an ACL injury that he suffered at the end of the 2024 season. This came as a result of a knee injury against Texas when trying to tackle a player during a punt return.

Mel Kiper listed him as the best special teams option in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the NFL Combine report reveals the Australian as a Day 3 pick.

“Thorson gets good leg extension and has the ability to generate consistent lift, allowing the cover team to swarm when punts are returnable. He displayed vast improvement in touch with his coffin-corner kicks in 2025 and checks the boxes to be a Day 3 pick,” per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

Reports noted that Thorson has vastly improved in keeping pooch punts out of the end zone. He has improved his athleticism and his pooch-flop technique, which creates check-ups and is seen as his strength. However, his snap-to-kick time needs to be quicker at the pro level, and his lack of kickoff experience is seen as a weakness entering the draft.

Meanwhile, Kirby Smart will now look to Drew Miller as the new starting punter. Miller played at the beginning of this past season while Thorson continued to recover from his injury. He even played during the SEC Championship game against Texas and in the game against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. But will he become as good as Thorson is yet to be seen.