There has been no shortage of NFL talent to play between the hedges in recent years, which helps explain the frustration fans felt with the lack of sustained success.

Former Georgia players litter the league and some are among the best players at their respective positions. The SEC has been a virtual NFL pipeline during its decade-plus of dominance, and Georgia is right there among the best schools at getting players drafted.

There are 41 former Bulldogs listed on NFL rosters. Many play important roles and impact playoff races each season. But who are the best? Here is our list of the top 10 Georgia players in the NFL.

No. 10: Malcolm Mitchell, WR, New England Patriots

After his rookie season, Mitchell showed enough promise to earn the final spot on this list. He finished the regular season with 401 receiving yards on 32 catches and four touchdowns, adding an additional 75 yards in the postseason.

Pro Football Focus gave Mitchell a grade of 67.6, which indicates he was just slightly below average as a rookie despite dealing with injuries.

No. 9: Reshad Jones, S, Miami Dolphins

Jones has become one of the NFL’s most underrated defensive players. Injuries cut his 2016 season short, but he led all safeties with 106 tackles in 2015. Since entering the league, Jones has recorded 421 tackles and 16 interceptions, which rank seventh and 11th among safeties during that time.

The Dolphins’ safety is firmly in the prime of his career and there’s no reason to believe he won’t return from this injury at full speed.

No. 8: Alec Ogletree, LB, Los Angeles Rams

One of the best and most versatile defensive players on Georgia’s 2011 and 2012 teams, Ogletree has improved in each NFL season. In 2016, Ogletree was given a 70.9 grade by Pro Football Focus, second among the Rams’ linebackers.

Although he hasn’t capitalized on his vast potential, Ogletree has slowly emerged as a vocal leader and could be poised for a breakout season in 2017.

No. 7: David Andrews, C, Patriots

As an undrafted free agent, Andrews cracked the starting lineup for the Patriots and has become one of the best young centers in the league. He’s also a Super Bowl champion. According to Pro Football Reference, Andrews has an approximate value of 15 in the past two seasons, placing him among the best at his position in that time.

Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Jones is another former Georgia center who is coming into his own, but Andrews’ ascent has been just a bit quicker.

No. 6: Thomas Davis, LB, Carolina Panthers

Davis’ story is one of the best in the NFL. Davis became the first player in history to return as a starter after tearing his ACL three times.

Even more incredible than his return is his continued high level of play. The 34-year-old is sixth in approximate value among linebackers over the past three years, and he’s averaged a Pro Football Focus grade of 84 in that time.

No. 5: Todd Gurley, RB, Rams

Gurley became one of the NFL’s most exciting players as a rookie in 2015 when he ran for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 13 games. Displaying the same penchant for creating something out of nothing, Gurley ripped through NFL defenses with surprising ease.

That was not the case in his sophomore season, however. Behind a swiss-cheese-like offensive line, Gurley found very little running room and clearly drew all of the attention from defenses. Averaging just 3.18 yards per carry, Gurley gained 885 yards despite finishing fifth in the NFL with 278 rush attempts.

Based purely on talent and potential, Gurley is one of the best young running backs in the league. If the Rams don’t figure out a way to bolster their offensive line and become more balanced, Gurley will have to be better than ever in 2017.

No. 4: Justin Houston, LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Injuries have likely prevented Houston from being widely considered among the NFL’s best linebackers. Despite playing only three complete seasons in his six-year career, Houston has still built quite an impressive resume.

Most notable among his achievements was his 2014 season, when he led the league with 22 sacks and finished just one sack shy of setting the NFL single-season record. Since entering the NFL in 2011, Houston’s 60 sacks are the third-most among linebackers.

Houston played in only five games in 2016 for the Chiefs, as he was recovering from an ACL injury until late in the season. The All-Pro linebacker should be ready to go in 2017, however, which is bad news for opposing quarterbacks.

No. 3: Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

Stafford is one of many quarterbacks whose status in the NFL often incites a vigorous debate. The former No. 1 overall pick still possesses one of the league’s strongest arms and puts up big numbers every year, but his team hasn’t achieved sustained success.

The presence of offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who assumed that role in the middle of the 2015 season, has made a big impact on Stafford. His 98.7 passer rating in 24 games with Cooter is much higher than his career average of 86.8.

In 2016, Stafford completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 4,327 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. It was one of the best overall stat lines of his career and offered renewed hope that Stafford can continue to improve his game.

No. 2: Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Playing in Cincinnati means that Atkins doesn’t receive as much attention as some other highly-productive defenders, but he is fully deserving. In his seven years, Atkins ranks fourth in approximate value among defensive tackles.

One of the savviest pass rushers at his position, Atkins has 52 sacks, including 20 in the past two seasons. Atkins has missed only seven games due to injury with the Bengals, and the two-time All-Pro is a stalwart member of their defensive line.

As a fourth-round draft pick, Atkins has been one of the most valuable players relative to his draft position in the NFL. The 29-year-old shouldn’t slow down anytime soon.

No. 1: A.J. Green, WR, Bengals

It seems weird to call Green underrated, but the six-time Pro Bowler doesn’t appear to receive as much praise as some of his fellow receivers in the league. There is no disputing his talent, however.

Green caught 66 passes for 964 yards and four touchdowns in 2016, despite playing in only 10 games. As incredible as it might seem, last season was the first time in his career that Green failed to surpass 1,000 yards. Despite a questionable supporting cast, Green has easily been the most reliable playmaker for the Bengals and routinely wins head-to-head battles with the NFL’s top cornerbacks.

Since he was drafted with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Green is fourth among receivers with 7,135 yards and eighth with 49 touchdowns. While the media praises Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr., Green continues to prove he is among the league’s elite.