Georgia TE Brock Bowers declares for NFL Draft: His legacy and how Bulldogs will replace him

ATHENS, Ga. — As has been long and widely expected, Georgia star tight end Brock Bowers has declared for the NFL Draft after a hugely successful college career.

Bowers is expected to be a high first-round pick and one of the first skill position players off the board. He was a first-team All-American and his team’s leading receiver in all three of his years at Georgia, even during an injury-marred junior season.

“That dude wanted to be the best. And he is the best,” Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley said last week before the Orange Bowl.

What made Bowers’ college career special?

Bowers was only a four-star recruit coming out of Napa, Calif., his stock affected by a senior season of high school football that was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of game action, Bowers filmed videos of himself training by running up hills, sending them to Georgia coaches. And once he joined the team, it became obvious he was going to be special.

Bowers isn’t a huge tight end (6-4, 240), but he’s strong and fast, with an innate sense for making plays. While not a fiery personality, he brought a tenacity in practice, workouts and games that stood out.

“The dude is the ultimate competitor,” Hartley said. “Everything he did he competed to be the best at that, whatever it was. Ten-yard sprint, 30-yard sprint. Inside run, seven-on-seven, Alabama, UAB, it didn’t matter.

Bowers played in every game during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, when Georgia won back-to-back national championships. He suffered a high ankle sprain in an October win against Vanderbilt, causing some agents to reach out and suggest he opt out the rest of the season, according to Georgia coach Kirby Smart. Instead, Bowers returned after missing only two games, which Smart said later may have been too fast, causing Bowers to be held out of another game and not at full strength for Georgia’s loss to Alabama in the SEC championship.

“His legacy is he’s a tremendous athlete, great toughness, never seen a kid come back from a significant injury like that that fast,” Smart said. “He kind of changed the culture of the work ethic around especially our offense. To see him go out there and compete and work like he did for the three years he has been pretty remarkable. I mean, he is a machine when it comes to practice. Doesn’t get tired, works his tail off, and he set a standard that will be there for a long time.”

What Georgia has at tight end for 2024

Georgia got a head start on the post-Bowers era this year because of his injury. Oscar Delp, a four-star recruit in the class after Bowers’, isn’t as explosive but showed flashes. In the first two games Bowers missed, Delp had two catches for 31 yards against Florida and three catches for 34 yards against Missouri.

Delp (6-5, 245) is strong and fast; Hartley said he bench presses 405 pounds and can run 21 miles per hour.

“It was the mental capability of handling the situation of playing tight end at an elite level that he had to show the most growth in,” Hartley said. “That’s where I’ve seen that progression, especially recently. Knowing that Brock’s here, Brock’s not here, Brock’s able to play, Brock’s not able to play. He’s had to take on that role — somebody mentioned tight end No. 1 earlier — he’s had to do that. I’ve seen some really good things out of Oscar, really proud of where he’s at.”

Georgia returns two other scholarship tight ends, a pair of freshmen who dealt with injuries this season.

Lawson Luckie had a great spring and was keeping it going in the preseason before his development was interrupted by a high ankle sprain.

“That really zapped some confidence from him, so that’s really what I’ve tried to work on the last month or two — Hey, be that guy you were before,” Hartley said. “And I’m not talking physically. You’re healthy. Just go out there and be that dude. Have that confidence, have that presence about you, that you’re going to go out and make these plays, because that’s what you can do.”

Pearce Spurlin also dealt with injuries this year and only appeared in six games, including the Orange Bowl. Spurlin was a receiver in high school, a four-star recruit who is tall (6-7, 230 pounds) and athletic, and those receiver skills made him an intriguing tight end project.

Georgia also signed two tight ends in the Class of 2024: Jaden Reddell, the third-ranked tight end and No. 54 overall prospect in this class per the 247Sports Composite, and Colton Heinrich, a three-star and the 34th-ranked tight end in the class. Both enrolled early and participated in bowl practices.

“I’m glad they’re here,” Hartley said. “We’ve seen some things just the first couple days where you’re like, wow.”

(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)