NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brock Bowers prefers catching to talking. That’s why early in Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s media session Tuesday, he challenged reporters to get more than three sentences out of Bowers, the soft-spoken Napa, California, native who’s scorched SEC defenses for two seasons – but rarely speaks about it.
“I just don’t have a lot to say, usually,” Bowers said.
Truthfully, Georgia doesn’t need Bowers to say much. It does need him to shred secondaries and produce despite being the defense’s focal point. It does need him to provide a safety net for the new quarterback.
When Bowers was a freshman tight end in 2021, having just moved 2,500 miles east for the sake of football, he had a strong argument as the most talented player on the Bulldogs’ offense. He had 938 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.
“It came down to where I thought I could become the best player I can be,” Bowers said when asked why he chose the Bulldogs. “That’d be Georgia. And I wanted to win games and be in a town like Athens, too, and I couldn’t really get that anywhere else but Georgia.”
Two years later, Bowers still is – and undoubtedly is – Georgia’s top offensive skill player. And he’s trying to go 3-for-3 in national championships before becoming a high first-round draft pick.
Credit: Chip Towers/AJC
Bowers has no peer at his position. It’s felt for two seasons that it’s been him, then the field. What else could Georgia do with their supercharged playmaker?
“(I don’t know, but) we’re going to try,” coach Kirby Smart said. “There’s not a game that we play that we should not have ways for him to touch the ball. And that’s one of the things that intrigued me about Mike (Bobo, new offensive coordinator). Having played against Mike a lot, when he was at Georgia, but I also coached against him when he was at South Carolina and Auburn, what he had he used. Meaning, they had Shi Smith at South Carolina, and they got him touches. They had the big back at South Carolina; he got him touches. At Auburn, they didn’t have a great offensive unit at the time he was there, but we knew who was going to touch the ball.
“I think that’s a key to success, finding out who your playmakers are. And we’ve got more than Brock, but he’s certainly one of the premier guys in the country.” Smart later called Bowers “the quietest, hardest worker I’ve ever been around.”
This likely will be Bowers’ collegiate swan song, given he’ll finally be eligible for the NFL after the season. But he’s looked NFL ready for years. He’s overwhelmed the SEC with his speed and power. Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt recently said on a Saturday Down South podcast that Bowers will be “probably the most complete tight end prospect to ever enter the NFL draft.”
It’s not like Georgia has worn him out, either, considering they’ve cruised to most of their wins over his career. He’s averaged just over four catches a game. The Bulldogs unleash him when needed, like in his five-catch, 154-yard performance versus Florida or his six catches for 81 yards against LSU in the SEC Championship game.
Bobo, who replaces Todd Monken, isn’t going to demand anything different from Bowers.
“I think he’ll use me a lot like coach Monken did,” Bowers said. “Kind of throw a few wrinkles in there, but I’ll be happy with whatever helps the team win.”
Bowers ranks among the better tight ends in college football history. He’ll be among the best prospects at the position, too. The 2024 draft is a long way off, but Bowers, if healthy, could have a legitimate chance to beat out Kyle Pitts as the highest-drafted tight end in history (Pitts went No. 4 in 2021).
First, he’ll try to help the Bulldogs threepeat. He has one more season as college football’s best tight end. He does consider himself the nation’s best, right?
“That’s not up to me to decide,” Bowers said. “I don’t know.” He followed with a shrug. As always, he didn’t have much else to say.
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com
Credit: Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
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