Kirby Smart’s Georgia program has churned out top NFL prospects at every defensive position on the field and along the offensive line. NFL teams devalue running backs nowadays, but when they do take one high in the draft, it’s very often an ex-Bulldog. Heck, UGA even had a punter (Jake Camarda) picked in the fourth round.
The outlier on Smart’s NFL assembly line is that he’s never had a wide receiver drafted in the first round. During Smart’s eight seasons in Athens only one wide receiver has been voted All-SEC, Ladd McConkey in 2022. The lack of premier pass-catchers on the outside should have excluded the Bulldogs from national title contention. They won back-to-back titles because tight end Brock Bowers gave them a loophole.
Bowers plays for the Raiders now. He was Georgia’s top big-play passing threat for three years. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck could win the Heisman Trophy this season. But even great QBs have needed big-time pass catchers to win national titles. The lack of one could be the weakness that prevents the top-ranked Bulldogs from winning their third national title in four years.
Georgia’s weak points would be considered strengths for nearly every other team in the country. But I’m judging the Bulldogs against other national title contenders. That list realistically includes no more than six teams, even with the College Football Playoff expanding from four to 12 teams. Some of Georgia’s peers have the elite pass catchers that they lack.
Nearly every national champion of the CFP era has boasted of a top-tier wide receiver. The Bulldogs are among the exceptions. They won back-to-back titles without a future first-round draft pick at wide receiver. Usually, at least one is necessary to even make it to the final game. Among the 20 teams to play in CFP title games, all but five had wide receivers who would become first-round picks in the NFL draft.
The Bulldogs didn’t need a star wide receiver to win it all because they had Bowers, who isn’t the typical tight end. Bowers was nimble for his size and turned short catches into big plays. He led the Bulldogs in receptions of 20-plus and 30-plus yards during all three of his seasons in Athens. That’s despite missing three games because of injury in 2023 and sitting out Orange Bowl.
Now that Bowers is gone, it’s not clear who will make big pass plays for the Bulldogs. Beck completed 58 passes of 20 yards or longer in 2023. Bowers caught 13 of those passes. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint had 11. He’s with the NFL’s Commanders. Ex-Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey (seven catches of 20-plus yards) was drafted No. 34 overall by the Chargers.
Seniors Dominic Lovett and Dillon Bell are the incumbents most likely to fill the role of big play receivers for Georgia. They combined for 11 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023. Rara Thomas was projected to be another big-play threat, but he was dismissed from the team three weeks ago after an arrest on family-violence charges
The Bulldogs will look for big plays from a long list of newcomers at wide receiver. The group includes three transfer players and two freshmen. Smart recently told reporters that getting those players connected with Beck has been a focus during preseason camp.
“You’re really trying to develop two things: Is chemistry with your number ones more important than developing your number ‘twos?’,” Smart said. “At the expense of chemistry, we want to have depth, and we’ve done a really good job pushing the envelope with (the young receivers) making sure they’re on the same page as Carson.
“Sometimes when you do that, you might lose a little continuity or rhythm because you don’t have your top guys in there. We’ve got to force guys to get ready to play that are going to have to play throughout the year and then try to really get that continuity here the next week or so.”
It doesn’t seem ideal for Smart to be juggling the priorities of developing chemistry and getting young receivers ready. That’s the reality after Bowers and McConkey departed. The Bulldogs must fill the void of explosive plays somehow.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day doesn’t have to worry so much about that. Marvin Harrison Jr. was the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, but the No. 2 Buckeyes still have another top wide receiver prospect in Emeka Egbuka. No. 4 Texas lost Xavier Worthy to the NFL (No. 28 overall pick), but added ex-Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond. No. 3 Oregon (Evan Stewart) and No. 6 Ole Miss (Antwane Wells Jr.) also have wide receivers who could be first-round picks.
The Bulldogs are no slouches when it comes to pass-catchers. Pro Football Focus ranks their receiving corps fourth best in the country. But that’s largely because of tight ends Ben Yurosek and Oscar Delp. Yurosek totaled 1,338 receiving yards over three seasons at Stanford, and Delp was open on 99.6% of his targets last season, per PFF. But neither Yurosek nor Delp is a big-play threat like Bowers.
Bowers’ ability to create explosive plays is one reason why he became only the fourth tight end selected in the top 15 of the draft since 2006. His superlative abilities are why Smart’s Bulldogs didn’t need an elite wide receiver to win two national championships. They may not win a third this year unless their wide receivers make big plays now that Bowers won’t be around to create a loophole.
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