Brock Bowers is the best tight end in college football. He’s a known entity at the tight end position for Georgia and doesn’t have a whole lot to prove this spring.
That is not the same case though for Bowers’ understudy. This is a pivotal spring for Oscar Delp to show growth.
In addition to three tight ends leaving via the transfer portal, Georgia also saw Darnell Washington leave for the NFL draft. Delp is now the second oldest player in Georgia’s tight end room.
“Delp is coming in there and he’s put on a little bit of weight and he’s been blocking pretty good so far this camp,” Bowers said of Delp. “Just trying to fill that role.”
We’ve seen Delp fill in for Washington before, as it happened in the College Football Playoff win over Ohio State. The now-sophomore tight end didn’t finish with any receptions in the win, but he played an integral role in the Georgia offense.
“The one thing you worry about is the moment too big? And it wasn’t,” Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley said of Delp after the win. “He went out there and did his job at a very, very high level against an unbelievable level.”
Related: Georgia tight end Pearce Spurlin to miss the rest of spring practice due to injury
Delp should get plenty of reps this spring due to the exodus from the room. Georgia added two freshmen Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Spurlin though won’t be taking any more reps this spring, as he broke his collarbone. That leaves a ton of reps available for Delp and Luckie behind Bowers.
“Second spring, you’re more comfortable with the whole offense and everything since you’ve been here for a whole year,” Bowers said of Delp. “He’s just been doing a lot better. I mean, moving people, route running, just everything has just been on another level.”
Delp caught five passes for 61 yards last season, with his best moment coming in Georgia’s win over South Carolina. He flashed his pass-catching chops as he hauled in a 28-yard pass from Carson Beck. The latter is vying to win the starting quarterback job as he battles Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton in an effort to replace Stetson Bennett.
Delp meanwhile has a similar unenviable task of having to replace a potential first-round pick in Washington. Georgia’s offense will look different this year, as Mike Bobo also takes over as the offensive coordinator.
And Delp is doing everything he can to make sure he’s a player Bobo can count on.
“If you don’t prepare like you’re going to be the guy, when you become the guy, you’re not going to be ready,” Hartley said. “He prepared the right and he was ready for his moment.”
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