georgia football uga Brock Bowers Kirby Smart

Georgia freshman Brock Bowers is revolutionizing the tight end role in the Bulldogs’ offense, and the SEC and the college football nation have taken note.

Bowers was named the Mackey Award Tight End Of The Week after making 6 catches for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns last week, along with the SEC Freshman of the Week.

Kirby Smart, who recruited Bowers out of Napa, Calif., shared on his coach’s show part of the reason why the freshman is leading the team in receiving by a wide margin.

Bowers has 25 catches for 416 yards. — 8 more catches and 121 yards more than redshirt freshman receiver Ladd McConkey, who is second on the team in receptions and yardage through the first seven games.

“Yeah, he consistently hits GPS numbers that rival some of our wideouts,” Smart said of Bowers’ speed. “Maybe not our fastest wideouts, not the Arian Smith or Ladd McConkeys.

“(But) he can run with most of our wideouts when it comes to GPS numbers and in and our of breaks,” Smart said. “He provides us with a weapon because he has more size, he can block on the perimeter, he’s 225-230 pounds, and he’s a speedy guy.”

Florida, next up on Georgia’s schedule at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla., will be sure to game plan for Bowers.

Bowers, who has a 40-inch vertical jump, also has produced the longest play of the season for Georgia, an 89-yard touchdown catch in the 56-7 win over UAB.

And yet, Bowers still handles some of the blue-collar tight end duties, in terms of blocking some of the bigger, more physical defenders lined up in the box.

“I think for a freshman, he packs a punch in the run game better than you would think,” Smart said. “He holds his own, he has great technique, he’s strong, he takes care of his body, he’s compact.

“It’s an even greater weapon when he can block, because you’re able to leave him in, and people think of him as a pass weapon.”

Part of Bowers’ emergence has come out of necessity. Many of the team’s projected leading receivers have been injured: George Pickens, Dominick Blaylock, Jermaine Burton, Kearis Jackson, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and Arian Smith have all missed time.

Georgia, of course, has another big weapon at the tight end position in Darnell Washington, a 6-foot-7, 275-pound sophomore who is just now starting to get over the preseason foot surgery that sidelined him the first four games.

“I wonder where Darnell would be without the foot injuries, and the injuries he’s sustained,” Smart said. “In the offseason, he was becoming an athletic, speedy guy.”

No doubt, Washington had 4 catches for 84 yards, including a 51-yard TD, in the annual G-Day Game last spring.

“He’s still trying to get his athleticism back from the foot injury,” Smart said of Washington, “but he’s very powerful, and he’s been a team player willing to block at a high level and hasn’t complained about it.”

Georgia also features veteran John FitzPatrick at the position. FitzPatrick, is a 6-7, 250-pound who is more of a conventional tight end, strong in the run block game while also a capable, though not dynamic, receiver.

Smart credits third-year tight ends coach Todd Hartley and second-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken for the productivity at the position.

“Hartley has changed that room since he got hired, because he went and got Darnell, and he went and got Brock, and I think that’s helped the dynamic of the room,” Smart said. “(So) number one it’s talent, and number two it’s work ethic and buying in, and then Monken has done a good job utilizing those guys’ talents.”

Monken warned everyone in the preseason that he planned to use Bowers -- who also played running back and receiver in high school, as well as returning punts -- in many different ways.

“You have Brock Bowers who is a consummate ‘F,’ " said Monken, referring to the H-Back-like position Bowers will perform out of, lining up tight, split wide, or even in the backfield.

Tight end receiving leaders under Kirby Smart

2021 Georgia football season

Brock Bowers (7 games), 25 catches, 416 yards 6 TDs

John FitzPatrick (7 games), 4 catches, 54 yards, 0 TDs

Darnell Washington (3 games), 3 catches, 62 yards, 0 TDs

2020 Georgia football season

John FitzPatrick (10 games) 10 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD

Darnell Washington (10 games), 7 catches, 166 yards, 0 TDs

Tre’ McKitty (7 games) 6 catches, 108 yards, 1 TD

2019 Georgia football season

Eli Wolf (14 games) 13 catches, 194 yards, 1 TD

Charlie Woerner (14 games) 9 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD

John FitzPatrick (11 games) 1 catch, 22 yards, 0 TD

2018 Georgia football season

Isaac Nauta (14 games) 30 catches, 430 yards, 3 TDs

Charlie Woerner (14 games) 11 catches, 148 yards, 0 TDs

Jackson Harris (9 games) 1 catch, 12 yards, 0 TDs

Luke Ford (9 games) 1 catch, 4 yards, 0 TDs

2017 Georgia football season

Isaac Nauta (15 games) 9 catches, 114 yards, 2 TDs

Charlie Woerner (14 games) 9 catches, 100 yards, ) TDs

Jeb Blazevich (15 games) 2 catches, 19 yards, 0 TDs

Jackson Harris (15 games) 2 catches, 12 yards, 0 TDs

2016 Georgia football season

Isaac Nauta (13 games) 29 catches, 361 yards, 3 TDs

Jeb Blazevich (13 games) 6 catches, 69 yards, 0 TDs

Charlie Woerner (12 games) 5 catches, 50 yards, 0 TDs

Jackson Harris (13 games) 1 catch, 5 yards, 0 TDs