On this very day six years ago, Brock Bowers committed to Georgia.
It is hard to believe that Georgia's first national championship in over 40 years is now over four years old. It seems like yesterday that the Bulldogs had their magical season that was capped off perfectly in sweet revenge against the Alabama Crimson Tide. One of the biggest factors in Georgia's run came from an unlikely source that year as well.
True freshman tight end Brock Bowers quickly became the talk of Athens, leading the team in receiving yards and broke the team record in receiving touchdowns in a season... as a tight end... as a freshman. Six years ago, today in August of 2020, Bowers made the decision that arguably changed the course of not only Georgia, but college football history.
August 10, 2020: Brock Bowers commits to Georgia
As a four-star recruit and the second-best tight end in the country, Bowers was a sought-after prospect coming out of high school. After unofficial visits in March to Michigan, Penn State, and Notre Dame, Bowers committed to Georgia on Aug. 10 despite not having visited Athens since January of that year.
For Bowers to get the nod at starting tight end would mean he would have to produce elite level of play in practice. Georgia already had one of the biggest, most freakishly athletic players in the sport in true freshman Darnell Washington. Washington was expected by many to take the reigns and really have a breakout year with veteran John Fitzpatrick backing him up. However, things shaped out to be different and fast.
Bowers was the starting tight end for week one against Clemson which was a shock to many. In that game, he led the team in receiving with 43 yards in what was a defensive battle. The very next week, he had 107 yards and his first touchdown on an 89-yard reception.
That season, Georgia would have a lot of shocks, including former walk-on Stetson Bennett taking the starting job from former five-star transfer JT Daniels. Despite all of that, Georgia boasted one of the best defenses in college football history and steamrolled the competition until falling short to Alabama in the SEC Championship game despite a 139-yard performance from Bowers.
After dismantling Michigan in the CFP Semifinals, Georgia had another shot at Alabama and did not miss. The Bulldogs won 33-18, behind a pick-6 from Kelee Ringo and a go-ahead touchdown from Bowers himself. Bowers finished the season winning SEC Freshman of the Year and Second-team All-American.
Things were not much different in 2022. The Georgia Bulldogs became undefeated national champions, and Brock Bowers had 942 receiving yards along with 10 total touchdowns. He would be awarded the John Mackey Award for the nation's best tight end as well as being named a First-team All-American.
2023 was a more challenging year for Bowers due to injuries. Despite finishing the season 12-1, Georgia was kept out of the CFP and forced to play in the Orange Bowl against Florida State, who they would beat by 60 points. Although he battled injury, Bowers still led the team with 714 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, which was also good enough to earn him the John Mackey Award again, becoming the first Georgia tight end to ever receive the honor in back-to-back seasons.
Brock Bowers legacy continues to live on
Being as heavily scouted as he was and before NIL, Bowers made the smart decision to enter the NFL draft after the 2023 season. He would become a top 10 draft pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. His immediate success on the Raiders should come as a surprise to no one, as he quickly became one of the best in the league.
He has been to the Pro Bowl in both his professional seasons while also being First-Team All-Pro his rookie season. In two years, he has compiled 1,874 total receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
While Bowers continues to dominate the league, we still look back with a smile on what he did for Athens. Back-to-back national championships after going over 40 years without one is hard to beat, and it is thanks to the efforts of countless people. However, everyone gives Bowers the nod as one of the most important factors. The greatest tight end in college football history is a lofty title, but it is one that Bowers may deserve
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