Chargers 2024 NFL draft target: Georgia TE Brock Bowers

Putting Georgia TE Brock Bowers under a microscope to highlight his strengths, weaknesses and fit with the Chargers.

Over the next few months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, I take a look at Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

Vitals

Height: 6-4

Weight: 240

College Bio Page

Stats

Elevator pitch

Bowers is an athletic pass catcher who can win all over the field, create valuable yardage after the catch and create a surge in the run game with his competitiveness as a blocker, but his frame limits his potential in pass protection. He projects as a Day 1 difference-maker for an offense in the passing game.

Strengths

Long-striding athlete with great speed to out-pace defenders…Athletic yards after the catch threat, efficiently transitioning from pass-catcher to ballcarrier…Physical and powerful finisher after the catch…Good-sized hands to swallow the ball away from his body…Comfortable in traffic, making tough grabs look routine…Uses nuance in his routes to stack defenders…Competitive in the run game…Reliable on combination blocks, works well in tandem and out in space.

Weaknesses

Tall and long, but very lean and doesn’t have the frame to add considerable bulk…Delivers pop as a blocker but has average power or grip strength to sustain in pass protection on a consistent basis.

Awards

— 2023 Unanimous All-American, 2022 first-team All-American, 2021 second-team All-American

— 2022 and 2023 John Mackey Award winner

Red Flags

N/A

Fit Likelihood

High

Grade

1st

Highlights

 

Georgia LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson enters transfer portal

Georgia LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson enters transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson is entering the transfer portal, per Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.

Dumas-Johnson was one of Georgia’s leading tacklers on the team in 2022 and entered 2023 as a preseason first-team All-American. His season was cut short after fracturing his forearm in the Missouri game.

Dumas-Johnson had 34 total tackles on the season and 3.5 sacks. He was a two-time champion with the Bulldogs and finishes his Georgia career with 126 tackles and 9.5 sacks.

Dumas-Johnson joins a list of transfers leaving Athens, that includes multiple linebackers. Players like Darris Smith, Marvin Jones, C.J. Madden and a couple more are all linebackers in the portal as of right now.

The Bulldogs are welcoming in the No. 1 and No. 3 linebacker recruits in the 2023 class. Justin Williams is a 6-foot-2 five-star that comes from Conroe, Texas, and he’s the No. 1 ranked linebacker. Chris Cole, from Salem, VA, is the No. 3 linebacker standing at 6-foot-3 and he’s a four-star.

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Dumas-Johnson was tabbed as the voice of the Bulldogs defense throughout the season and his leadership was missed in Georgia’s loss against Alabama. With Dumas-Johnson, the Bulldogs will rely on C.J. Allen heading into his sophomore season. The Bulldogs are also waiting on a decision from Smael Mondon Jr. on whether or not he declares for the NFL draft.

Five-star Dylan Raiola predicted to flip commitment from Georgia

Five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola is projected to flip his commitment from the Georgia Bulldogs to a Big Ten team that struggles to make bowl games

It is starting to be reported that five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola could flip his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska in the coming days. The prediction comes from 247Sports as it appears Nebraska has made a late push for Raiola.

Nebraska has been in the running for former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord and looks to add Raiola to its QB room.

Raiola has been committed to the Bulldogs since May and moved to Georgia to play his last year of high school ball at Buford High School. The 6-foot-3 quarterback threw for 2,666 yards and 34 touchdowns at Buford and lost to Grayson High School in the state playoffs.

If Raiola decides to go to Nebraska over Georgia, the Bulldogs will only have two guaranteed quarterbacks on scholarship. Carson Beck could return for his senior season, but he hasn’t confirmed that. Brock Vandagriff recently transferred to Kentucky. Gunnar Stockton is entering his sophomore season and four-star recruit Ryan Puglisi are the two options that will be in Athens for the 2024 season.

Beck’s decision is starting to become more important by the day, and we’ll likely get word on his decision sooner than later. There are other transfer portal options at quarterback such as Cameron Ward, Will Howard or Grayson McCall.

While it’s not set in stone that Raiola will leave the Bulldogs’ class, Nebraska has shown a willingness to use its name, image and likeness funds.

The early signing period is approaching and Georgia has the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class.

Alvin Kamara, Alontae Taylor spend their bye week visiting Tennessee-Georgia game

Alvin Kamara and Alontae Taylor spent their bye week catching the Tennessee-Georgia game:

A lot of NFL players choose to spend their bye weeks in a lot of different ways. Some of them like to take a quick vacation out of town or spend time with their family, and others take the opportunity to go back to college and catch a game at their old stadium. That’s what New Orleans Saints stars Alvin Kamara and Alontae Taylor did on Saturday.

Kamara and Taylor were spotted on the Tennessee sideline for the Volunteers’ game with the Georgia Bulldogs. Both players endeared themselves to Vols fans during their time at Neyland Stadium, as did their most recent opponent: Joshua Dobbs. A college teammate of Kamara’s, the Saints running back spoke about Dobbs’ success in a quick chat with Karthik Venkataraman for WBIR Sports.

“It’s exciting, I’m happy for him,” Kamara shouted over the 101,915-strong crowd. “He’s always been a baller, he’s a gamer. So given the opportunity I knew he’d perform. It’s definitively exciting for him and happy that he’s able to excel in the position that he’s in.”

Georgia won the day 38-10, but Tennessee tried to make a fight of it. Vols running back Jaylen Wright sprang free for a 75-yard touchdown run on their first play from scrimmage but was limited to just 15 yards on his eight subsequent carries. The usually-explosive Tennessee passing attack was smothered by Georgia’s defense.

The Saints have added plenty of talent from Tennessee in recent years, but they oddly don’t have a single Bulldog on the roster. Georgia’s top 2024 draft prospects include tight end Brock Bowers (who caught 7 passes for 60 yards) and right tackle Amarius Mims (who recently returned from ankle surgery), as well as cornerback Kamari Lassiter (who finished with a tackle and a pass deflection). Maybe 2024 is the year the Saints go down to Georgia.

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Social media reacts to Bulldogs’ dominant win over Ole Miss

The Georgia Bulldogs played against the Ole Miss Rebels at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs dominated the Rebels with a final score of 52-17.

The Georgia Bulldogs faced the Ole Miss Rebels at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. The Bulldogs dominated the Rebels, 52-17.

The Bulldogs’ defense was slow out of the gate. Ole Miss drove the field on the opening possession for a touchdown. The Bulldogs answered with a quick touchdown from Daijun Edwards that was set up by a 44-yard catch and run by Rara Thomas. The Bulldogs defense forced a turnover on downs, and the Georgia offense quickly scored again on a Ladd McConkey 29-yard touchdown on a dart from Carson Beck.

The Rebels scored on the following drive on a run from Quinshon Judkins, his second score of the game. Georgia answered with another short touchdown that was set up by a big McConkey reception. The Bulldogs added a touchdown run from Kendall Milton to make it 28-14 heading into the half. Milton scorex again on a 33-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.

The Bulldogs added a field goal and a Brock Bowers touchdown to extend the lead. Ole Miss kicked a field goal and Georgia rushed for a late touchdown to cap an elite performance against a top-10 opponent. The Bulldogs will travel to Knoxville next week to take on the Tennessee Volunteers.

Social media was fired up after Georgia’s dominant display at home against Ole Miss:

Georgia football social media reacts to College Football Playoff rankings

The Georgia Bulldogs have slotted in at the No. 2 spot behind Ohio State in the College Football Playoff rankings

The Georgia Bulldogs were slotted at No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night. Following a 30-21 win against the Missouri Tigers, the Bulldogs don’t move anywhere in the rankings.

The Bulldogs upcoming opponent, the Ole Miss Rebels, are at No. 9 in the new rankings. This will give the Bulldogs another good resume game on Saturday.

The College Football Playoff rankings did not change much following Week 10. In fact, the top eight remained the same.

Five-star plus power forward commits to Georgia basketball

Five-star power forward Asa Newell has committed to the University of Georgia basketball team. He’s the nation’s top ranked power forward.

Power forward Asa Newell has committed to the University of Georgia. The five-star plus forward is the nation’s top ranked power forward. He’s the highest rated recruit for head coach Mike White in his short tenure at Georgia.

He chose the Bulldogs over schools like Alabama, Gonzaga, Texas and many others. He’s originally from Athens, Georgia but moved to Florida during his high school years. The 6-foot-9 power forward plays for Montverde Academy, which has an elite basketball program, in Florida. In his junior season, he averaged 15.7 points, five rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

Newell is a lanky forward that is strong with his left. His shooting can extend to the three-point line, but it’s a tad inconsistent. One of his best traits is the willingness to be aggressive in the paint for rebounds and putbacks. The power forward has the tools and skillset to be elite at the college level and he can blossom into a combo forward threat.

He’s the third-highest-ranked recruit in Georgia basketball history behind Anthony Edwards and Lou Williams. He’s a huge get for the Bulldogs basketball team that is projected anywhere from the bottom of the SEC to the middle of the pack. This could be a turning point for the Bulldogs to become a very competitive basketball program in the SEC.

Former Georgia RB Elijah Holyfield provides positive injury update

Holyfield is recovering from a torn ACL injury.

Former Georgia running back Elijah Holyfield looks ready to attempt a return to the NFL. Holyfield, who suffered an ACL injury during training camp in July 2022 with the Cincinnati Bengals, is looking to get signed to a roster before training camp.

Elijah Holyfield went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft and signed as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers. He made the Panthers practice squad in 2019 and later signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles cut Holyfield on Aug. 29, 2021, ahead of the NFL roster cut deadline. The former Georgia running back spent time with their practice squad from 2019 to 2021 and appeared on their active roster.

Holyfield provided an update on his recovery from a torn ACL via social media:

Holyfield looks explosive and ready to return. This may be one of his final opportunities to get traction with an NFL team.

Holyfield played at Georgia from 2016-18. In three seasons, he tallied 1,340 yards and nine touchdowns. His best season came during his junior year in 2018, when he racked up 1,018 yards and seven scores.

Holyfield is the son of legendary boxer Evander Holyfield.

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Every player in Georgia’s No. 1 ranked 2024 recruiting class

The 17 commits in Georgia’s No. 1 ranked class

After securing back-to-back national championships, the Georgia Bulldogs remained the hottest program in college football throughout the offseason.

Kirby Smart and the Dawgs have the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the 2024 cycle, which is headlined by quarterback Dylan Raiola. The nation’s No. 1 player, Raiola committed to Georgia in May.

Georgia has stayed hot, and on Tuesday secured a commitment from four-star defensive tackle Justin Greene, the nation’s No. 101 overall player.

That gives Georgia 17 commitments in the 2024 class and the No. 1 class. Trailing Georgia are Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and LSU, per 247Sports’ team rankings.

Here’s a look at Georgia’s 17 commitments in the Bulldogs’ No. 1 ranked recruiting class:

Former Georgia LB makes list of NFL players set for breakout season in 2023

Nakobe Dean named one of seven players set for a breakout 2023 season

Former Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean closed out his collegiate career as a national champion, a unanimous All-American, and the winner of the Butkus Award – given to the nation’s top linebacker.

Despite dropping to third round of the 2022 NFL draft due to medical concerns, nobody is surprised to see such high expectations for Dean as he enters his second season in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In fact, CBS Sports named him one of seven NFL players who could have a breakout season in 2023.

After playing mostly special teams and as a backup linebacker in 2022 during his rookie year, Dean is likely to play a much larger role this season. With T.J. Edwards (Bears) and Kyzir White (Cardinals) gone, Dean will step into that starting role at middle linebacker.

Via CBS Sports:

It looked like the Eagles got a steal in Dean with him being selected in the third round, but that remains to be seen. He didn’t play a major role in his rookie season due to Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards, but both are on different teams now. Dean recorded just 13 combined tackles and one tackle for loss in 2022, but may be Philly’s starting middle linebacker this season.

He’s a smaller player, but Dean shined in arguably the best defense in college football history at Georgia. He is a smart player who can both play downhill and hold his own in coverage. Dean could be a three-down playmaking linebacker in 2023. Also, it doesn’t hurt that he’s working with so many former college teammates either.

The Eagles have drafted five former Georgia Bulldogs over the last two NFL drafts, plus they also added former UGA running back D’Andre Swift in a trade with the Detroit Lions.

The drafted players include defensive tackle Jordan Davis (1st round, 2022), linebacker Dean (3rd round, 2022), defensive tackle Jalen Carter (1st round, 2023), outside linebacker Nolan Smith (1st round, 2023), and cornerback Kelee Ringo (4th round, 2023).

That’s a lot of Dawgs in Philly next season, and Dean is a big fan of what Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman is doing with the roster.

“I think our GM, Howie Roseman, did a good job drafting those guys this year. I think he picked the best available guys,” Dean said during an appearance on Good Morning Football.

“I don’t think he’s got a thing for Georgia [players], especially being from Florida. I think he picked the best available guys. He called me a lot asking about those guys — Kelee, Jordan and Nolan. I want to feel like I had something to do with it. … After the draft, I sent him a little ‘Go Dawgs.’”

Lined up in front of Dean will be Davis and Carter. And behind him, depending on how he performs this offseason, will be Ringo at cornerback.

Kirby Smart once declared that the University of Georgia wouldn’t be the ones hunted, but instead, they would be the hunters. Fast forward to now, and Dean proudly stated the following:

“We don’t look at it like we’ve got the target on our back. We look at it like we’re the ones out there hunting.”

As a Georgia fan, you love to see that philosophy carried into the NFL. Dean’s statement was inspired by Smart’s 2022 SEC Media Days quote:

“People ask the question, ‘how does it feel to be hunted?’

We will not be hunted at the University of Georgia. I can promise you that. The hunting we do will be from us going the other direction.

We’re not going to sit back and be passive,” Smart said in July of 2022.

Dean finished his 2021 national championship-winning season at Georgia with 72 tackles. He led the Bulldogs in tackles for loss (10.5) and was second on team in sacks (6). He finished with 31 pressures and six pass breakups, while finishing second on team with two interceptions. He was the 2021 Butkus Award Winner, an All-America first-team member, captain of the 2021 AFCA Good Works Team and SEC Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus.