Alabama DB compares Georgia TE Brock Bowers to Travis Kelce
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore compared Brock Bowers to an NFL superstar when previewing the Crimson Tide’s SEC Championship Game matchup.
The senior defensive back, who moves all around the field himself, said the way Georgia uses its star tight end – whether at the traditional tight end alignment, out wide as a receiver or in the slot – is similar to what the Kansas City Chiefs do with their All-Pro, Travis Kelce.
“He’s definitely challenging,” Moore said. “A tight end like that that can do multiple things – he’s a tight end, when he’s split out at receiver, he’s a receiver. So we have to know what’s coming when he lines up in certain positions. It’s going to be a tough week of preparing for him.
“But we’re going to go out there, do our best to execute the calls that are made.”
An All-American and winner of the Mackey Award last year, Bowers has caught 51 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns this season. He ranks seventh in the SEC in yards per game at 73.4 and is 12 in the conference in receptions, despite missing three games. Bowers has dealt with an ankle injury this fall, missing the Florida, Missouri and Georgia Tech contests, but UGA head coach Kirby Smart said he is close to being able to go on Saturday, Dec 2.
“Just didn’t feel as good as he had,” Smart said on Sunday. “He was a little sore. We wanted to be able to use him situationally, see what he could do if he felt comfortable with it. Just didn’t think he could go. Nothing about who we’re playing or anything else. He’s got to be able to go compete at the highest level and be able to feel good about what he’s doing.”
While Bowers’ status will be mentioned and monitored throughout the week, Alabama expects him to be in uniform in the conference championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Brock Bowers is a really, really good player,” head coach Nick Saban said. “Probably the best player at his position in the country. I’m assuming that he will play in the game. I don’t know any different than that. He’s a mismatch issue, but he’s also a good blocker and a really good competitor so it’s not only his pass-catching ability, it’s his ability to do all the things that really good football players do. And he does them all at a high level.”
Before his injury, Bowers had a three-game stretch against UAB, Auburn and Kentucky where he topped 100 yards in every outing and scored a combined four touchdowns on 24 catches. The junior tight end has 10 career 100-yard games, including the last time the Bulldogs faced Alabama in the SEC title game. In the last meeting in Atlanta, Bowers caught a career-high 10 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. He will have the Tide’s undivided attention.
“He’s elite,” linebacker Deontae Lawson said. “It’s definitely a challenge. He moves like a receiver. He’s not a typical tight end that you’d see. It’ll be something we have to work (on) throughout the week, and we look forward to it.”
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