Georgia TE Brock Bowers checks off every box per Todd Hartley

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley spent about 12 minutes with reporters on Tuesday and he managed to do something that’s a lot easier than it sounds. He found a unique way to describe star tight end Brock Bowers. After two seasons of local and national writers gushing over the rare talent, that’s quite the feat.

Everyone knows about the great catches, the ridiculous speed for a 6-foot-4 240-pound pass catcher, and the difficulty even the best of defenders experience when trying to get Bowers on the ground. Hartley, having had a front-row seat to the Napa, Calif. native’s development over the past two seasons, says it goes so much deeper than what fans see.

“Any box you create, he checks it. Just from a kid standpoint,” Hartley said. “The kid is the hardest worker I’ve ever met. He’ll be the first one to breakfast. He’ll be the first one in the training room to get his ankles taped. He’ll be the first one in the meeting room. He’ll be the last one to leave the field. If we do a 10-yard sprint, he’ll be the first one to win the 10-yard sprint. If we do a 30-yard sprint, he’ll be the first one to win the 30-yard sprint. You get the point I’m making. That is what makes him special. Yeah he’s talented. He’s extremely talented. He can run, he can jump, he can catch, he’s tough. What makes him special to me is his competitiveness. He is the ultimate competitor.”

Kirby Smart offered a related anecdote of his own at SEC Media Days last month. With Bowers accompanying him to Nashville for the Bulldogs turn in the spotlight, Smart told a story about the team’s young tight ends, a group that includes former four-star prospects Oscar Delp, Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin, challenged Bowers to a race.

They were running “boxes,” which is a conditioning drill where a player will sprint the 120-yard length of the field, jog the end line, spring the length again and then jog the final end line to finish up. Four tight ends took their positions at each corner trying to team up to beat Bowers, who without fail, always wins when its man vs. man. Well, Bowers won when it was man vs. four men, too. The youngsters couldn’t even team up and beat the veteran per Smart’s account.

It makes a lot of sense when you look at the numbers. Bowers has been Georgia’s No. 1 offensive weapon in each of his first two seasons. He has been the go-to receiver, leading the team in receiving touchdowns, total touchdowns, and explosive plays. Bowers has a Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end, to his credit. He’s even getting some Heisman Trophy buzz going into the 2023 season, something almost unheard of for a tight end.

But Hartley, who was quick to joke about not messing Bowers up when asked about potential improvement, believes there’s proverbial meat left on the bone from a developmental standpoint. Hartley and Smart often bring in NFL clips to show the players and, with Bowers, they focus on two of the NFL’s best — Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

They show Bowers how those players run routes and how, if he mimics and perfects, the dazzling leaping catch he made last year over a defender could be a lot easier. If his track record is any indication, Bowers will build up a good sweat doing what his coaches are suggesting.

That’s his modus operandi after all. Bowers tries to answer every question during meetings. He gets upset when he doesn’t get as many reps as he feels like he needs. According to Hartley, when he attempts to get a longer look at Delp, Luckie, and Spurlin, Bowers will quickly approach him about what he did wrong or why he’s not in there competing.

Hartley wore a wide grin while talking about Bowers and there’s a reason for that. As he stated, Bowers is a joy to coach. He does things the right way. He’s really, really good at football. But more than that, he’s the kind of player who can create a ripple effect on the tight end room and the program.

“Hopefully long after he’s gone, the legacy he’s left stays for many years about how you’re supposed to work, how you’re supposed to approach each day and how you become a pro, man,” Hartley said. “Because that guy is a pro in everything he does and hopefully that leaves a lasting legacy.