Oscar Delp already a name to know for 2026 NFL Draft
While many are focused on the 2025 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller is zigging instead of zagging. He’s got his eyes on the 2026 NFL Draft and the prospects with the best chance to impress next fall including one from Georgia, tight end Oscar Delp.
A highly touted prospect coming out of high school that’s been a major contributor for the Bulldogs each of the past two seasons, Delp decided he would run it back in Athens for his senior year. Georgia has a streak of a tight end being taken in every draft since 2019, and its on Stanford graduate transfer Ben Yurosek to keep that alive. If he doesn’t, Delp is likely to restart it come 2026.
“Delp’s stats this season won’t blow you away (21 catches, 248 yards, 4 touchdowns), but Georgia’s offense isn’t catered toward tight ends,” Miller wrote. “Delp has everything an NFL team would want as far as size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) and movement ability, and he can run, catch and block at a high level. He can play both in-line and in the slot.”
As a freshman, the West Forsyth product played in 13 of 15 games including significantly in the College Football Playoff semifinal versus Ohio State. Darnell Washington went down with an injury, and it was the former four-star Delp that was asked to step in. On the year, he logged three catches for 33 yards, but his first was one he won’t forget as the South Carolina legacy hauled in a 28-yard touchdown against the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Top 10
- 1New
Jim Knowles
Ohio State DC is on the move
- 2Hot
South Carolina suspension
Flau'Jae Johnson incident results in punishment
- 3
AP Poll Projection
Big shakeup coming to Top 25
- 4
Vanderbilt fined
SEC levies $500k fine
- 5
John Calipari
Previews emotions of UK return
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
The most recent two seasons have seen Delp take on a much bigger role, starting a total of 20 games and playing in all 28. As the counterpart to Brock Bowers in 2023, he caught 24 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Then, with Bowers breaking records in the NFL in 2024, Delp topped his touchdown total from the previous year with four in a three-game stretch to close out the regular season, totaling 248 yards on 21 receptions.
It wasn’t the best of seasons for Delp, only recording three catches through the first five games and not finding the end zone until mid-November. Expectations were high for him playing without Bowers, but he couldn’t quite live up to them. In fact, sophomore tight end Lawson Luckie was the statistical leader of the position group with more catches and yards (24 for 348). Instead of testing the NFL waters this year, Delp will look to both improve his stock in 2025 and help out a Georgia offense that will be breaking in a new starting quarterback.
Delp was the only Dawg named by Miller, but there’s certainly others that will have NFL eyes on them next season. Wide receivers Dillon Bell, Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas all have shown elite ability – either at Georgia or, in the case of the latter two, at a previous stop. The offensive line has the likes of Monroe Freeling, Earnest Greene and Micah Morris a year after sending four to the draft, and as long as Kirby Smart is in Athens, you know the defense will be chalk full of talent too. Defensive lineman Christen Miller, linebackers CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson and cornerback Daylen Everette are among the ones to watch on that side of the ball.
