Georgia football without tight ends Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington this spring

Georgia's top tight ends are out of spring football with injuries

Coming into spring practice, Georgia football was already without star tight end Brock Bowers. Now the Bulldogs are also without Darnell Washington.

Head coach Kirby Smart announced that Bowers will be out after having labrum surgery and Washington with a lower leg ailment.

Bowers had been dealing with the shoulder issue dating back to before Georgia's College Football Playoff semifinal game against Michigan. 

Despite the injury, he caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Bowers scored again in the national championship game off four receptions.

Washington was slowed in his sophomore campaign with a foot injury, catching 10 passes for 154 yards and a score in 11 games last season.

Brock Bowers at Georgia

The tight end emerged as one of the top offensive weapons in college football a year ago. Bowers started 13 games for Georgia and played in all 15 games for the Bulldogs' national championship team.

He caught 56 passes for 882 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, all Georgia football records.

Bowers caught 10 passes in the SEC Championship Game, a UGA single-game record for tight ends.

Who steps up now?

The absence of Bowers and Washington should present a golden opportunity for former 5-star LSU transfer pass catcher Arik Gilbert.

Gilbert missed all of Georgia's national championship season because of personal reasons. He led LSU in receiving as a true freshman after Terrace Marshall opted out in 2020, catching 53 balls for 368 yards and two scores in eight games.

"Our expectation is for Arik to be the best person he can be, first and foremost," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. "He's trying to figure out where he fits in. He's working very hard, and he's done everything we've asked."

Gilbert was the No. 1 rated prospect in the state of Georgia and the nation's No. 5 overall player as a recruit. UGA's website lists the Marietta product as a wide receiver.

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