Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley has put together an impressive resume for pulling-in top talent to Athens.
Junior Brock Bowers is coming off of a Mackey Award season and Darnell Washington was a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers this spring.
Hartley and the Bulldogs have sent a tight end to the NFL draft in four straight years.
247Sports recently named college football’s top recruiters and Hartley was named as one of seven on the list.
“I think he’s the best there is right now when it comes to identifying tight ends, going and getting those tight ends,” Andrew Ivins said. “And I know he lost five-star Landon Thomas this cycle, who flipped over to Florida State, but, I mean, you go through his track record, what he’s been credited for as a primary recruiter and, man, it’s pretty impressive. And I think what’s unique about Todd Hartley is he has not just been one specific position. Some of these big operations these days, they just recruit solely their position room. And when Todd Hartley was at the University of Miami under Mark Richt, he had the Jacksonville area — Jacksonville up into Savannah — so he went after some different guys and landed those guys at different positions — DeeJay Dallas is one of them, who was a key player for Miami, ended up with the Seattle Seahawks. Also got some other individuals — he was responsible for Carson Beck getting to Georgia. And then since he’s been at Georgia, I mean, Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington, what he has committed right now in Jaden Reddell. Had them in the conversation for Carter Nelson, Deuce Robinson.”
“The Georgia tight end room is loaded, and likely will be as long as Hartley, 37, remains on the Dawgs staff. A Georgia tight end was selected in each of the past four NFL Drafts — Charlie Woerner (2020), Tre’ McKitty (2021), John FitzPatrick (2022) and Washington (2023). Bowers won the Mackey Award last season as the nation’s top tight end in college football and is primed for another spectacular campaign in 2023. In just two seasons at Georgia, he already has 1,824 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns on 119 receptions. While Bowers is a natural talent, give credit to Hartley for ultimately getting him to Athens.”
The 2023 recruiting class was an important one for the Bulldogs at tight end with Bowers likely turning pro after this season. Hartley delivered with four-stars Pearce Spurlin (No. 2 TE) and Lawson Luckie (No. 5).
