Jim Nagy reveals why Georgia fans should be excited for TE transfer Ben Yurosek
Georgia has developed quite the reputation at tight end the past few years under position coach Todd Hartley, and Ben Yurosek could be next up. The Stanford transfer joins a team look to fill the void left behind by the departure of Brock Bowers to the NFL.
Bowers leaves the Bulldogs as the all-time leader at tight end with 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 19 touchdowns. No one is expecting Yurosek to replicate those numbers, but he should have a chance to step in as the top pass-catching tight end and play a large role in the offense.
Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy joined the Andy Staples On3 podcast to discuss what fans in Athens are getting with the 6-foot-4 transfer.
“We started watching Ben last summer and he was a pretty easy study in the pass game,” he said “This guy is fun to watch. I think Georgia fans are gonna be excited once they really get to see him because he didn’t participate in the spring. He was trying to finish out and get that Stanford degree. I don’t blame him. But really a fun guy in the passing game. Almost like a big wide receiver.
“Not only do they detach him and play him in the slot, (but) you can play this guy out wide and throwing the ball down the field. He can go and make plays down the field. When he is closer to the alignment, he’s totally a threat to stretch the seam. So with him and Oscar Delp — and I know they’ve got a couple of other young guys they like — that room Todd Hartley has at Georgia is pretty ridiculous.”
Yurosek had his best season as a sophomore to record 43 catches for 658 yards and three touchdowns. He has also averaged 12.4 yards per reception across his college career, including 14.9 this past season. On3 ranks him as the No. 14 tight end and No. 275 overall prospect according to its Transfer Portal Player Rankings.
Injuries limited Yurosek to only six game this past season, but he still earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12. Now he’ll look to continue the strong tradition of tight ends, from Bowers to Darnell Washington, that the Bulldogs have been known for of late.
It won’t just be him, however, as Delp is primed to take on a larger role after putting up 284 yards and three touchdowns on 24 catches last year. That combined with the return of quarterback Carson Beck and Georgia should continue to be a potent offense that makes heavy use of the position in 2024.
“With the tight end position, a lot of college teams don’t use it well,” Nagy said. “That’s why you don’t see a lot of highly productive college tight ends. I think there’s some things that college coaches do a much better job of than the NFL guys, but I do think the NFL does a much better job of using the tight end position.
“Georgia’s gonna be able to create mismatches at that position. With Carson Beck and as quick as he can get the ball out of his hand. Watching him throw it live, his trigger and his release is unbelievable. So to get those guys involved in the pass game — Delp and Yurosek — it’s gonna be dangerous.”