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Georgia

Two Bulldogs named as potential best players in CFB for 2023

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe01/28/23JakeMRowe
Brock Bowers
(Charles Brock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Georgia will be gunning for its third straight National Championship in 2023, something that has never been done by a team playing more than eight games in a season. That alone should make oddsmakers leery of making the Bulldogs the favorites but apparently it wasn’t enough. They’re favored to win it all in 2023 and a recent roundtable article by ESPN might explain why.

The first category is “Who will be college football’s best player next year?” and two Bulldogs are mentioned. One of them you’d expect and one you may not.

Adam Rittenberg goes first and he immediately names Brock Bowers, the Bulldogs 6-foot-3, do-it-all, play-making tight end. The selection surprises no one.

“Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. He won’t be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft — that will be USC quarterback Caleb Williams or North Carolina QB Drake Maye — but think about what Bowers already has accomplished in his career. In two seasons, he has 119 receptions for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping Georgia to consecutive national championships. He’s almost impossible to stop on a consistent basis despite being the most consistent receiving option for the Bulldogs. Bowers strikes me as a player who should already be in the NFL but has to stick around the college level for another season. He’ll be working with a new quarterback this fall, but I expect another huge season for the Mackey Award winner.”

In two seasons at Georgia Bowers has played in 30 games. He has hauled in 119 passes for 1,824 yards (good for an average of 15.3 yards per catch) and 20 touchdowns. That’s impressive for a tight end but that’s not the entire picture. Bowers also has four career rushing touchdowns and has piled up 165 rushing yards on 13 attempts.

Rising junior inside linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was also referenced in that initial section, the one discussing the best player in College Football. Bill Connelly made mention of the Maryland native.

“I was about to default to Michigan’s Blake Corum, assuming a return to full health, but I feel like we should have more defensive representation. There’s not a slam-dunk candidate, so give me the best returning defender from the best team in college football. Georgia’s Jamon Dumas-Johnson fits that bill. He’s strong against both run and pass, and with more pass-rushing opportunities he could become one of the nation’s sacks leaders. On a per-rush basis, he was brilliant. With an offseason to bulk up a bit (and therefore stand up to run blocking a bit better), I could see LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. fitting this bill as well. We know what he can do rushing the passer.”

Dumas-Johnson (known as “Pop” by his teammates and coaches) had a huge sophomore season. He was second on the team in tackles with 70 total. He led the team in tackles for loss with nine and finished second in sacks with four. Dumas-Johnson added a forced fumble, seven quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups on the year.

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