Alabama has faced many talented players all season long, but Georgia tight end Brock Bowers might be the most talented opponent the Crimson Tide will see.
The projected top-10 NFL draft pick is the Bulldogs leading receiver this season, pulling in 661 yards and six touchdowns on 51 receptions despite missing three games with an ankle injury. Stopping the playmaking tight end will be one of Alabama's biggest focuses this week.
“Obviously, Brock Bowers is a really really good player, probably the best player at his position in the country,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “He’s a mismatch issue, he’s also a good blocker, and a really good competitor. It’s not only his pass catching ability, but it's his ability all the things that really good football players do, and he does them all at a high level.”
Because he primarily lines up inside as a tight end, Bowers won't typically draw coverage from Alabama's standout cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold. Instead, it will be linebacker Deontae Lawson and slot defensive back Malachi Moore who will be tasked with keeping him in check.
“He’s elite, it’s definitely a challenge,” linebacker Deontae Lawson says. “He moves like a receiver, he's not a typical tight end that you'll see. So it'll be something to work through throughout the week, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Bowers is a multi-trick pony in the Bulldogs' offense as he is used as a lead blocker on outside run sweeps, but is also quarterback Carson Beck’s favorite receiving target downfield. His versatility on the field has given the entire country trouble all season long.
“They use him kinda like the Chiefs use Travis Kelce,” Moore said.
Saturday’s matchup won’t be the Bowers’ first rodeo against the Crimson Tide. In 2021, the 6-foot-4 tight end faced Alabama twice in the postseason.
In the 2021 SEC Championship game, Bowers had a field day against the Crimson Tide’s defense and finished with 139 yards on 10 receptions, including a touchdown grab as well. However, despite his performance, the Bulldogs lost the game.
In the national championship game just a few weeks later, Alabama had more success against the then freshman tight end, only limiting him to 36 yards off of 4 receptions. However, even with the improved defensive effort against Bowers the second time, the Crimson Tide fell to the Bulldogs for the 2021 national title.
Now, having improved tremendously over the past two seasons, Bowers is a bigger threat than he was previously for Alabama.
“It’s definitely challenging, you know a tight end like that that can do multiple things,” Moore said. “From watching him, when he’s at tight end, he’s a tight end. When he’s split out at receiver, he’s a receiver. So we have to know what’s coming when he lines up in certain positions. It’s going to be a tough week of preparing for him, but we’re going to go out there and do our best to execute.”
Bowers’ has been dealing with an ankle injury since Georgia’s matchup against Vanderbilt on Oct. 14. He was sidelined against Florida and Missouri in the two weeks after suffering the injury, but returned to action against Tennessee and Ole Miss. However, last week he was sidelined once again against Georgia Tech because of soreness around the ankle.
His status is still up in the air for this weekend’s game, but according to Kirby Smart on Saturday, Bowers was the closest to being able to play of any other injured player on the Bulldogs roster.
With the injury status of Bowers growing more optimistic as the week progresses, Alabama will have to prepare for one of the best players, and the best team it has faced all season long as the Crimson Tide will travel to Atlanta for the SEC Championship against the Georgia Bulldogs on Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. CT.
