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One of Georgia’s biggest question marks entering the 2026 season is the wide receiver position.
The Bulldogs saw Zachariah Branch and Colbie Young get drafted in last week’s NFL draft. Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas signed with the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals as undrafted free agents.
One way to possibly offset the questions around the wide receiver position would be greater involvement from the tight end position.
“Georgia has some question marks at receiver after four key contributors left, so perhaps it’s time for the Bulldogs to get back to throwing to their tight ends,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “Georgia is loaded at the position with Lawson Luckie, Jaden Reddell and Elyiss Williams coming back. The Bulldogs also signed Kaiden Prothro of Bowdon, Georgia, who was the No. 1 tight end in the Class of 2026, according to ESPN Recruiting.”
Georgia’s tight ends had only 43 receptions last year, and that was with third-round pick Oscar Delp in the fold. He was taken by the New Orleans Saints in last week’s NFL draft.
Luckie, Reddell and Williams all will look to take the next step in 2026. While Prothro is listed as a tight end, Georgia clearly envisions him as a slot pass catcher.
“He played the slot,” Smart said of Prothro. “And that’s kind of the only place he played because we wanted him to grow in that position. We think he’s a mismatch. He’s really an elite catch radius guy. He put that on display today. And that kind of summed up his spring in his ability to go make plays on the perimeter. He’s a matchup problem.”
But Schlabach brings up another tight end who is worth knowing in redshirt freshman Ethan Barbour.
He started Georgia’s first two games last season before suffering a significant ankle injury. Barbour still found a way to return to the field in Georgia’s season-ending loss to Ole Miss, pushing through adversity.
Barbour was quietly one of the statistical stars of G-Day, catching 5 passes for 45 yards. Only Prothro had more yards among Georgia’s pass catchers.
As Barbour heads into his second season, the Georgia coaching staff thinks he can be a very versatile piece in its offensive game plan.
“Georgia’s coaches were very high on Barbour before he broke his ankle in the second game of the 2025 season,” Schlabach wrote of Barbour. “Kirby Smart loves his toughness, blocking ability and versatility. He’s a capable pass catcher too.”
Georgia was without its two most veteran wide receivers on G-Day, as London Humphreys and Sacovie White-Helton both sat out of the spring scrimmage. Isiah Canion and Talyn Taylor, combined for just two catches.
The tight ends, on the other hand, accounted for 16 receptions, 211 yards and 2 touchdowns.
How much of that is due to the circumstance of G-Day remains to be seen. But it’s clear that Georgia has plenty of talent in its tight end room, so much so that Barbour is somewhat flying under the radar.
When Georgia won a national championship in 2021, its tight ends accounted for 75 receptions. In 2022, that number jumped to 98.
The Bulldogs have leaned heavily on tight ends in the past. Georgia may have to do so again in 2026 if it is to get back to its championship ways.
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