Player Profile: How Can Oscar Delp Contribute to Georgia's Success?
With the swirling rumors over what Georgia will do now that they are down the best college football player in the nation, Brock Bowers, fans should turn their attention to Oscar Delp. Delp has already contributed to the team more than what would be seen to the fan's eye, but how can he contribute to Georgia's success now that he will be in the spotlight?
Delp came to Georgia from the 2022 recruiting class. A product of West Forsyth High School, the Georgia native was a 4-star recruit coming out of West Forsyth. Delp saw his recruitment blow up in his junior season, though, receiving all of his final four choices during that span: Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, and South Carolina. He narrowed his decisions down to these schools in August of his senior year and eventually committed to the G on October 13, 2021. According to his 247Sports recruiting profile, their evaluation of him was already a high-round NFL Draft prospect.
The number one tight end from the 2022 class was an early enrolee for Georgia. He was able to experience practices during the 2021 National Championship run and earned himself some playing time in the 2022 National Championship run. During this run, Delp was sitting as a third-string and saw what Georgia's offense could do between Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington and their variation of 11 and 12 personnel offenses they ran in that system. Delp knew the role of Darnell Washington would be his coming into this year, and increased his size from 6' 4" 225 lbs to now weighing in at 245 lbs.
Georgia TE Oscar Delp carries defenders for a first down against Vanderbilt
So far into his sophomore season, Delp has filled Washington's role well. He is Georgia's fifth-leading receiver this season, catching 13 passes for 160 yards for two touchdowns and an average of 12.3 yards per catch. He has also been fitting the run-blocking game well alongside Bowers this season. Now, without Bowers, the offensive scheme will begin to change. Without Bowers, the 12-personnel virtually disappears from your offensive scheme, and you now start to play more 11-personnel and 10-personnel, which is when you have no tight ends on the field.
When Delp is on the field, your running game will become the focal point of your offense because that is how he geared his body to play this season, and rightfully so. Georgia can start doing this through the recent success with Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton. Delp proved this past Saturday how he can be a vital part of Georgia's success in the passing game, which has been the Bulldogs' offensive identity in 2023. Delp's two emphatic catches helped set up Georgia's offense for a score this past weekend. Defenses aren't sure what to expect from him as the TE1 in Georgia's offense, meaning this back half of the season could be "open season" with Delp and getting him open in the passing game. Delp's tape from high school shows us how he can be a mismatch threat and has a tremendous route-running ability.
Mike Bobo is the right offensive mind to figure these things out, and ironically, Georgia's bye week is coming at the right time to allow Bobo to create these new schemes around 11 and 10 personnel. Also, the experience Delp will gain during this time will be essential in his development and success for next season and when he decides to depart from Georgia. Entering this bye week, there are lots of things Georgia will need to figure out about the rest of their season, but adversity only makes teams stronger, and adversity is something Georgia is familiar with.
