Depth Chart: Who's Left at Tight End?

How do things shake out at tight end without the expected number one Darnell Washington likely unavailable for Clemson?

Georgia lost starting tight end Darnell Washington at the beginning of the week to a minor fracture in his foot. The fracture was suffered in practice Tuesday and required surgery to repair the fracture. Meaning the Dawgs are losing another key contributor in 2021 for at least 3-4 weeks. 

The injury and rehab time could've been worse hence why Kirby Smart called it an "excellent prognosis" in his statement sent out to the media Wednesday afternoon shortly after the news first broke. However, despite the "day-to-day" status put out in Smart's statement, it is unlikely that the offense will have the 6-foot-7 tight end available for Clemson in two weeks.

After a freshman season that saw him record seven receptions for 166 yards, the expectation in 2021 was that Monken would find more significant ways to use the athletic tight end other than having him help out as a blocker in the run game and the occasional pass-catcher. 

G-Day showed signs of those aspirations as Washington hauled in four catches for 84 yards and one touchdown on five targets. However, the highlight of his day was the 51-yard reception, where he showed his brute power running over walk-on defensive back Dan Jackson. 

Tight ends coach Todd Hartley and offensive coordinator Todd Monken will prepare for life without the versatile tight end. Luckily for them, Hartley is quietly becoming known as one of the most consistent recruiters on staff since arriving in Athens. Dating back to 2019, Hartley has continued to find a way to bring his top targets to Athens one way or another. 

The latest example of his recruiting prowess is turning heads so far in fall camp. Freshman Brock Bowers was the prized addition to the tight end room in the 2021 class. Out of Napa, California, he was the third-ranked tight end at four-stars according to 247Sports. 

Much like Darnell Washington or even former tight end (now wide receiver) Arik Gilbert, what makes Bowers unique is his talent as a pass-catcher. The 6-foot-4, 230 pounder was timed at a 4.50 forty-yard dash time with a 40-inch vertical. His skills as a receiver and an overall athlete will allow Monken to use him as a traditional in-line tight end or split him out wide. Before the injury to Washington, the expectation was for the freshman to see a lot of time in the slot utilizing his physical traits against smaller defensive backs and sometimes slower linebackers. 

While Bowers will likely become the top receiving option at the position, junior John FitzPatrick will have another year playing the traditional role of a tight end at Georgia. FitzPatrick excels in doing the things unnoticed by the average fan, often helping out in the run game as a blocker. 

In 2020 FitzPatrick finished with 10 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. His experience and an extra year of knowledge for the offense make him the likely new number one at tight on the depth chart without Darnell Washington available. 

Projected Depth Chart Without Washington 

TE1: John FitzPatrick

TE2: Brock Bowers 

TE3: Ryland Goede 

TE4: Brett Seither 

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