5-Star SEC  Rival Transfer From Former Georgia QB Announces…

Former 5-star Georgia QB announces transfer to SEC rival…

A former top quarterback recruit is officially leaving Georgia for an SEC rival.

Brock Vandagriff, who entered the transfer portal this week, announced on Wednesday that he has committed to Kentucky.

Vandagriff, a five-star prospect from Prince Avenue Christian in Bogart, Georgia, enrolled at Georgia in 2021. He played behind Stetson Bennett for Georgia’s 2021 and 2022 championship teams. Vandagriff lagged behind Carson Beck as the backup this season.

While Beck is viewed as a potential first-round draft pick, recent reports have claimed he is leaning toward returning for his senior season in 2024. That was likely a factor in Vandagriff’s decision to transfer.

Kentucky needs a new starting quarterback after three seasons. This season, Devin Leary, a transfer, replaced Will Levis as the starting guard for the Wildcats after he left for the NFL. Vandagriff can now start on the field as Leary prepares to enter the NFL Draft.

When Brock Bowers wins the 2023 John Mackey Award, history is made.

The Bulldogs tight end will take home the award for the second straight year.

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers established himself as an outstanding tight end early in his time as a Bulldog. Bowers won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end in 2022, and his efforts in 2023 were good enough to take home the trophy again.

Bowers was announced as the winner of the John Mackey Award — given annually to the nation’s top tight end — on Friday. Bowers received the award after another strong season that was briefly derailed due to injury.

Bowers becomes the first player to ever win the Mackey Award twice.

Bowers faced high expectations entering 2023 but managed to meet them early in the year. He had at least 50 yards in five of Georgia’s first seven games and stole the show at Auburn, a game in which Bowers shined in the fourth quarter and posted 8 receptions for 157 yards and 1 touchdowns, and against Kentucky, when Bowers had 7 receptions for 132 yards and another score.

Bowers went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter of Georgia’s game at Vanderbilt in Week 7. He soon underwent tightrope surgery and worked diligently to make his return to the field.

Bowers came back from the injury to play in Georgia’s home game against Ole Miss, which occurred just 26 days after his surgery. He caught 3 passes for 34 yards and 1 touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 52-17 victory over the Rebels.

“I swear, we’ve repped that play every single day for like three years, every single week. A few days following the match, Bowers stated, “That was the first time we actually ran it in a game.” “It seems like the appropriate coverage to pass the ball to the Y.” When it did, I gestured down to him, thinking, Oh man, this could work out. Just getting back, scoring, and being able to celebrate with all the guys on the sidelines felt awesome. It was enjoyable.

Bowers burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2021 and started his first first collegiate game against Clemson. He set new program records for receptions (56), receiving yards (882), and receiving touchdowns (13) for a tight end and played a huge role in the Bulldogs winning their first national championship since 1980.

For his work as a freshman, Bowers was a unanimous first-team All-American, took home the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, and was named Associated Press SEC Newcomer of the Year.

Over his three years with the Bulldogs, Bowers has recorded 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns.