UGA’s Bowers, projected top-10 pick, set for draft
-
Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Georgia junior Brock Bowers, the first two-time winner of the Mackey Award as the top tight end in college football, announced Tuesday that he’s entering the NFL draft.
Bowers, a native of Napa, California, is ranked as the No. 5 prospect available for the 2024 NFL draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.; ESPN analyst Jordan Reid ranks him as the No. 8 available prospect.
“Dawg Nation, words cannot describe how thankful I am for what these last 3 years [have] brought,” Bowers wrote on Instagram. “It has been an unbelievable honor and privilege to play for this university. It has given me memories that will last a lifetime. First, I’d like to thank my family for always being there to support me through my journey. Especially my mom and dad for making countless trips across the country.”
Bowers was a three-time All-SEC and All-American selection after making an immediate impact with the Bulldogs as a freshman in 2021. He had 56 receptions for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns, helping the Bulldogs win their first national championship in 41 years.
As a sophomore, Bowers had 63 catches for 942 yards with 7 touchdowns, as the Bulldogs went 15-0 and won their second consecutive CFP national championship.
This past season, Bowers had TightRope surgery on his left ankle on Oct. 15 and missed three games and parts of others. He still managed to haul in 56 catches for 714 yards with 6 scores. His 494 receiving yards after contact led all FBS tight ends this past season.
Bowers, 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, was limited in Georgia’s 27-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game and didn’t play in its 63-3 rout of Florida State in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Saturday because of lingering effects of the ankle injury.
“His legacy is he’s a tremendous athlete, great toughness,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Bowers last week. “I’ve never seen a kid come back from that injury like that. He kind of changed the culture and the work ethic around our offense. The way he has practiced is incredible, he’s been a machine. The standard he set there will impact our roster for a long time.”
Because of Bowers’ versatility, blocking and ability to run after the catch, he is expected to be among the highest-selected tight ends in NFL draft history. The Atlanta Falcons took Florida‘s Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history.
PITTSBURGH — It took 47 major league games before Pirates ace Paul Skenes gave up seven hits to an opposing lineup.
Skenes’ record streak of allowing six or fewer hits ended at 46 starts Thursday night in a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
According to OptaStats, the longest such streak to begin a career (excluding openers) previously belonged to Shohei Ohtani, who went 31 starts from 2018 to 2021 for the Los Angeles Angels.
Skenes (7-8) yielded seven hits over six innings Thursday night. He struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.94, lowest among qualified pitchers. He extended his scoreless streak at home to 27⅔ innings; he hasn’t allowed a run at PNC Park since June 8 against the Philadelphia Phillies — and that one was unearned.
“His stuff was elite,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said.
Skenes hasn’t permitted an earned run over his past five starts at PNC Park, the longest such stretch for a Pirates pitcher at home since earned runs became an official National League statistic in 1912. Skenes had shared the team record with Bob Harmon (1915) and Zane Smith (1990).
The 23-year-old right-hander is the youngest major league pitcher since 1920 with such a streak.
“Every time he goes out, he’s unbelievable, the way he’s able to attack hitters,” Kelly said.
Skenes has been especially effective against the Reds, with a 4-0 career record and 0.39 ERA to go with 33 strikeouts.
NEW YORK — The Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s performance at Shea Stadium, where they will host the Mariners on Aug. 15 for The Beatles Night at Citi Field.
The 1965 performance was a milestone because The Beatles became the first rock band to perform a major stadium concert. A 50-minute documentary titled “The Beatles at Shea Stadium” captured the show. At the time, the multipurpose stadium was home to the Mets and New York Jets.
The celebration will begin with a performance by 1964 the Tribute in front of Shea Bridge at 6:15 p.m. ET. The first 15,000 fans to enter Citi Field will receive an exclusive Shea Stadium replica.
The first pitch will be thrown by members of the game-day staff who worked the famous concert. A themed fireworks show will be held after the game.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike