What We Know About UGA Tight End Brock Bowers' Injury

No.1 Georgia confirmed on Monday that All-American tight end Brock Bowers will have surgery on his injured left ankle.

"Brock Bowers sustained a high ankle sprain during the Vanderbilt game in Nashville over the weekend," UGA said in the press release. "Surgery will be performed today to stabilize the ankle, and a full recovery is anticipated."

Georgia didn't release a timeline for Bowers to return, but several outlets report that Bowers will have a tightrope surgery.

The tightrope operation is becoming more popular for athletes looking to recover more quickly from ankle sprains. Tua Tagovailoa had the procedure using surgical thread instead of metal screws when he was the Alabama quarterback. Tagovailoa suffered the injury during the 2019 season and returned within a month.

Bowers suffered the injury during the second quarter of Georgia's win on Saturday against Vanderbilt. With under eight minutes left in the half, Bowers ran for 14 yards on a toss sweep and landed awkwardly after getting tackled. He didn't return to the game after treatment at the medical tent.

Bowers' Impact

Bowers leads Georgia this season in receiving touchdowns (4), receiving yards (567), and catches (41).

He's one of the most dynamic offensive players in the sport. Bowers is in the top 10 on several NFL Draft boards. His combination of blocking ability and route running makes him unique.

Bowers played his best game this season in the road win against Auburn, racking up 157 yards on eight catches and a touchdown in the comeback victory in the rivalry game.

The tight end, who's 6'4" and 240 pounds, entered the Vanderbilt game with at least 100 yards receiving in each of the previous three games. He had 22 yards on four catches against the Commodores before exiting with the injury.

Bowers was a major contributor to last season's national championship team and was one of the Bulldogs' best players this season.

Replacing Bowers

Wide receiver Dominic Lovett should get more targets with Bowers out. Lovett has 31 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown this season.

Oscar Delp was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. The sophomore has 13 catches for 160 yards. At 6'5" and 245 pounds, he's respected for his route running and blocking ability. However, he doesn't have the speed that Bowers brings to the table.

Up Next for Georgia

The Dawgs are on a bye week. Their next game is the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" rivalry game against Florida in Jacksonville on October 28. After playing Florida, Georgia faces three currently ranked opponents. No. 20 Missouri and No. 13 Ole Miss come to Athens on consecutive weeks. Georgia then plays No. 17 Tennessee the following week in Knoxville.

If Bowers is out four weeks, including the bye, he could be back for the game against the Vols or possibly the season finale at Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs are also likely to have the SEC championship game on their schedule in December, and possibly the College Football Playoff.