Georgia Football has their next George Pickens as spring practices show promise from future NFL wide receiver
Georgia Football has developed some incredible NFL talent lately, but most of the credit usually goes to the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs have certainly sent an insane amount of defensive talent to the NFL, but they've also been surprisingly good with skill position players. However, last season, outside of Brock Bowers they […]
Georgia Football has developed some incredible NFL talent lately, but most of the credit usually goes to the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs have certainly sent an insane amount of defensive talent to the NFL, but they've also been surprisingly good with skill position players. However, last season, outside of Brock Bowers they were missing a dominant, physically imposing presence at wide receiver, a la a George Pickens type from a few years ago. That won't be the case this fall.
Colbie Young, a transfer wide receiver from Miami, is a 6'3", 215-pound physical force. He's come in and immediately started making plays at Georgia spring practices. Per Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com, coach Kirby Smart Young has already "flashed" in the early practices despite pushing through an ankle issue. He's also "disappeared" at times, but again that's been partially expected nursing the ankle.
Perhaps the most important part of what Kirby Smart had to say, that would indicate Colbie Young is impressing in the right ways, is about his work ethic. Smart said Young is a hard worker, showing up on special teams too, winning at all the small things.
Dominic Lovett returns as the the Bulldogs' starting slot receiver. That position is locked up. And Young is still apparently competing with Rara Thomas and Dillon Bell for more snaps this spring, but Young brings some a unique size/speed combo that those other two simply do not.
Thomas has some size, and was asked to push downfield vertically last year, but not like Young. And Bell was more of a gadget player than prototypical outside receiver last year, seeing an average depth of target similar to a running back at times.
Young brings more size and more speed than Thomas or Bell. Plus a contested catch rate near 60%. He truly looks almost identical to George Pickens when he was still playing for Georgia. As spring football progresses, expect to hear many more good things about Young. And when the fall arrives Young should definitely be the most dominant outside receiver on the team.
Be looking for more Georgia Football coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And while you're here, check out some of Colbie Young's 2023 regular season highlights from last year to get a taste of what he'll bring to Georgia!
