Greg McElroy breaks down spring intel coming from Georgia, exciting weapons

Georgia has won back-to-back SEC Championship but Bulldogs fans have ended each of the past two seasons in disappointment following consecutive one-and-done exits in the College Football Playoffs. In fact, Georgia hasn’t won a playoff game since winning back-to-back national championships in 2021-22.

Given that reality, the pressure is bubbling around longtime Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart to build a unit that not only wins the SEC but can also go on a deep CFP run and compete for another national title. With that in mind, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has noticed Smart being uncharacteristically complimentary about several newcomers to the roster that should give Bulldogs fans goosebumps.

During this week’s Always College Football podcast, McElroy identified several new playmakers that have caught the attention of the Georgia coaching staff over the past few weeks of spring practice. that includes a pair of 2026 transfers — former Kentucky running back Dante Dowdell and former Georgia Tech receiver Isiah Canion — have already created quite the buzz through their first several practices in Athens .

“Smart specifically praised Dowdell for his physicality and his experience having played in the SEC. He knows what it’s supposed to be like, he’s been in those games. It helps,” McElroy said on Tuesday’s episode of Always College Football. “Now, Canion, Smart … used the phrase ‘acrobatic catches,’ which is really encouraging. When Kirby Smart goes out of his way to publicly compliment a guy that’s transferring in on his catching ability and knowing how much of an impactful piece that young man might be in the redzone, he’s not doing that for everybody. You earn Kirby Smart’s praise.”

McElroy then went on to highlight Georgia’s still-loaded tight end room despite the departure of Oscar Delp. In addition to a rising senior Lawson Luckie, the Bulldogs also have a freshman tight end that is turning heads in camp and really peaked McElroy’s interest.

“The one that has the most people excited is Kaiden Prothro, because of how Kirby Smart might deploy him,” McElroy said of the 6-foot-6, 230-pound five-star from Bowdon. “And the whisper, and this is one to kind of keep an eye on, he might be used as a little bit of a jumbo wide receiver, maybe an overgrown slot, type of hybrid tight end-wide receiver guy – a true chess piece. … So watch Kaiden Prothro, he’s a name people are starting to buzz about there in Athens.”

That’s welcomed news for second-year starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, especially after UGA lost veteran receivers Zachariah Branch, Colbie Young, and Dillon Bell this offseason. That trio alone accounted for roughly 47.5% of the Bulldogs’ receiving production in 2025 with a combined 1,437 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Suffice it to say, Georgia can use all the help it can get on that side of the ball.