Todd Hartley Believes Georgia’s Tight End Room Could Be Deeper Than Ever

Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley has plenty of reasons to be excited about his position room heading into the 2026 season.

The Bulldogs have several tight ends capable of contributing in different ways, and Hartley believes that versatility could make this year’s group one of the deepest he has coached at Georgia.

Hartley said on Wednesday that he has typically felt comfortable having two or three tight ends who could step onto the field and play winning-level football.

This year, however, he believes that number could grow to four or five.

“Maybe we have a couple more names in there that could contribute than most years, and that’s a good problem to have,” Hartley said.

A room built on versatility

The depth starts with sophomore Elyiss Williams, who Hartley described as a “special talent” and an even more impressive person. Williams’ work ethic, attitude and selflessness have stood out to Hartley since his recruitment.

Williams isn’t the only tight end Hartley believes can make an impact.

Jayden Reddell, a former receiver who arrived at Georgia as a developmental tight end, has made significant strides entering his third year in the program.

Hartley said Reddell has developed into a more complete player who can block, pass protect, run routes and catch the football.

“He has gotten himself in position to be more of an all-around tight end, which increases his value in our offense,” Hartley said.

Freshman Kaiden Prothro also brings a unique skill set. Prothro played receiver primarily at Bowdon High School, but his size, length, catch radius and ability to create matchup problems made him a natural projection at tight end for Georgia.

Hartley said the Bulldogs may use Prothro in the slot and at tight end early in his career while continuing to develop him into a complete tight end.

“He’s very unique as far as his ability to catch the football and, you know, his matchup ability,” Hartley said.

Then there’s Lawson Luckie, who has worked to add weight and strength in an effort to become more than a move tight end. Hartley said Luckie has reached as high as 243 pounds while working toward a desired playing weight of 245.

The goal is to give Luckie the ability to consistently hold up at the point of attack while maintaining the receiving skills that have made him effective.

“He can do it all,” Hartley said.

More than just catching passes

While Georgia’s tight ends have plenty of receiving ability, Hartley doesn’t want the players in his room measuring their value solely by catches or statistics.

He said the coaching staff discusses how to get the ball to tight ends, receivers and running backs, but the ultimate goal is finding whatever gives Georgia the best chance to win.

“If our job is to go out there and run block 62 plays, we’re going to go out there and run block 62 plays to the best of our ability,” Hartley said.

That mentality also applies to preparing tight ends for the NFL.

Hartley pointed to former Georgia tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington as examples of how the position can have value beyond receiving production. Bowers produced at a historic level as a pass catcher, while Washington built an NFL career with a different skill set.

For Hartley, the best tight ends are capable of contributing as receivers, blockers and pass protectors.

“You better focus on being the best all-around tight end that you can be,” Hartley said.

That philosophy could be particularly important for a room that doesn’t necessarily need one player to emerge as the unquestioned star.

Hartley said he’d like for all of his tight ends to become “alphas,” but Georgia doesn’t need one player to dominate the position to be successful.

Instead, the Bulldogs can take advantage of each player’s strengths and use different personnel groupings depending on the situation.

“If you’ve got one that’s good at all three, then that’s generational in my opinion,” Hartley said. “But if you’ve got one that might be better at run blocking versus pass protecting versus running this route, why not try to find the best combination of personnel groupings and get them on the field when you can, have the best success that you can.”

That’s what makes Hartley particularly excited about this group.

Georgia may not need one tight end to do everything. Instead, the Bulldogs could have several players capable of doing different things at a high level, and Hartley believes that versatility can create problems for opposing defenses.

The ultimate goal, he said, is to fill the room with players capable of serving as “jokers” — tight ends who can line up attached to the formation, in the slot, in the backfield or even split out as a receiver.

“Because as a defense, how do you defend that guy?” Hartley said.

For a Georgia offense looking to maximize its personnel, having that many options at tight end could be one of its biggest advantages.

Hartley knows the group still has to prove itself once the games begin. But after watching the room through spring practice and fall camp, he sees the potential for something special.

“We haven’t done it yet,” Hartley said. “But maybe we have a couple more names in there that could contribute than most years, and that’s a good problem to have.”