Brett Thorson Makes the Most of Senior Bowl Spotlight as Georgia’s Special Teams Ace Shines
In a postseason slate where Georgia’s offensive stars mostly stayed quiet, it was punter Brett Thorson who ended up grabbing the most attention - and not because he was booming kicks all season long. Quite the opposite, actually.
Thorson, the Ray Guy Award winner as the nation’s top punter, spent much of the 2023 season watching from the sideline thanks to Georgia’s hyper-efficient offense. The Bulldogs were aggressive on fourth downs, and it paid off.
They converted 75% of their fourth-down attempts - 15-of-20 - tying for third-best in the country. In an SEC that sent five teams to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, Kirby Smart leaned into calculated risk-taking, and Thorson often became a luxury rather than a necessity.
That left Thorson with just 46 punts for the season - the fewest among the top 20 punters in the nation. But when his number was called at the Senior Bowl, he reminded everyone why he’s considered the best in the business.
Working alongside Georgia long snapper Beau Gardner, Thorson made the most of his limited opportunities in Saturday’s showcase at Hancock-Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. He punted three times for a total of 136 yards, averaging 45.3 yards per kick - a clear standout performance, especially given the conditions: 22 mph winds and temperatures hovering in the mid-30s.
To put it in perspective, Michigan State’s Ryan Eckley, punting for the opposing team, averaged just 33.7 yards on the day.
But Thorson isn’t one to chase numbers. Earlier in the week, he made it clear that punting stats only tell part of the story.
“You can’t get caught up in the numbers - numbers can tell a different story sometimes,” Thorson said. “You have to look at what you’re doing, and the role you’re playing.”
That role changed throughout the game. Thorson didn’t get on the field until his team’s sixth possession - a product of early scoring and turnovers - but when he did, he delivered.
His first punt came on a fourth-and-4 from his own 38-yard line. Thorson sent a 43-yarder downfield, fair caught at the opposing 19.
His second punt came on the opening drive of the second half, and it was nearly a carbon copy: 43 yards from his own 35, again fielded cleanly without a return. Then came the exclamation point - a 50-yard missile from midfield in the fourth quarter that bounced into the end zone for a touchback. Not ideal placement, but in those swirling winds, the leg strength spoke for itself.
“A punt can have so many different stories,” Thorson said after the game. “You just do what you’re called on to do. That may mean different numbers at different times and go with what happens.”
Elsewhere among Georgia’s NFL hopefuls, cornerback Daylen Everette participated in practices throughout the week in Mobile. While his stock didn’t noticeably rise, according to scouts on-site, he held steady - and in a setting like the Senior Bowl, sometimes that’s a win in itself.
At the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier in the week, receiver Noah Thomas hauled in a two-point conversion, and offensive lineman Micah Morris logged snaps in the trenches. Wideouts Dillon Bell and Colbie Young practiced during the week but didn’t suit up for the game in Frisco, Texas.
But it was Thorson who walked away with the most visibility on game day - a rare feat for a punter, but fitting for one who’s spent the season quietly dominating whenever he’s called upon.
Next up for Georgia’s draft prospects: either the NFL Combine or Georgia’s annual Pro Day in Athens, where scouts will get another look at a group of Bulldogs that, while not as spotlight-heavy this postseason, still has plenty of talent ready to make the leap.