Georgia football recruiting: Four-star LB Troy Bowles, son of Bucs coach Todd Bowles, commits to Dawgs

Troy Bowles, the second-ranked linebacker in Class of 2023 and son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, has committed to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. The four-star prospect is the No. 37 overall player 247Sports’ recruiting rankings and a consensus top-50 prospect.

The younger Bowles held offers from virtually all of the nation’s top football programs. Aside from Georgia, he also took visits to Ohio State and Oklahoma. However, his official visit on June 10 to Athens, Georgia, sealed the deal for the defending national champions in acquiring one of the most sought-after players in the country. 

“It’s mainly because of player development and definitely the opportunity there,” Bowles told 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins when asked why he chose Georgia. “People think that they get all these linebackers, so you are not going to play. But it’s not like that. I think I can come in there and work, and I feel like the opportunity is there to get developed with the lifting, nutrition and support. Just all that stuff factors in and then, obviously, the coaching is great. Athens is also a great college town, but it’s quiet at the same time. So, you get the best of both worlds.”

As the son of a coach, Bowles has played all over the field on the Jesuit High School defense. He racked up 271 tackles in 40 games while playing safety, linebacker and edge rusher. Troy is the second of Todd Bowles’ kids to earn an opportunity at the Power Five level as Todd Bowles Jr. is entering his sophomore season as a defensive back at Rutgers. 

Todd Bowles Sr. earned the Buccaneers head coaching job after incumbent Bruce Arians retired this offseason. He served as defensive coordinator on the Super Bowl-winning squad in 2021 and was previously head coach of the New York Jets. 

With the addition of Troy Bowles, Georgia’s recruiting class rose to No. 6 nationally in the 247Sports team rankings. He is the second top 50 recruit  and fifth top 100 recruit to pledge to the program.