Talyn Taylor, Elyiss Williams make ‘good first impression’ for UGA offense

ATHENS — The biggest offseason talking point around the Georgia offense was whether this team had capable playmakers.

Albeit against an overmatched Tennessee State, Georgia seemed to answer that question with the performances of wide receiver Talyn Taylor and tight end Elyiss Williams.

“Yeah, they did a good job,” quarterback Gunner Stockton said of the two second-year players. “It was a good first impression.”

Both players were 5-star prospects in the 2025 recruiting class. Expectations were high for both last season.

As he did last year, Williams scored a touchdown in Georgia’s season-opening game. Against Tennessee State on Saturday, he took a 17-yard pass from Stockton for the first touchdown pass of the season.

Williams looked every bit like an elite athlete as he went over the top of several defenders to score.

“You don’t think a (6-foot-8) dude is going to jump over many people like that,” running back Nate Frazier said.

Williams had 2 receptions for 36 yards. He later hauled in a 19-yard pass from Stockton on a play-action attempt.

What really excites Georgia about Williams, though, is his perimeter blocking. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said earlier this week Williams might be the best blocker he’s ever seen at the tight end position.

That showed up numerous times on Saturday, as his blocking effort sprung multiple explosive plays.

“Elyiss has been a weapon two ways, with the blocking and the play-action pass,” Smart said. “Really, he’s had an outstanding camp.”

One of those plays came on a touchdown pass to Taylor. The redshirt freshman receiver caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage before scampering in for an 11-yard touchdown. Williams helped seal off the cornerback on the play.

The touchdown for Taylor, the first of his career, came in his first game back in Sanford Stadium since the Alabama game last season.

Taylor had a brutal drop in that game that likely would have been a touchdown. Georgia lost that game by three points. Before the next week’s game against Kentucky, Taylor broke his collarbone in practice. He would not return until the SEC championship game.

Taylor finished with 3 receptions for 28 yards. He added a 31-yard run on an end around, a play that has become a staple in the Georgia offense.

“I know it’s extremely big for him,” Frazier said. “I talked to him at the Alabama game, too, because I was kind of going through the same situation.

“I was telling him, ‘Man, you’re going to get an opportunity to be able to play in the stadium again, get the opportunity to catch that same ball again.’”

Frazier himself dealt with a fumbling issue last season, which led to him being benched against Alabama.

Yet he overcame that to lead Georgia in rushing. He knows Taylor is talented enough to do the same as a receiver.

“You can’t let it affect you because if you let it affect you, it will ruin your season,” Frazier said. “So I told him, I said, ‘You’re one of the best playmakers I’ve seen, one of the fastest receivers I’ve seen, got the craziest skill set. Man, you’re going to make plays.’”

Georgia spread the ball around on Saturday, with 14 different players bringing in a pass. The Bulldogs also had four quarterbacks attempt passes on Saturday.

Jaden Reddell caught Stockton’s third and final touchdown pass of the afternoon. Kaiden Prothro brought in a touchdown pass from Ryan Puglisi. The final touchdown pass of the day went to Jeremy Bell. Ryan Montgomery connected with Bell on a 54-yard score, the longest pass play of the day for Georgia.

Stockton completed 15 of 16 pass attempts on the afternoon. His first went to Taylor, who turned a screen pass into a seven-yard gain.

Georgia clearly made it a point to get Taylor involved early, as he had an offensive touch on each of Georgia’s first four possessions.

All of those drives ended in touchdowns.

“He’s had really good practices,” Smart said. “He works really hard. He believes in practicing hard. I love that about him. It allows you to play at game speed in games when you practice that way. And he loves the game. He enjoys the game. I thought he did some really good things.”

Georgia will need more from both players as the season gets more difficult. When speaking about some of the freshmen on the defensive side of the ball, Smart was quick to bring up that they’ve yet to make plays in a game against an SEC foe.

Williams and Taylor combined to catch five passes against SEC teams a season ago.