"My goal is to be the starting tight end for Georgia for these next two seasons," said Lynch, a junior who was ranked as the No. 2 tight end prospect in 2009 out of Dartmouth, Mass. "I’m going to do everything in my power to do that. I don’t think it’s set in stone who is yet."
While most are looking for 2010 tight end signee Jay Rome to take the reigns and become the player that softens the blow of Charles' loss, Lynch doesn't appear to be conceding anything to anyone. Of anything, he's looking to be the guy who rallies his fellow tight ends around him in a bid for that group to become a major factor in Georgia's offense this coming season.
When you consider how frightfully thin the Bulldogs could be at the wide receiver position—given injuries and player moves—it would seem only natural for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to lean on a position that has always been known for producing some of the best of the best in the nation; the tight end. And even with Tavarres King, Justin Scott-Wesley, Michael Bennett, Chris Conley, and Marlon Brown returning, there will still be a big need for a guy like Lynch who can be an extremely physical presence off the line as well as a key blocker on it when called upon.
So far he's impressed Bobo enough to be in the conversation, but he's going to face hefty rep competition from the athletically gifted Jay Rome who will be gunning to shake off the dust of his redshirt as well.
In the meantime, Lynch is doing all he can to remind people that he is capable of being more than just a destroyer from Dartmouth.
"There's an opportunity for me to make a statement to say I'm not just a guy who can block," Lynch said. "Obviously, that’s my forte, that's what’s gotten me up to the point where I am today. I’m not going to shy away from that, but I have done a lot in the past six to eight months to trim down and lose weight, become more flexible, quicker, faster, but still maintain that strength to be able to succeed at the level they need me to succeed at."
He'll be one to watch in 2012, mark my words, the kid is ready to be "that guy" for Georgia and he's not going to settle for anything less.
