Why Georgia's Brock Bowers was surprised Tennessee football paid Darnell Washington

NASHVILLE — In pursuing former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington when he was a high school prospect, Tennessee football violated various NCAA recruiting rules, Knox News reported on July 14.

Asked whether he was surprised to hear about the impermissible benefits presented by Tennessee to Washington, former teammate Georgia tight end Brock Bowers said he was.

"I haven't really seen much about it," he said during his podium session at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. "It's a little surprising that it still goes on just because I feel like a lot of people will talk about it — a lot of people talk about it when it does happen."

Former Tennessee assistant coach Brian Niedermeyer gave Washington $750 while they were in Washington's high school parking lot. That exchange occurred shortly after they shot baskets together and had a recruiting conversation — an interaction considered by the NCAA to be impermissible contact.

Two recruiting visits by Washington to Tennessee in 2019 also resulted in approximately $1,713 worth of impermissible benefits, according to NCAA findings. The investigation also found Niedermeyer flew with Washington from Las Vegas to Knoxville for his official visit, another violation of NCAA rules.

Washington was the No. 23 overall prospect in the Class of 2020, according to 247Sports Composite. He chose Georgia over Tennessee and several other offers on Jan. 2, 2020.

He caught 45 passes for the Bulldogs in three seasons, accumulating 774 yards and reaching the end zone three times. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of April's NFL draft.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart also was asked about the report when he met with the media Tuesday.

“No, we don’t get involved in any kind of NCAA investigation,” Smart said. “Wasn’t aware of it or known about it, really anything to do with it. I saw the reports like you guys did.”

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David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.