Former Georgia Bulldogs Colbie Young and Noah Thomas are trying to find their way into the Cincinnati Bengals' receiver room. On Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Chicago Bears, they both made a great impression. Thomas and Young both caught their first NFL touchdowns in the 27-9 win.
Young's touchdown came with 4:25 left in the second quarter, with the Bengals down 6-3 and at the 17-yard line. He was running a go route and burnt cornerback Dontae Manning. Quarterback Josh Johnson found him, and it was a stroll-in touchdown after that. That gave the Bengals a 10-6 lead in the game. Overall, he ended his day with three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Young, like Thomas, is competing for roster spots and potentially the third starting receiver
role alongside Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Young was selected No. 140 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, while Thomas went undrafted. Now, both of them are making impact plays on the Bengals, giving them a tough decision.
Young had a crazy two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs. He transferred there from Miami in 2024, catching 11 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns in 2024-25. However, midway through the season, Young was suspended from the program after a serious off-the-field issue.
He was reinstated in 2025 after the Diego Pavia lawsuit allowed him to earn another season of eligibility, and he improved on his numbers from last season, with 23 receptions, 336 yards, and a touchdown, but he also missed time from a leg fracture.
Colbie Young scores touchdown
.@Bengals fourth-round pick Colbie Young finds the end zone!
— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/d6i7YLVH71
Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Former Georgia WR Colbie Young scores first NFL touchdown
