From prospect to great.
Brock Bowers was a curious case entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Potentially the greatest tight end prospect ever. Top five in terms of ability regardless of position. Yet he still seemed to be short of the fanfare you would expect.
Was this due to positional value? Or due to being burned by Kyle Pitts? Maybe it was the abundance of available quarterbacks?
Whatever the reason is, this fall to the number 13 has been massive blessing for the Las Vegas Raiders in a season with a limited number of positives.
How valuable is a tight end?
This is a really difficult question with a lot of intricacy and nuance required. But if it comes down to anything, it is the talent of the player in question.
If you look at tight ends such as Zach Ertz, David Njoku, Dalton Schultz, all are talented players.
All of them on their day can put up good numbers and be a solid second or third receiving option.
But none of them are the focal point of the offense or quintessential to how the team plays.
When you compare this to Travis Kelce, George Kittle in previous years or Mark Andrews when healthy, these players are key to their teams.
These players dictate coverage, open up passing lanes in the middle of the field, are red-zone threats who have to be accounted for.
Each of them, have been the main focal point of how their team has ran the offense.
Brock Bowers is definitely on this trajectory.
Should we have seen this coming?
It can be incredibly difficult for a tight end to be successful in the NFL immediately.
Not only are you learning how to be a receiver in the league, you need to learn how to block at the NFL level in a new offense.
Normally you are looking for a year two or three break-out. But when you watched Bowers at Georgia, he had it all.
Athleticism, catching, contact-balance, power, you name it. He had it on a level we had not seen from his position.
We really should not be surprised just how much of an impact he has had on a team with little other options.
What comes next?
Fresh off breaking multiple NFL and franchise records against the New Orleans Saints, Bowers will look to continue his historic season into the last week of the regular season.
With 1,144 receiving yards, Bowers has the chance to finish as high as third overall in receiving yards regardless of position or tenure.
Unfortunately, another Jayden Daniels masterclass looks to have sealed Offensive Rookie of the Year so Bowers will settle for a Pro-Bowl nomination.
Hopefully this offseason can provide Bowers with more competent quarterback play to truly unlock this phenom’s potential.
