The Las Vegas Raiders got a steal when they drafted Brock Bowers last offseason.
Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus noted that Bowers was the highest-graded rookie tight end last season. While there were plenty of talented rookie tight ends last season, none were on the same level as Bowers. The talented tight end played extremely well last season.
"The 2024 season was one of rookies breaking records. Though Malik Nabers set the record for the most catches by a rookie wide receiver in a season, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers went one step further, setting the record for all rookie pass catchers with 112 catches," Valentine said.
"No other tight end in the 2024 class came remotely close to matching Bowers’ production, with the No. 13 pick hauling in 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on his way to an 85.1 PFF overall grade — the third-highest mark among all tight ends. It likely won’t be long before we’re calling Bowers the best tight end in the NFL."
Bowers lived up to the pre-draft hype that came with finishing his collegiate career as arguably the best tight end in college football history. While they did not enter last season's draft needing a tight end, the Raiders may have selected the best tight end in the league entering this upcoming season.
According to the Pro Football Focus, "Bowers is a dynamic playmaker who graded out as one of the best tight ends in PFF College history. He averaged 2.64 yards per route run and 8.5 yards after the catch per reception over his career, which would have ranked first among all NFL tight ends last season. The Georgia product isn't the biggest guy, but he ranked in the 80th percentile in contested catch rate for his career.
"If he doesn’t look like your typical tight end, it’s because he’s not. Bowers has lined up in the slot or as an outside receiver on 1,033 snaps and as an in-line tight end on 876 snaps. Whichever team picks him in April is getting an elite weapon."
The Raiders hope Bowers can replicate a season that is similar to how last season went for him. Bowers will not catch any teams by storm this season, but after the midway point of last season, teams began focusing on him and he still continued to be successful.
As it stands today, though, Bowers is certainly in the same tier as Travis Kelce, George Kittle and others -- if not already above them.
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