The Las Vegas Raiders have quite the rookie class coming in. They were able to take the best overall player in the entire draft in Brock Bowers and got several other players who can have a legit role on the team as well. They may have not gotten the quarterback that they and everyone else wanted them to get, but they have a good group of players, and we are already seeing that throughout OTAs and now mandatory minicamp.
The Raiders got some flack for picking Bowers when they really needed offensive line help and a cornerback. However, with a guy of his talents, you simply cannot pass on him that late into the first round. He very easily could have been a top-seven pick in the draft.
But, he's in silver and black, and he's already getting nicknames from the player that could be the most important in his career for his development.
"That’s BM man, that’s what I call him, BM. That’s the Business Man," Davante Adams said. "He don’t care about nothing else other than just locking-in on football. I could see it in his eyes (when) I tried to tell a joke to get him to laugh.
"Talking to the rookies, did a panel with them a couple weeks ago, and he was sitting there stone-faced. (He) didn’t laugh at a thing I said. I was like, ‘This is BM right here’. I told him that yesterday. I gave him his nickname... I’ve seen what he’s about on tape. He’s a big, strong dude and he’s focused and driven. So the sky is the limit for him.”
Davante Adams is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and he's held that title, or close to it, since 2016. So, if there is anyone Bowers needs to learn from, it's Adams, regardless of whether they play the same position or not. Sure, on paper, Bowers is a tight end, but he can do it all. He's a weapon that needs to get his skills as good as possible, and a lot of the skills he has, Adams also has those same skills.
Adams is the best route runner in the NFL and it isn't close at all. If Bowers wants to take his game to the highest level possible, learning how to get open with his route running will be key. And, he's already making an impression. I mean, Adams has a nickname for the rookie already. So, you love to hear that coming from camp.
These two together will be great, and Adams is going to be responsible for a lot of Bowers' development whether it is intentional, like Adams teaching him, or Bowers just learns from watching one of the greatest go to work every day.
