Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was one of the most hyped-up prospects in recent years, and he showed exactly why that was the case in 2024.
Bowers’ rookie campaign was historic, with the Georgia product breaking all sorts of rookie tight end records, including the marks for the most receptions and receiving yards, with the latter record being broken after a 63-year run.
Bowers also broke the rookie receptions record by any first-year pass-catcher, regardless of position.
After watching him in college and in his first season in the NFL, former tight end, future Hall of Famer and current broadcaster, Greg Olsen, was downright giddy over Bowers during an appearance on Pardon My Take.
“He’s amazing. I remember the first time I watched him play, you saw a 6’5 white guy playing in the SEC running through the secondary and nobody was catching him,” Olsen said. “That is just unique, to be that tall, that long, super linear, in that conference, and you look like the fastest guy on the field. If he was able to come out of the draft after his second year… He would have been a top 10 pick.”
“He’s uniquely talented. I’ll be interested to see how that plays out now with the new regime and Pete Carroll,” Olsen added. “Geno loves his tight ends, but they are going to run the ball… As far as just a talent, I think he’s the best tight end prospect to come out of the draft in the last 10-15 years. His rookie year matched it, if not exceeded it, which was pretty incredible.”
To further prove that Bowers is an exceptional talent, he accomplished what he did with one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL, with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell throwing him the rock.
With the addition of Geno Smith, Bowers now has a much better signal-caller to get him the football, which could lead to increased production, even if the Raiders do decide to lean heavily on the run in 2025.
Whatever the case may be, Las Vegas has found something special in Bowers and the sky is the limit for what he can become with more experience under his belt.
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