The Las Vegas Raiders’ selection of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft was among the most unexpected choices made. The position was not seen as necessary because the squad drafted promising tight end Michael Mayer in the second round of the previous campaign.
However, Bowers managed to slip to the Raiders at number thirteen, even though he was predicted to go in the top ten. The team decided that the talent was too outstanding to pass up and decided to take the guy who was probably the highest on their draft board.
According to Levi Edwards of Raiders.com, even Bowers was shocked to learn that the Raiders were picking him but was also ecstatic to get the call:
Bowers told the Las Vegas journalists during his first press appearance, “I was shocked.” “I wasn’t really sure what was going on, but I was excited when that call came in, and it said Las Vegas, Nevada.”
Bowers was a complete beast while playing for Georgia; he was a unanimous All-American in his last season and took home the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end in 2022 and 2023. With the Bulldogs, Bowers caught 175 passes for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns over the course of three seasons.
Georgia used a variety of formations to move Bowers across the field, and the rookie thinks the Raiders will benefit from his versatility.
Bowers remarked, “I feel like I can be used in a multitude of ways.” I was relocated all around Georgia. I’ve occasionally been used as an outside receiver, tight end, or slot receiver. I also believe that my versatility is a key component of my game, and I’m eager to see what this upcoming year has in store.
The fact that Bowers was raised in Napa, California, and watched the Raiders grow up makes things even better for him. In his eyes, being drafted by the Raiders now completes a circle:
“I remember going to watch them practice, so it’s kind of cool how things come full circle,” Bowers remarked. “It’s interesting how everything works out.”
The Raiders have gained another offensive weapon, so the goal going forward will be to get started quickly. This bunch has the potential to be quite explosive in 2024.
With draft picks, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco hopes to find “more than just talent.”
Regardless of position, Brock Bowers is among the most gifted players in this draft class. However, the Raiders probably selected him with the 13th overall pick for other reasons as well.
Tom Telesco, the new general manager, recently discussed the approach he uses to choose players, saying he looks for “more than just talent.” Telesco recalled why he selected Joey Bosa and Justin Herbert during his Chargers tenure, pointing out how hard each player competed in the workouts and merely observing the intangibles that each possessed.
It assisted him in making several wise selections back then, and hopefully he has continued to do so with his first pick as the Raiders’ head coach and for the duration of the 2024 NFL Draft.