The Las Vegas Raiders were part of the craziness that transpired on Thursday night in the 2024 NFL Draft. It all started at pick No. 8. The Atlanta Falcons were on the clock and about to do the craziest thing we had seen in years.
After giving Kirk Cousins a huge contract in free agency, which is fully guaranteed through 2025, they decided they should draft quarterback Michael Penix at No. 8.
The Raiders were not able to trade up for QB Jayden Daniels, who went No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders, as most of us thought he would. Overall, this left their original plan in the mud. Now, they had to do something different.
With the way the draft board fell, with only offensive players being taken before them and six of the 12 being quarterbacks, they had no choice but to take the best player in the draft, Brock Bowers.
"I was shocked," Bowers said. "I wasn't really sure what was happening. But then the phone call came, and I am juiced."
Bowers is the 10th overall prospect in the draft on our big board and the No. 1 tight end in the class. So, in reality, the Raiders got great value. They went with the best player available, and it could pay off, given that their biggest weakness was their offense as a whole last season.
With new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in town, the Raiders now have two tight ends, Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, to run a lot of 12 personnel, which means one running back and two tight ends.
Bowers is a blocking tight end similar to Mayer but is a much better offensive weapon.
He was likely confused and didn't see it coming because the Raiders still had other needs before they got to the bottom of the list in the tight end or wide receiver. They didn't need any more offensive weapons besides the most important one - a quarterback.
However, the pick wasn't a bad one. The Raiders still have a guy who is a guaranteed hit and one who can help improve their worst unit from a season ago.
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