Feb 1, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) during AFC Practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Brock Bowers Was the Perfect Prospect

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 5:30 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders took superstar tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. At the time, it was a question pick for the Raiders. But as the weeks kept going by and the play of Bowers was getting better in his rookie season, many were starting to keep their eyes on him. And then Bowers put on one of the best seasons a rookie has ever had.

Then, before the end of last season, it got people talking about how teams let Bowers fall all the way to the 13th pick and to the Raiders. The Raiders have been known as a team to miss out on a generational player because of all the mistakes they have made in previous drafts. But that night in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Raiders pushed the right buttons in the first round by selecting Bowers.

The thing that many teams knew was that experts had Bowers as the best overall player coming out of college and into the 2024 draft. He was also seen by many as the best playmaker. But teams still passed on him. And now Bowers is seen as the best tight end in the National Football League after his first season in the league.

“[Bowers] was the highest-graded overall player in the 2024 draft in the eyes of some NFL scouts, but the position he plays, coupled with a strong quarterback draft, dropped him to the No. 13 pick," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said.

“We preferred to take a premium position in the first round of the draft and on the pay scale, tight ends don’t fit in that group. [Drafting Brock Bowers] was something he had kind of pushed to the side even though we knew how good he was,” said former Raiders general manager Telesco on the Check the Mic podcast.

“[But] as we got later in the process, the way I looked at it, what he could bring to our offense, what he could do, I kind of went off the script a little bit and decided to go that route, and I’m glad we did. He’s an outstanding player.”

Next season, Bowers is looking to improve his game and is focusing on all the things he did not do well last season. The Raiders have a special player in Bowers for many years to come. Bowers is the major building piece the Raiders were looking for, and now the franchise is looking to win more games with Bowers.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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