NFL Sends Clear Message on Raiders' Rising Star

"Bowers makes history in our Top 10 poll -- he's the first player to rank No. 1 at his position after his rookie year. From Joe Burrow to Justin Jefferson and Sauce Gardner, many came close but couldn't quite pull off the feat. Bowers, however, narrowly outdistanced Kittle in the polls after earning more than 50% of the first-place votes," Fowler said.

"He 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. Sure, the Raiders needed a quarterback in the worst way, but there's no way they regret the selection of Bowers, who met expectations, then smashed them."

"Among his Year 1 records: most receiving yards by a rookie tight end or wide receiver in NFL history (1,194), most receptions by a rookie at any position (112) and most receptions by any player in a single season in Raiders history."

Following Organized Team Activities, Raiders Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly spoke about what he has seen from Bowers so far this offseason. Kelly is one of the most well-respected offensive minds in the league. He will likely find a way to continue getting the most out of Bowers.

"So, he missed the first two or three weeks of phase two, so we didn't see him when we were all first here when we got to see everybody at first glance. But when he came in here, he was as advertised, and unbelievable work ethic, unbelievable attention to detail. All the things you're looking for in a player, along with just a unique skill set, to have a guy that big and that athletic and moves in that way is kind of special. So, we're really excited about what he can bring for us," Kelly said.

Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and weigh in on this take.

While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss this take.