If you ask any Georgia Bulldogs fan, they will tell you that Brock Bowers is the best player in the 2024 NFL draft.
Los Vegas fans, however, don’t seem to know what to make of Bowers going No. 13 to the Raiders during Thursday night’s first round.
Las Vegas was expected to add a defender or a franchise quarterback headed into Antonio Pierce’s first draft as Raiders head coach. When Las Vegas was put on the clock at No. 13, all six of the best passers in the class were taken, but no defender had came off the board yet.
Surely the Raiders would go defense, right?
That wasn’t the case. Pierce and the Las Vegas elected to go with arguably the best player available, Bowers. You would think that even though fans were likely thinking defense, a generational talent that can change an offense would suffice. After all, the three-time All-American and two-time Mackey Award winner will go down as one of, if not the best, college football players of all time.
Here’s a look at a Las Vegas draft party where mixed emotions around the pick were evident:
This is how the Raiders announced their first-round draft pick, TE Brock Bowerspic.twitter.com/kHzk1pB6Sn
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) April 26, 2024
On the surface, adding Bowers to a tight end room that already features former All-American and second-round draft pick, Michael Mayer, is an interesting selection that early in the draft. However, Bowers and the Georgia offense thrived in a two-tight end system for the last three seasons.
In three years at UGA, Bowers racked up an outstanding 175 receptions for 2,538 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns. He also added 19 rushing attempts for 193 yards and five scores on the ground.
Bowers is much more than a pass catcher. He can line up out wide, in-line or at H-back. He provides a level of versatility that can change any offense for the better.
