The Las Vegas Raiders' offense is off to a rough start to the season, but one of the few bright spots of the unit has been the play of rookie tight end Brock Bowers.
The No. 13 overall pick in April's draft wasn't well-received at first with the Raiders having bigger needs to address, but Bowers has already established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL and is on his way to a Pro Bowl nod in Year 1.
Bowers has been excellent to start the season, but Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski heavily disrespected the Raiders' rookie phenom in his Rookie Rankings, placing Bowers at No.5 on the list.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels claimed the top spot on the list, as the 2023 Heisman Trophy Winner has been historically dominant and deserves high recognition.
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse, and Pittsburgh Steelers center Zach Frazier also ranked higher than Bowers. Here is Sobleski's reasoning for Bowers' placement on the list.
The Las Vegas Raiders' Brock Bowers isn't just a good rookie tight end; he's the NFL's best receiving tight end right now. The 21-year-old is the leading receiver on a team that also features wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers.
Imagine if the Raiders featured good quarterback play. Seriously, Las Vegas is currently playing musical chairs with its quarterbacks. More consistency from the game's most important position could make Bowers deadly, more so than he already is.
Though the Raiders aren't a top-tier contender, and the offense is incompetent, there is no denying Bowers' talent and elite performance to begin his rookie campaign.
The former Georgia Bulldog leads all tight ends in receptions (28) and receiving yards (313) while also posting a 68.6 run-blocking grade.
It's hard to argue with Daniels and Nabers being at No. 1 and No.2 on the list, but Bowers should be no lower than No. 3. The former All-American is a generational talent at his position and has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL for the next decade.
