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Brock Bowers Pick Wows Raiders Fans, TE Labeled Steal of 2024 NFL Draft 1st-Round

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Brock Bowers has been selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Bowers is coming off three exceptional seasons at Georgia, winning the John Mackey Award in both 2022 and 2023 as the most outstanding tight end in the country. Although a high ankle sprain limited him to just 10 games in 2023, he still hauled in 56 receptions for 714 yards and six touchdowns.

Now, he'll be part of a Las Vegas offense that also includes Davante Adams, Michael Mayer, and Zamir White. Raiders fans were thrilled with the pick after Bowers fell out of the top 10:

Although Las Vegas selected Mayer with a second-round pick in 2023, that didn't stop the front office from adding one of the most talented players in the 2024 draft. Head coach Antonio Pierce will likely find ways to utilize both tight ends in 12 personnel in order to give each of them significant playing time.

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department ranked Bowers as the No. 1 tight end and No. 2 overall player in the 2024 class on the final big board prior to the draft. B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen was impressed with the former Bulldog, comparing him to San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.

"Brock Bowers is a rare, explosive play threat from the tight end position," Klassen wrote in his scouting report. "Anytime he touches the ball, he could go for a house call."

While many expected the Raiders to target a quarterback, six signal-callers were already off the board by the time Las Vegas was on the clock. General manager Tom Telesco decided to pick the consensus top player available by choosing Bowers, with Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew currently set to battle for the starting quarterback job.

Las Vegas could still add a quarterback later in the draft, as the team owns seven more picks.

Regardless of the starter under center, Bowers should immediately contribute as a rookie and help the Raiders improve in their first full season under Pierce.

   

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