Like many sports, the NFL is a copycat league.
And when it comes to the tight end position, every team in the league is trying to find the next Travis Kelce or even George Kittle.
Tight end has become a game-changing position in the league.
Now, the question is: Is Brock Bowers, the next game-changing tight end, ready to shine in the NFL?
The numbers Bowers put up at Georgia and the success the Bulldogs had with him on the field indicate he has a chance to be at least as good as Kelce and Kittle.
Bowers is the best tight end prospect in the upcoming draft so far, finishing his college career as the SEC all-time leader for tight ends in catches (175), receiving yards (2,538) and receiving touchdowns (26). Ta.
All of these numbers were the highest in the nation from 2021 to 2023.
And they came while the University of Georgia won 42 of 44 games during his college career and won the College Football Playoff national championship in his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Bowers also became the first college player to have at least 25 receiving touchdowns and five or more rushing touchdowns in his career since Tavon Austin did it at West Virginia University from 2009 to 2012.
“He has a 100 percent chance of being the best player in the draft,” Anthony Becht, a former Jets tight end and current head coach of the United Football League’s St. Louis BattleHawks, told the Post this week. There is,” he said. “He’s an elite route runner and pass catcher. Once he gets the ball in his hands after the catch, he’s a game changer.”
No matter which team drafts Bowers, Becht’s main message to his former team, which likely has ties to him and needs big-play offensive talent to pair with Aaron Rodgers, is to utilize him early and often. It’s something to do.
“If you’re going to acquire Brock Bowers, you better give him the football and make sure he’s going to factor into your offense. Because when you acquire a player, you better get the value you need from him. Because you have to pull it out.’ It’s expensive,” Becht said. “He could be a game changer. The biggest thing is we’ve got to get them the ball. Once we get guys in the first round, we’ve got to force feed those guys. You have to teach them soccer early on so they can make a difference in your attack.
“What if Brock Bowers was selected at No. 10?” [by the Jets] That way, give him the football and make him an integral part of the offensive line and he’ll be worth every penny. ”
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. echoed Becht’s assessment of Bowers’ potential.
“If he goes to the right team and the right quarterback, he could be in line for NFL Rookie of the Year,” Kiper said.
The Jets are clearly in a game mode right now, and at 40 years old, Rodgers probably doesn’t have a year or two left.
Perhaps the top receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors and Roman Odunze will likely be off the board once the No. 10 pick arrives. This makes Bowers a realistic option for them unless they want to continue to shore up their offensive line with the best tackles available.
Bowers recognizes the impact and attention that Kelce, Kittle and others have on the league.
“Tight end is the best position right now,” he told reporters at the scouting combine. “I’m glad it’s happening now.”
Last season, he caught 56 passes for 714 yards and six touchdowns in just 10 games, and played his best in the big games.
“I feel like from a young age, I always wanted to be the best, or at least try to be the best,” Bowers said at the combine. “I feel like that’s what really drives me. I try to outdo the person next to me.”
He said he grew up watching former Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski as a “huge role model,” adding, “I also love watching Kittle and Kelce.”
At just under 6-foot-4 and about 235 pounds, Bowers isn’t as big as Kelce (6-5, 250) or Kittle (6-4, 250).
He has 4.5/40 speed, so I still believe he can put up the numbers they have as a matter of matchup.
Bowers looks to be NFL ready based on the pro-like program he excelled at.
First half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Sanford Stadium.
September 16, 2023. Getty Images
“We were playing against first-round guys on defense every day in practice. That kind of growth really improved my game and helped me in playing against that kind of competition every day. ,” Bowers said of the university.
“He’s not going to be that guy that comes into the NFL and drops the ball and screws up,” Becht said. “He’s gotten over that. He’s playing in front of 100,000 people every week in the biggest games on TV. He’s a performer. That’s what he does. ”
