Last year, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua made NFL history with an outstanding rookie season, catching 105 passes – an all-time high for a first-year player.
But it appears that record may be short-lived, as Raiders’ rookie tight end Brock Bowers is on a blistering pace to surpass it.
After just eight games this season, Bowers has 52 receptions, positioning him to finish with 111 catches if he continues at his current rate, which would eclipse Nacua’s record.
Currently, Bowers leads the NFL in receptions with 52 and has the most receiving yards for a tight end (535).
If he gains another 65 yards on Sunday, he’ll join elite company, becoming one of only three tight ends in history – alongside Hall of Famer Mike Ditka and the Falcons’ Kyle Pitts – to exceed 600 receiving yards within the first nine games of their careers.
Adding to the impressive feat, Bowers is in line to join the ranks of Nacua and Saquon Barkley as the only rookies to record 60 receptions in their first nine games.
Following last Sunday’s Raiders-Chiefs showdown, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce congratulated Bowers, approaching him after the game to say, “Happy as hell for you. Keep doing your thing. I’m gonna shoot my jersey to your locker.”
The humble Bowers isn’t one to seek the spotlight. “I go about my own business and, whenever I’m in the building, I just kind of focus on football and yeah, just getting after it,” he said.
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce spoke about the confidence the team has in the ultra-impressive rookie.
“Even when he’s covered, he’s open,” Pierce said. “That’s how I look at it. Throw him the rock, big hands, big mitts, he catches everything around him.”
Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby revealed that Bowers has left quite an impression on him, and he could tell from day one that he was going to be special.
“He’s a stud,” Crosby said. “Since the day he got here he’s been quiet, confident, just a baller. He’s already one of the better tight ends in the league. He catches everything, runs through tackles, makes people miss. He’s a complete package. I love that he’s on our team.”
You could make the argument that Bowers was the best player in all of college football last season. He capped off a dominant career at Georgia where he won two national championships.
While the majority of the attention in last April’s NFL Draft was focused on the top quarterbacks, Bowers miraculously slipped all the way to pick No. 13 where the Raiders happily snatched him up.
Quarterback is the most important position in all of sports. You can’t sniff a Lombardi Trophy without a top-tier QB. Having said that, there’s a very realistic chance that Bowers ends up being the single-best player to come from the 2024 draft.
What are your thoughts on Bowers and the tremendous start he’s off to in the NFL?
Of course we have a very long way to go, but do you think Bowers has the potential to become the greatest tight end in NFL history???
