Pro Football Focus: Georgia TE Brock Bowers is a "Slam Dunk" Top-10 NFL Draft Pick
From the very first time he took the field for the Georgia Bulldogs in Charlotte, North Carolina to open the 2021 season against Clemson, it was evident that Brock Bowers was different. That night against Clemson, the true freshman from Napa, California led the Bulldogs in both receptions and receiving yards and never looked back. Two All-American seasons and one Mackey Award later, Bowers is now set to enter what will almost certainly be his final collegiate season and the NFL draft buzz is already starting to build around the Georgia star. On Pro Football Focus' NFL Draft Podcast "NFL Stock Exchange," hosts Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers gushed over Bowers and his 2024 draft prospects in an episode previewing the projected 2024 tight end draft class.
Based on his early scouting of Bowers, Sikkema expects the Georgia tight end to be among the highest graded NFL draft prospects that he has ever scouted.
"This is going to be one of the highest prospects that I have ever graded, from a numbers perspective. The way that I have my scouting sheets and scouting breakdowns, I take everything from measurables to combine results, production, film grades, all of that stuff into account. I've got to think Brock Bowers is going to be one of the top-10 players that I've really every scouted since I've ever really started to do this."
According to Sikemma, it is Bowers' skill set as a receiver and ball carrier that most obviously sets him apart from his peers.
"He is a reliable and effective red-zone threat as an outside receiver for fade passes that is incredibly reliable. He is a natural yards after catch receiver. And more than just natural, I would say incredible. Super strong hands for contested catches in all situations at any point in the field. Whether the ball is coming into his chest, whether it's way above his head, whether it's at the peak of his catch radius to the left or right, whatever. This dude has super strong hands.
While Bowers' elite physical traits are readily apparent, Sikemma also identified Bowers' tenacity and work ethic as intangible factors that even further separate him from the pack at tight end.
"Such a very, very good athlete for a receiver who is that big. Even if you say 'oh, he's a little bit small for a tight end,' for a receiver who is 6-foot-3, 230-pounds, incredible athlete," Sikkema insisted. He continued, "Really good blocker in space, especially when he is lined-up in the slot. Consistently looking for extra blocking work. His head is on a swivel at all times to block. The work ethic, the play-through-the-whistle, that mentality unbelievable for him. It's what every single coach is looking for."
Georgia Junior TE Brock Bowers makes showcases his ability to make difficult catches look routine in a game against Samford during Georgia's national championship 2022 season.
Yet, while Sikemma largely lauded Bowers' physical and mental makeup, he did express concern about the Mackey Award-winner's size as it relates to blocking NFL defenders.
"The one weakness I have on him is that the weight factor of him being 230-235ish, weight will limit his effectiveness as an in-line blocker. But, his blocking technique is so good, that he will even be able to hold himself against outside linebacker-type players. The only real area of his game that I am worried about is if you get this dude lined-up against a 260-265-pound true defensive end, yeah he might struggle a little bit just because the weight profile is a little bit further down, but maybe if he gets between 240-245 at the NFL level, maybe that's not going to be a problem at all.
However, despite Bowers' lack of prototypical size at the position, Sikemma believes the Georgia tight end's overall skill set and production at the college level outweighs any concerns related to his size and will ensure that Bowers is ultimately drafted inside the top-10 of the 2024 NFL draft.
"Brock Bowers is not going to be this home-run, passes the eye test, or the get-off-the-bus test type of a player, he's just not. But holy %&#@ can this dude play the game of football. 92.2 and 90.5 receiving grades as an underclassman. A true freshman and a true sophomore. Stupid. 24 explosive plays of 15 yards or more last season were the most for a tight end for any FBS school. And 76.5 contested catch percentage in 2022 was top-10 of any receiver in the FBS."
"Bowers would have been a first-round pick if he could have declared as a true freshman. He is the total package for a modern-day tight end. He gives you everything you would want from a big receiver perspective, is excellent blocking in space, and as a puller and has zero reps where he is not giving it his all no matter what his responsibility is. This is an easy slam dunk top-10 overall draft pick.
Co-host Connor Rogers echoed Sikemma's analysis of Bowers and even what as far as to compare the Napa, CA native to one of the NFL's top tight ends.
"He's George Kittle. Every great thing about George Kittle, this guy has. And maybe not the total killer as a blocker yet, but I think he is going to get there. The way they use him in the screen game, his ability with the ball in his hands after the catch, the jump-ball ability."
“He’s one of the best players in college football and he’s been one of the best players in college football. I think the convo with Brock Bowers is going to reach the low hanging fruit question of, ‘Is he a better prospect than Kyle Pitts?’ We’ll have that convo when we do tight end rankings in January or whatever, but he’s unbelievable."
After two spectacular seasons as an underclassman, Bowers enters the 2023 season with a realistic chance to stake his claim as the best tight end in college football history, and in the process cement his status as a sure fire top-10 NFL draft pick.
