How Far Could Brock Bowers Fall?
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers might be one of the top five overall prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class, but that doesn't mean he'll be picked that early when April rolls around.
It's rare to see a tight end come off the board in the top 10, and even those few elite prospects who have managed to accomplish that feat have struggled to live up to the lofty expectations that come with it.
That's why Bowers could end up waiting longer than expected to hear his name called this year, despite being one of the top talents available, regardless of position.
In the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, Bowers tumbles all the way to the No. 18 pick, where the Cincinnati Bengals wisely snatch him up.
Even Jeremiah himself admits that Bowers falling that far seems unlikely, but it's hard not to imagine what the Cincy offense would look like with Bowers teaming up with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase.
"File this under fits that I selfishly want to see happen," Jeremiah says of the pick. "It’s highly unlikely Bowers falls this far in Round 1, but let’s just pause and dream for a moment about seeing him joining forces with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase."
Bowers is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, but he's undersized for an NFL tight end, and missed time last season with an ankle injury. It's possible many teams picking early in the first round might simply be unwilling to spend their top choice on a smaller tight end who has already dealt with injuries at the college level.
If he does happen to fall to a team like the Bengals, though, many of those teams might look back and regret letting it happen.