REPORT: 'Best/Worst-Case Scenario' for Raiders' Brock Bowers

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers is just weeks away from the start of what some believe could be a legendary career.

Las Vegas Raiders TE Brock Bowers / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders added arguably the best player in this year's NFL Draft in first-round pick Brock Bowers.

Bowers, a generational talent at the college level, will now be looking to translate his success from Georgia to the big leagues. The rookie tight end's ceiling could be sky-high, but as with any rookie, he will have to stay healthy to get off to a strong start.

Dan Parr of NFL.com recently gave his "best/worst-case projections for notable offensive rookies."

Here's what Parr had as Bowers' best-case scenario:

"Bowers and Gardner Minshew are on the same page from Day 1. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end becomes option 1b to Davante Adams’ 1a, and Bowers is an instant YAC monster for Vegas."

I think this is what most fans are anticipating for Bowers. He already demonstrated his YAC dominance in the Raiders' first preseason game, a sign of what could be great things to come.

"Really wanted to get the ball out to Brock," said Raiders coach Antonio Pierce while talking about Bowers and Raiders second-year wideout Jakobi Meyers after Las Vegas' preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. "And I think everything we've been waiting to see, we saw. The run-after-catch with both of those gentlemen, it's all going to be about YAC. They're going to be better as they go on. But really good film just to watch -- in the run game as well and our play action stuff, so they showed up tonight."

Here's what Parr said was Bowers' worst-case scenario:

"Injuries, which have slowed Bowers since last season, continue to bother him. His lack of size is exposed by tough coverage, and second-year TE Michael Mayer eats into his playing time."

Coach Pierce didn't seem too concerned with Bowers' foot injury when he addressed the media on Wednesday.

"Just cautionary," Pierce said. "Got a foot injury, and we just need to protect him."

It's reasonable to view Bowers' "lack of size" as a concern, but Bowers had no problem exposing coverages in his years at Georgia. While the NFL is a different ball game, he did reign as college football's top tight end for two years in arguably the toughest conference, the SEC.

Parr projects Bowers to total 762 yards and six touchdowns on 71 receptions in his rookie season. To compare, Mayer recorded just 304 yards and two touchdowns on 27 receptions his rookie year.

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