Star Rookie Continues to Prove Raiders Made Right Pick

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers continues to play great football, proving the team made the right call selecting him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Nov 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) scores a touchdown past Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are now 2-8, tied for the second-worst record in the NFL, after their 34-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. 

The Raiders have lost six straight games and are just a half-game out of the top spot in the 2025 NFL Draft. While a top pick would entice Raider Nation, this was not the season Coach Antonio Pierce envisioned when he took over the permanent head coaching job. 

The 2024 season has been brutal for Pierce and the Raiders, but there is much to look forward to as a Raiders fan. Beyond this season, the Raiders have lots of cap space and that aforementioned top draft selection. 

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers has also proved he will be a major part of this Silver and Black squad for years. After another dominant performance, Bowers has proven that he is already one of the best tight ends in the NFL. 

Bowers finished the day with 13 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. That total is the most receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history. 

The Raiders’ offensive game plan was centered around Bowers. Almost every time Gardner Minshew dropped back, his first read was the 21-year-old rookie. 

Bowers now has 70 receptions for 706 yards and three touchdowns. He is on pace for 119 receptions, 1,200 yards, and five touchdowns. 

That yardage number would not only set the Raiders’ single-season total from a rookie (Amari Cooper in 2015 with 1,070 yards) but also break Mike Ditka’s single-season rookie tight end record (1,076). 

Bowers has not only entered the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation but may have put himself at the front of it. His rare route-running and yards-after-catch ability is remarkable for a tight end. 

The Raiders could have selected a quarterback with their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but General Manager Tom Telesco stuck to his intuition and took who he believed to be the best player in the draft. 

Las Vegas will continue to rely on Bowers as the focal point of its offense. Although they may not win many more games from here on out, Bowers will continue to impress.

Bowers is the main element of an exciting Silver and Black future.

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