by J.T. Toth
Photo courtesy of Georgia Bulldogs.
The NFL Draft talk never ends, and we are here at Draft 412 in an effort to keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars. From today until draft night 2024, we will bring you mocks, profiles, team needs, and everything else related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - Georgia TE, Brock Bowers
Name- Brock Bowers
Pos- TE
Team- Georgia
HT/WT- 6’4” 230 lbs.
Born- 12/13/2002
Home – Napa, CA
Bowers attended Napa High School in Napa, California where he played football and basketball. As a sophomore, he made varsity and played tight end and linebacker. As a junior, Bowers accounted for 1,499 total yards and set a school record with 14 touchdown receptions. As a senior, Bowers entered the year as a preseason All-American but the season was canceled due to Covid.
As a four-star heavily recruited tight end, Bowers had an opportunity to stay on the West Coast and play football but instead chose Georgia. Bowers stated, “It is a little different (in the South) -people just care a lot more about football, it’s like a religion out here.”
As a true freshman, Bowers was slated to share time with Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert, however, Washington would get injured and Gilbert would leave the team. Bowers would go on to be named the SEC freshman of the year and was included on the All-SEC first team and All-American second team. He finished the season with 56 receptions for 882 yards and a program record 13 receiving touchdowns leading Georgia to the National Title.
Heading into his sophomore season, Bowers was named a preseason All-American. He would help Georgia win their second National Title in a row, a 65-7 blowout of TCU. Bowers would finish his second campaign with 63 receptions for 942 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns, and would also add 3 rushing touchdowns. He was named first team All-American and won the John Mackey Award for the nation's best tight end.
Bowers does not appear to be as fast as he is and defenders have said they are shocked at his acceleration. He’s rumored to have run a 4.49, thus creating a matchup nightmare for most opponents. Bowers has good hands and catches the ball away from his body. He excels at accruing yards after the catch, taking a short pass and making it a big play. He runs crisp routes and turns his head around and finds the ball as well as anyone Draft 412 has scouted. A fluid athlete, Bowers comes in and out of breaks more like a receiver than a tight end. He will be very difficult to cover at the next level.
Bowers was rarely called upon to run block at Georgia and will have to work on mechanics to be successful in this area. He projects as an elite passing catching tight end who lines up off the line. He struggles at times against man-to-man press coverage.
Strengths
Sneaky speed
Smooth athlete. Runs fluid routes
Good hands-catches the ball away from body
A playmaker after the catch
A matchup nightmare
Weaknesses
Blocking skills are very limited
Struggles against man-to-man press coverage
Goes through bouts of dropped passes
Final Analysis
Brock Bowers has a chance to be a special player in the NFL for years to come. He will be a weapon from day one and add a dimension to some team's offense that will be hard to defend.
Prediction- Top 5 pick in 2024.