Brock Bowers was so hyped coming out of college that it seemed impossible that he'd be able to live up to it. Rookie tight ends rarely have a ton of success, especially on a team with poor quarterback play like the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, Bowers has defied the odds, and not only is he far and away the best rookie tight end right now, but he might also be the best tight end in the entire NFL. A tight end has never won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in the NFL.
The award is often given to quarterbacks, but sometimes a wide receiver or a running back can sneak in. Never a tight end, though. Bowers faces some stiff competition with Jayden Daniels having a great season at quarterback. Bo Nix has also been playing well as of late.
Despite that, Bleacher Report's James Palmer detailed why he thinks Bowers should be considered the front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
My front runner for rookie of the year is Brock Bowers. No TE has ever won the award. But Bowers is second in the NFL in catches only trailing Ja'Marr Chase. He's on pace to shatter the rookie reception record regardless of position. He's 7th in YAC and also 9th in the NFL in…
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) November 18, 2024
The thing with Bowers is that his stats aren't just great for a rookie, they would be great for any player. Being No. 2 in the NFL in receptions as a rookie tight end is unheard of. Daniels and Nix have had good seasons for rookies but neither is top-10 in passing yards, passing touchdowns or passer rating.
Bowers has a chance to be a First-Team All-Pro at tight end. He's also doing this with Gardner Minshew as his quarterback most of the time, which should only help his case.
The Raiders landed a stud in Bowers and it's difficult to know just how high his ceiling is. If the team gets him a great quarterback and playcaller, he could consistently put up Travis Kelce prime numbers. We just have to hope that Las Vegas doesn't waste this generational talent.