The Las Vegas Raiders have a star in the making in rookie tight end Brock Bowers.
After being selected 13th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, many felt that the team made an odd choice in Bowers considering tight end Michael Mayer was picked in the second round just a year prior.
But all those notions went to rest early in Bowers' rookie campaign as he dominated from the very first snap, and never slowed down the entire year.
He finds himself in elite company with his latest honor.
Brock Bowers earns AP First Team All-Pro Honors
Josh Dubow of the Associated Press broke the news early on Friday morning by releasing the entire list of First and Second-Team All-Pro players for the 2024 NFL season.
Here is the AP first-team All-Pro offense:
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 10, 2025
QB: Lamar Jackson
RB: Saquon Barkley
FB: Patrick Ricard
TE: Brock Bowers
WRs: Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown
LT: Tristan Wirfs
LG: Joe Thuney
C: Creed Humphrey
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Penei Sewell
This honor comes in the wake of a historic rookie season for Bowers, who rewrote the record books not only for the Raiders but for rookie tight ends and all rookie pass catchers.
Bowers collected 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns in his first season and was targeted 153 times.
His 112 catches broke the Raiders' single-season record and NFL rookie record, while his yards total broke Mike Ditka's rookie tight end receiving yards record which stood for 63 years.
The Georgia product is already on the way to being one of the all-time greats, joining elite company with this honor from the Associated Press.
#Raiders Brock Bowers is 4th rookie TE to be named a first-team AP All-Pro, joining Jeremy Shockey (2002), Keith Jackson (1988) and Charlie Young (1973).
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 10, 2025
(Note: AP didn’t have a TE on All-Pro team when Mike Ditka was a rookie in 1961)
Bowers beat out some stiff competition as well as he narrowly beat out perennial All-Pro George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers.
#Raiders Brock Bowers narrowly beat out #49ers George Kittle for 1st team All-Pro TE. Here's voting breakdown (3 pts for 1st, 1 pt for 2nd):
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 10, 2025
Brock Bowers, Las Vegas, 101 (27 1sts); George Kittle, San Francisco, 88 (22); Trey McBride, Arizona, 5; Mark Andrews, Baltimore, 4 (1);…
Not a bad start to a career for Bowers.
No other members of the Las Vegas Raiders made either the First or Second Team All-Pro from the Associated Press.