Not a lot went right for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 but one thing that did was first-round pick Brock Bowers. The rookie tight end was a revelation for the team as he set multiple rookie receiving and tight end records.
He was also named First-Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. There's an argument that he's already the best tight end in the NFL. It's not often that rookies get to go to the Pro Bowl but Bowers made it happen.
He was excited to be around many of the best players in the NFL.
"It's pretty awesome," Bowers told ESPN's Ryan Clark, via Raiders.com. "Just to meet some of these guys, get to know them a little bit and kind of make some connections around the league, it's been good."
This is likely going to be the first of many Pro Bowl appearances by Bowers. We've seen plenty of great rookies but Bowers is in a class of his own. He didn't even know that he was going to have this much success in Year 1.
"You never know how your game is going to translate at the next level," Bowers said to Clark. "I just went out there and played my game and it worked out pretty good, I think."
The thing that has to excite the Raiders about Bowers is that he doesn't seem content with having a great rookie season. If he put up those rookie numbers every year for the next eight years, he'd be a Hall of Famer. However, he's looking to get even better this offseason.
"I think part of it is just that first step, being more explosive," he said. "Just working on that kind of stuff, the small stuff in my game. Just getting better every day."