Tight End: Brock Bower’s Path to Rookie of the Year: Not a Clear Favorite

Tight end Brock Bowers has been everything the Las Vegas Raiders could have hoped for and then some after he was taken with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco received some criticism for taking Bowers initially after the team had taken another tight end, Michael Mayer, in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and because the Raiders had bigger fish to fry throughout the roster.

However, that is a distant memory now with Bowers in the midst of what could be a historic season. Through 10 games, Bowers has 70 receptions for 706 yards and three touchdowns, which is made more impressive when you consider Las Vegas has had some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL in 2024.

Not only has Bowers been the best rookie tight end this year, he has arguably been the best tight end in the entire NFL. Bowers’ receptions and yards are tops among all players at the position, and he’s top 10 in receiving yards among all pass-catchers, regardless of position, and leads all rookies in that category.

The Georgia product is also on the cusp of making history. He’s 370 yards shy of the all-time rookie tight end record for most receiving yards in a season (Mike Ditka, 1,076) and is just 15 catches shy of that record, also (Sam LaPorta, 86).

To break those records, Bowers needs to average 53 receiving yards and just 2.3 receptions per contest over the next seven games, which is certainly doable, assuming he can stay healthy.

Bowers’ list of accomplishments goes on and on (he broke the rookie tight end record for most receptions in a game in Week 11), but even with all that, he still has an uphill climb for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

That’s because there are two young quarterbacks having sensational seasons in the Washington Commanders‘ Jayden Daniels and the Denver Broncos‘ Bo Nix.

On top of their impressive showings statistically, both rookies have their teams in position for a playoff spot, with the Broncos and Commanders sitting in the No. 7 spot.

When you consider that a tight end has never won the award, along with the fact that there are two standout quarterbacks voters are likely to lean toward, Bowers chances of securing the award are not good.

We will say, though, that if anyone can break the mold and become the first tight end ever to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, it’s Bowers.