Brock Bowers took the NFL by storm in his rookie year, shattering records and emerging as one of the league’s most electrifying tight ends.
But if you asked him on draft night which team he expected to call his name, the Las Vegas Raiders wouldn’t have even made the list.
In a recent appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast hosted by former NFL players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton, Bowers shared just how unexpected his draft night destination truly was.
Despite minimal contact with the Raiders throughout the pre-draft process, it was Las Vegas that made the surprise move to bring him in.
“It’s actually kind of funny, it’s always like the team you least expect to pick you,” Bowers said, recounting the night.
“I didn’t talk to them a ton, I talked to other teams a lot more, and then all of a sudden I’m sitting there on draft night and I get a call. Me and my agent are talking, and Las Vegas isn’t even in the picture really. … All of a sudden, I get a call and it says Las Vegas, Nevada. I said, ‘Should I pick this up?’ and he said, ‘Hell yeah pick it up!'”
The call would mark the start of an unforgettable rookie campaign. Bowers finished his first NFL season with 112 receptions, setting a new record for most catches by a rookie, and racked up 1,194 receiving yards, another high-water mark for rookie tight ends.
He added five touchdown grabs, earned a Pro Bowl nod, and quickly established himself as one of the most productive weapons in the Raiders‘ offensive arsenal.
Bowers’ meteoric rise powers new era in Las Vegas
Bowers‘ rookie year in the Silver and Black was historic. His blend of route running, physicality, and open-field elusiveness gave the Raiders something they hadn’t had in years: a consistent, matchup nightmare at the tight end position.
With defenders struggling to match up against his size and speed, Bowers routinely moved the chains and flipped momentum with explosive plays.
What made the feat even more remarkable was how quickly he acclimated to the NFL level, despite initially feeling out of the loop with the team that drafted him.
The minimal contact with the Raiders leading up to the draft didn’t deter Bowers from becoming an immediate contributor, and Las Vegas clearly knew they had something special the moment he hit the field.
Heading into his second season, Bowers will continue to serve as a centerpiece of the Raiders‘ offense, this time under the guidance of new head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith.
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