HENDERSON, Nev. — Brock Bowers is within the throes of a monster but considerably contradictory rookie season within the NFL.
His 87 catches are second-most within the league, and with 4 video games to play, already a single-season file for many receptions by a rookie tight finish.
His 933 receiving yards are essentially the most amongst all NFL tight ends.
And his 4 receiving touchdowns rank third amongst all rookies within the league, first amongst rookie tight ends.
Pro Bowl? Bowers is in line to probably change into the primary rookie tight finish in additional than 20 years named first-team All Pro.
All with the Raiders having already trotted out three totally different quarterbacks, and with Las Vegas (2-11) driving a nine-game dropping streak whereas on tempo for one of many high picks in April’s draft.
Yet, as Bowers prepares for the brightest lights on his largest skilled stage but — a “Monday Night Football” dwelling recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) — self-deprecation is a form of self-defense for final spring’s No. 13 general draft decide and one of many main Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates.
Somehow, there are occasions when Bowers, oft in comparison with a unicorn due to his distinctive ability set, thinks he “sucks” on the sector.
Seriously.
“The complete time I used to be telling myself, ‘Golly, what am I doing on the market?'” a chagrined Bowers mentioned after the Raiders’ heartbreaking last-second loss on the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Black Friday.
A recreation, thoughts you, by which Bowers went off for 10 catches, on 14 targets, for a career-best 140 yards and a TD.
“I imply, as a result of that might occur then one thing unhealthy might occur the subsequent play and I’m like, ‘Dude, I suck once more,'” Bowers mentioned
“So yeah, I really feel that that helps me play slightly higher once I assume I’m not doing nicely as a result of I need to do one thing good.”
MORE THAN A few eyebrows, and hackles, have been raised when Bowers’ title was referred to as for the Raiders in April’s draft. Tight finish was removed from a necessity for Las Vegas, which wanted a proper deal with, and the Raiders already had Michael Mayer, a second-round draft decide a 12 months earlier, and veteran free agent signee Harrison Bryant underneath contract.
But first-year Raiders normal supervisor Tom Telesco caught to his philosophy and grabbed one of the best participant out there on his board.
The Raiders haven’t regretted delivering Bowers’ envelope. Not even slightly bit.
“From the primary day he walked into the constructing, he was only a totally different cat, man,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce mentioned. “He’s all about ball. You simply see him, every little thing he is doing, he is at all times shifting. Everything’s football-related, even simply strolling by the constructing.”
The e-book on Bowers, who grew up in California’s Napa Wine Country earlier than enjoying his faculty ball within the Deep South at Georgia, was that he was no-nonsense.
Boring, nearly.
And that description match him as snugly as the 2 Mackey Awards he was awarded because the nation’s greatest tight finish whereas additionally serving to the Bulldogs win consecutive nationwide championships.
Boring, it seems, was really enjoyable for Bowers, who mentioned he has probably not been stunned by a lot within the NFL to this point.
“Just the success I’ve had has stunned me, I do not know,” Bowers instructed ESPN. “You do not know the way you are going to do within the subsequent degree and also you form of query issues. But it is labored out thus far.”
On the non-public degree, sure. Translating to staff wins? Well…
The Raiders final gained a recreation on Sept. 29. Bowers was averaging 5 catches per recreation when the Raiders began 2-2. He is averaging 7.4 catches of their longest dropping streak because the Raiders opened the 2014 season 0-10.
As each Bowers, named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the month for November, and Pierce have acknowledged, they want his taking on video games translated into the win column.
No one within the Raiders locker room, although, want fear about his private success overshadowing staff wants.
“That’s unusual, how he carries himself,” mentioned left deal with Kolton Miller, the Raiders’ longest-tenured participant, drafted in 2018.
“You would not anticipate him to only mentally to be on that subsequent degree, that competitors, that competitiveness, what he is proven. His ability degree has been superior to see, particularly from a rookie.”
Jack Jones, as a cornerback, does not go up in opposition to Bowers in observe a lot, however he likes what he is seen on Sundays. Scratch that, he loves it.
“With his manufacturing within the video games, that s–t speaks for itself,” Jones mentioned with fun. “He’s breaking stats, making historical past, making performs, serving to us win, serving to us attempt to win. So I imply, s–t, hats off to him.
“Dude’s bought some good palms, man. He catches some tough passes and he makes tough passes look straightforward. Not all people might do this, particularly at his dimension.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Bowers is extra swish than plodding, extra gazelle within the open subject than a stampeding buffalo.
But, as Pierce mentioned, “he is a receiver when the ball is within the air, and when he has a ball in his hand, he is punishing individuals” like a working again.
All whereas exhibiting the veterans within the locker room easy methods to comport himself.
“I identical to watching him, man,” receiver Jakobi Meyers mentioned.
“I hope when I’ve children, I hope they form of simply transfer considerably like him. I’m telling you, he do not complain. He do not cry. He do not ask for the ball. He simply goes and makes the performs that come his approach. Good dude.”
The final rookie tight finish named first-team All-Pro?
Jeremy Shockey, who caught 74 passes for 894 yards and two touchdowns for the New York Giants in 2002, following within the footsteps of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Keith Jackson (1988) and Charle Young (1973).
Pierce was teammates with Shockey on the Giants and whereas he sees some similarities, Bowers is totally different, Pierce mentioned.
And Pierce, who performed linebacker within the NFL for 9 years, wouldn’t just like the task of protecting Bowers, whilst he needed to shadow Shockey in observe.
“I’ll level to the man subsequent to me,” Pierce joked. “I’ll go search for a single digit or one in every of them DBs.”
Of late, opponents have been placing their greatest cornerbacks on Bowers, from the Denver Broncos‘ Pat Surtain II to the Miami Dolphins ‘ Jalen Ramsey to the Chiefs ‘ Trent McDuffie.
“They’re not placing actually too many linebackers on him all through the sport and now, we’re seeing double-teams and them actually shifting their zone to him,” Pierce mentioned. “And to be sincere, I do not actually assume it issues. I believe we have got a extremely particular participant on our palms.
“This child is all struggle. I simply find it irresistible. And he is the identical man every single day. We get off the aircraft, he is bought his black shorts and his black T- shirt on and he is able to roll and prepare for work the subsequent day.”
BEFORE HE MADE a enterprise choice of his personal in forcing his commerce to the New York Jets, extensive receiver Davante Adams took a shine to the quiet rookie, calling Bowers “Business Man” as a result of Bowers was all enterprise, on and off the sector.
Interestingly sufficient, Bowers will return to Georgia this offseason to complete his diploma in enterprise/actual property.
Bowers has soccer enterprise to are inclined to with the Raiders, beginning in opposition to the Falcons and persevering with with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.
If he catches six passes in opposition to the Falcons, Bowers surpasses Michael Thomas for the fourth-most receptions in a season by a rookie in NFL historical past (Puka Nacua set the rookie mark with 105 catches for the Los Angeles Rams final season).
If he finishes with a minimum of 67 receiving yards in opposition to the Falcons, Bowers joins Mike Ditka (1,076 yards in 1961) and Kyle Pitts (1,026 yards in 2021) as the one rookie tight ends with a 1,000-yard receiving season.
Bowers is on tempo for 114 catches, which might be a single-season franchise file, and 1,220 receiving yards, which might be No. 2 all time amongst Raiders tight ends.
All of that, although, will kind itself out, he mentioned.
“Just specializing in the subsequent day helps,” he mentioned. “You’re simply form of centered on the subsequent factor, as an alternative of the large image. It form of helps you lock in and do what you are able to do.
“It’s soccer, it is enjoyable. It’s enjoyable being across the guys, enjoyable within the locker room. And I imply, we attempt to have as a lot enjoyable as we are able to, however we’re making an attempt to remain locked in and win video games, too. And that is been powerful.”
Especially in an traditionally contradictory season.
