The Raiders 2024 season has been rough to watch. The team has no sense of identity, and watching the offense try to move the ball down the field is painful at times. Even as they sit at 2-6 through eight weeks of the NFL season, there is still at least one bright spot to hold onto.
That bright spot is rookie tight end Brock Bowers. The former Georgia Bulldog is better than advertised, and he has the numbers to show for it.
Bowers has been so good in his rookie season that he leads the entire NFL in receptions with 52. Yes, you read that right, It's not just rookies or tight ends; he leads the entire league in receptions. The next player that is closest to Bowers is Garrett Wilson from the New York Jets.
Right now, Bowers obviously has 52 receptions, but he also has 535 yards, which puts him at number 11 in the league, and one touchdown. Bowers is on pace for a historic season, and his production shouldn't stop anytime soon as he's the focal point of the offense.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.
Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
The current receiving yards record for a rookie tight end was set by Mike Ditka in 1961 with 1,076 yards, as for the rookie tight end receptions record, that is held by Sam LaPorta with 86 in 2023. Both of these records are within reach if he stays at the pace he has.
While the Raiders continue to struggle, the only good news is they have a star rookie tight end, who might also be getting a rookie quarterback to throw to him next season.
