The Las Vegas Raiders made the right decision in the most recent NFL Draft. With the record number of quarterbacks selected within the first 12 picks, there were no legitimate quarterbacks when the Raiders were going to select.
This led to having decide between drafting the best player available or draft a need. Raiders general manager Tom Telesco wisely drafted the best player available, tight end Brock Bowers.
Luckily for the Raiders, that could be a decision they benefit from for the next decade, as Bowers has been excellent as a rookie tight end. Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden recently took to social media to address' Bowers.
"Most likely, a rookie quarterback will win Rookie of the Year, but Brock Bowers should be at the top of the conversation,” Gruden said.
Gruden is correct that the Offensive Rookie of the Year award will likely go to a quarterback, as has been the case for the past 10 years or so. However, Bowers is undeniably having a special rookie and has proven to be a legitimate superstar in the league.
According to the Raiders' Public Relations department, "His 140 receiving yards are tied for the eighth most in a single game in NFL history by a rookie tight end. He is also just the third rookie tight end in NFL history to record 10+ catches and 140+ receiving yards in a single game - the first since 1995 (Pete Mitchell, 10 and 161). Brock Bowers is the third tight end in franchise history with at least 140 receiving yards and a touchdown in a game, joining Darren Waller (twice) and Todd Christensen.
There have not been many things that have gone right this season for the Raiders. However, drafting Bowers and watching him gradually grow into arguably the best tight end in the league.
The rookie tight end has shown immense over the first week of the season. Assuming the Raiders continues to buiiedld.
All Bowers has to do stay on the same trajectory he has been on, or close to it and he will make the Raiders look even wiser for selecting him even though they had traded up for a tight end in last year's draft.
