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Brock Bowers

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Brock Bowers
refer to caption
Bowers at Georgia's championship parade in 2022
No. 89 – Las Vegas Raiders
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (2002-12-13) December 13, 2002 (age 21)
Napa, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:243 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High school:Napa (Napa)
College:Georgia (2021–2023)
NFL draft:2024 / round: 1 / pick: 13
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2024
Receptions:47
Receiving yards:477
Receiving touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Brock Allen Bowers (born December 13, 2002) is an American professional football tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was a two-time national champion and John Mackey Award winner and holds the school record for single-season receiving touchdowns with 13. A three-time All-American, Bowers has been cited among the greatest tight ends in college football history and was selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Early life

[edit]

Bowers was born on December 13, 2002, in Napa, California.[1][2][3] His parents met at Utah State University, where his mother was an All-American softball player who was later inducted into the schools athletic Hall of Fame and his father was an All-Big West center on the school's football team.[4][5] After graduating, his mother became a high school math teacher and softball coach, while his father founded a construction company.[4][6][5] His sister plays softball at Sacramento State.[7] Growing up Bowers played a variety of sports including football, basketball, baseball and soccer.[1]

Bowers attended Napa High School in Napa, California, where he played football and basketball.[8] As a freshman he played quarterback for the school's junior varsity team, running the triple option.[1] Bowers joined the varsity team as a sophomore, playing tight end and linebacker, and received his first college offer from Nevada.[1] Following his sophomore season, he attended a Nike camp where his athleticism gained the attention of college scouts and led to him receiving about a dozen offers.[1][8] As a junior, Bowers accounted for 1,499 all-purpose yards and set a school record with 14 touchdown receptions, helping lead Napa to the state playoffs just one year after the team finished 0–10.[5][9] For his efforts he was named the Napa County Player of the Year.[10] Bowers entered his senior season as a preseason All-American but the season was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions in California.[11][7][1] Unable to play or train due to restrictions, he stayed in shape by running up and down the hills of Napa.[8] Despite not playing as a senior, he would still be named to the All-American Bowl.[12]

Recruiting

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Bowers was a highly sought-after prospect, deemed a four-star recruit and the second-ranked tight end of his class by 247Sports, although some programs such as Notre Dame would recruit him as a linebacker.[13][7] Despite being from the West Coast, Bowers wanted to play college football in the South due to the region's passion for the sport, later stating “It is a little different (in the South) — people just care a lot more about football, it’s like a religion out here."[5][7] He ultimately committed to play college football at the University of Georgia under Kirby Smart, citing his relationship with the team's tight ends coach Todd Hartley and a desire to play as a freshman as additional factors in his commitment.[14][11][1]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40‡ Commit date[15][16][17]
Brock Bowers
TE 		Napa, California Napa High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 240 lb (110 kg) N/A Aug 10, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports:4/5 stars    ESPN grade: 83
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

College career

[edit]

2021

[edit]
See also: 2021 Georgia Bulldogs football team

An early enrollee, Bowers arrived at Georgia in January 2021.[18] As a true freshman, he was originally set to share playing time with fellow tights ends Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert.[1] However, Washington broke his foot and Gilbert stepped away from the team for personal reasons, leaving Bowers as the team's primary option at tight end.[1] In his first career game, Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving with six catches for 43 yards in a 10–3 win over Clemson.[19][20] The following week against UAB, he caught his first two touchdowns, including a career-long 89-yard reception, and recorded his first 100-yard performance in a 56–7 win.[21] Two weeks later against Vanderbilt, Bowers caught two touchdowns and rushed for another en route to a blowout victory.[22] On October 16, he had another 100-yard performance, catching five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a 30–13 defeat of Kentucky.[23] Bowers had additional multi-touchdown performances against Charleston Southern and rival Georgia Tech.[24][25] In the SEC Championship Game against Alabama, Bowers caught 10 passes (the most by a tight end in SEC Championship history) for a then career-high 139 yards and a touchdown in the Bulldogs 41–24 loss, their first of the season.[26] Despite the loss to Alabama, Georgia qualified for the College Football Playoff as the third seed.[27] In the Orange Bowl semifinal against Michigan, Bowers made five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown in a 34–11 win, sending Georgia to the national championship game.[28][29] In the championship game, Georgia faced off against Alabama, who had handed the Bulldogs their lone loss of the season a month prior.[29] Bowers caught four passes in the game, including a crucial touchdown with just over three minutes remaining which extended the Bulldogs' lead to eight points.[30] Georgia defeated Alabama 33–18, capturing their first national championship since 1980.[30]

At the conclusion of his freshman season, Bowers was named SEC Freshman of the Year and was included on the All-SEC first team and All-American second team.[31][32] He finished the season as Georgia's leading receiver with 56 receptions for 882 yards and a program record 13 receiving touchdowns.[33][34][35] He also had 56 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.[34]

2022

[edit]
See also: 2022 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Following his strong freshman season, Bowers entered the 2022 season with high expectations, and was named a preseason All-American.[36] In the Bulldogs season opener against Oregon, he had two receptions for 38 yards in a 49–3 victory.[34] Two weeks later, against South Carolina, Bowers caught five passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another touchdown in a 48–7 win.[37] The following week against Kent State, he would have the best game of his career on the ground, rushing for 77 yards and two touchdowns in a 39–22 victory.[38][39] In the Bulldogs victory over Florida, Bowers recorded a career-high 154 receiving yards on five receptions, including an improbable 73-yard touchdown catch off of a deflection which some media outlets dubbed the "catch of the season".[40][41] Following a victory over LSU in the SEC Championship, the undefeated Bulldogs advanced to the College Football Playoff as the no. 1 seed.[42] In the Peach Bowl semi-final against Ohio State, Bowers caught four passes for 64 yards, including a crucial fourth down conversion in the final quarter to extend an eventual touchdown drive.[43][34] Georgia would defeat Ohio State 42–41 to advance to the national championship.[44] In the championship game, he caught a season-high seven passes for 152 yards and a touchdown on his final catch of the year to help Georgia capture their second consecutive national championship in a 65–7 blowout of TCU, the largest margin of victory in championship history.[45][46]

At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Bowers was named a first team All-American and won the John Mackey Award for the nation's best tight end.[47][48] He once again finished the season as Georgia's leading receiver with 63 receptions for 942 yards and seven touchdowns as well as 109 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.[34][49]

2023

[edit]
See also: 2023 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Bowers won the John Mackey Award again in 2023, making him the only two-time winner for that award.[50] He won the award despite missing three games in 2023 due to an ankle injury. He still led Georgia in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, something he accomplished in all three of his seasons at UGA.[51] In 10 games, Bowers caught 56 passes for 714 yards and six touchdowns.[52] Bowers declared for the 2024 NFL draft following the 2023 season.[53] A three-time All-American, he has been cited as among the greatest tight ends in college football history.[54][55][56][57]

Statistics

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Georgia Bulldogs
Season Games Receiving Rushing
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
2021 15 13 56 882 15.8 13 4 56 14.0 1
2022 15 15 63 942 15.0 7 9 109 12.1 3
2023 10 10 56 714 12.8 6 6 28 4.7 1
Career 40 38 175 2,538 14.5 26 19 193 10.2 5

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
6 ft 3+1⁄8 in
(1.91 m) 		243 lb
(110 kg) 		32+3⁄4 in
(0.83 m) 		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)
All values from NFL Combine[58][59]

Bowers was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the first round with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.[60] On May 9, 2024, Bowers signed a four-year fully-guaranteed contract worth $18.1 million.[61] In his NFL debut, he had six receptions for 58 yards in a 10–22 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1.[62] In a Week 2, 26–23 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Bowers had nine receptions for 98 yards.[63] In week 5, Bowers caught a 57-yard pass for his first NFL touchdown as a part of an eight reception, 97 yard game during an 18–34 loss to the Denver Broncos.[64]

NFL career statistics

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Year Team Games Receiving Rushing
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD
2024 LV 8 8 52 535 10.3 57 1 1 12 12 12 0
Career 8 8 52 535 10.3 57 1 1 12 12 12 0

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i May, Jed (August 31, 2022). "UGASports - Here's what made Brock Bowers America's top tight end". Rivals UGA. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  2. ^ Smart, Kirby (December 13, 2022). "Happy Birthday, @brockbowers17!!". Twitter. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  3. ^ O'Gara, Connor (February 20, 2023). "Outside of Caleb Williams, Brock Bowers has the best case for top returning player in America". Saturday Down South. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  4. ^ a b James, Marty (June 5, 2018). "DeAnna Bowers selected for Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved April 16, 2023.(subscription required)
  5. ^ a b c d Kroichick, Ron (March 5, 2023). "Bay Area's first NIL millionaire? Brock Bowers reaps rewards at Georgia". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "About". Bruce Tucker Construction Inc. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Hummer, Steve (December 23, 2021). "Georgia Bulldogs' freshman Brock Bowers a coast-to-coast hit". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Dellenger, Ross (January 7, 2023). "Brock Bowers's Journey From Unheralded Recruit to Force of Nature". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  9. ^ Hubbard, Drew (October 1, 2021). "'One of those special talents': Brock Bowers steps up for Georgia". The Red and Black. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Freeman, Sarah (October 22, 2021). "The tales of Napa football star Brock Bowers". BVM Sports. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Morris, Gus (August 10, 2020). "Napa Valley Prep Football: Napa High's Brock Bowers commits to Georgia". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved May 4, 2023.(subscription required)
  12. ^ Huffman, Brandon (November 25, 2020). "Top247 TE Brock Bowers receives All-American Bowl jersey". 247Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  13. ^ "Brock Bowers, Georgia Bulldogs, Tight End". 247Sports. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  14. ^ Gilmer, Blayne (August 10, 2020). "Brock Bowers Commits to Georgia Football". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "Brock Bowers - Football Recruiting - Player Profiles". ESPN. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "Brock Bowers, Sophomore Tight End, Georgia Rivals.com". Rivals. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  17. ^ "Brock Bowers, Georgia, Tight End". 247Sports. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  18. ^ Bachman, Rachel (January 8, 2023). "Georgia's Brock Bowers Is the Vanguard of College Football's Tight End Evolution". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  19. ^ Vitale, Joe (August 24, 2021). "Georgia HC Kirby Smart loves what he sees from freshman TE Brock Bowers". University of Georgia Wire. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  20. ^ James, Marty (September 9, 2021). "Napa County Football Insider: Bowers leads Georgia receivers in opener". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  21. ^ Butt, Jason (September 14, 2021). "UGASports - The Daily Recap: Brock Bowers impresses teammates". Rivals UGA. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  22. ^ "Brock Bowers leads No. 2 Georgia in rout of Vanderbilt". National Football Post. September 25, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  23. ^ Newberry, Paul (October 16, 2021). "Bennett, Bowers, D lead No. 1 Georgia past Kentucky, 30-13". AP News. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  24. ^ "No. 1 Georgia takes care of business vs. Charleston Southern". SaltWire. November 20, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  25. ^ Hubbard, Drew (November 27, 2021). "Final observations: Georgia defeats Georgia Tech 45-0". The Red and Black. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  26. ^ Towers, Chip (December 5, 2021). "A closer look at No. 1 Georgia's loss to No. 3 Alabama". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  27. ^ Chengelis, Angelique S. (December 5, 2021). "'We shoulda been No. 1': No. 2 Michigan to face Georgia in College Football Playoff". The Detroit News. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  28. ^ "Georgia 34-11 Michigan (Dec 31, 2021) Box Score". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Bromberg, Nick (December 31, 2021). "Georgia dismantles Michigan in Orange Bowl to set up rematch with Alabama for national title". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  30. ^ a b Samra, Steve (August 17, 2022). "Brock Bowers recalls touchdown catch in national championship game". On3. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  31. ^ Griffith, Mike (December 8, 2021). "Kirby Smart selected Associated Press SEC Coach of Year, Brock Bowers Newcomer of Year". DawgNation. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  32. ^ Sallee, Barrett (December 13, 2021). "2021 AP All-America team: Alabama's Bryce Young, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson headline first-team selections". CBS Sports. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  33. ^ Spencer, Adam (November 27, 2021). "Brock Bowers catches 77-yard TD pass, breaks multiple records on the play". Saturday Down South. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  34. ^ a b c d e "Brock Bowers Game by Game Stats and Performance". ESPN. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  35. ^ "2021 Georgia Bulldogs Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  36. ^ Towers, Chip (June 28, 2022). "3 Georgia Bulldogs named first-team preseason All-Americans". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  37. ^ Chiari, Mike (September 17, 2022). "Georgia's Brock Bowers Draws Heisman Hype, George Kittle Comps vs. South Carolina". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  38. ^ "Brock Bowers rushes No. 1 Georgia past Kent State". National Football Post. September 24, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  39. ^ Legge, Dean (September 24, 2022). "Georgia Bulldogs Beat Kent State Behind Brock Bowers' TWO Rushing Touchdowns". Dawg Post. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  40. ^ Bromberg, Nick (October 29, 2022). "Georgia's Brock Bowers makes incredible 73-yard TD catch after multiple deflections". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  41. ^ Northam, Mitchell (October 29, 2022). "Georgia's Brock Bowers might've made the play of the year with this wild catch vs. Florida". For The Win. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  42. ^ Bromberg, Nick (December 4, 2022). "Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State make College Football Playoff". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  43. ^ Bromberg, Nick (January 1, 2023). "Peach Bowl: The 5 plays that powered Georgia's 42-41 win over Ohio State". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  44. ^ Blinder, Alan (January 1, 2023). "Georgia Downs Ohio State in Semifinal on Last-Minute Touchdown". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  45. ^ Riley, Connor (January 11, 2023). "Brock Bowers unsurprisingly at his best in national championship win: 'His future is limitless'". DawgNation. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  46. ^ Truax, Barkley (January 10, 2023). "Georgia makes impressive national title game history in blowout win over TCU". On3. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  47. ^ Rowe, Jake (December 13, 2022). "ESPN names trio of Georgia players to All-American team". On3. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  48. ^ "Georgia's Brock Bowers Wins John Mackey Award". University of Georgia Athletics. December 8, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  49. ^ "2022 Georgia Bulldogs Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  50. ^ Farner, Keith (December 8, 2023). "Brock Bowers makes history as he repeats as Mackey Award winner". Saturday Down South. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  51. ^ "2023 Georgia Bulldogs Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  52. ^ "Georgia's Brock Bowers wins top tight end award again". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 8, 2023. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  53. ^ Schlabach, Mark (January 2, 2024). "Georgia star TE Brock Bowers declares for 2024 NFL draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  54. ^ Shelton, J.C. (December 16, 2023). "David Pollack crowns best TE in CFB history". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  55. ^ Williams, Jonathan (August 25, 2023). "STATS: Brock Bowers Potential to Become the Greatest Tight End Eve". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  56. ^ Hummer, Chris (October 3, 2023). "Brock Bowers for Heisman? Probably not, but he just might be the best tight end college football's ever seen". 247Sports. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  57. ^ Chadwick, Max (October 2, 2023). "Nobody in college football dominates their position like Brock Bowers". Pro Football Focus. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  58. ^ "Brock Bowers Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  59. ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Brock Bowers College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  60. ^ Smith, Michael David (April 25, 2024). "Raiders draft Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  61. ^ Wells, Adam (May 9, 2024). "Brock Bowers, Raiders Agree to 4-Year, $18M Rookie Contract After 2024 NFL Draft". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  62. ^ Landis, Carter (September 12, 2024). "Pierce: Raiders TE Bowers 'Impressive' in Rookie Debut". SI.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  63. ^ "Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens - September 15th, 2024". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  64. ^ Beulke, Jack (October 7, 2024). "Brock Bowers Has Been a Bright Spot in Struggling Raiders Offense". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
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