The Las Vegas Raiders selected Brock Bowers in the first round of this year's NFL Draft after not being able to land a quarterback, and he is not a bad consolation prize, as former tight end Greg Olsen raved about his ability and fit alongside Michael Mayer when appearing on The Herd.
“I think if he were able to come out the previous draft, I think you're talking about a top 5-7 pick,” Greg Olsen said on The Herd. “He might be the best college tight end, production wise, just the eye test, that I've ever really seen. I mean his size, his ability to run in the open field. I mean he's playing SEC football catching 12-yard dig rounds and out running secondary defenders from LSU, Alabama, I mean he's not beating up on small town guys, he's really impressive, I think they got a steal with him. I think the combination of him and the young kid from Notre Dame (Michael) Mayer from last year that they drafted, they got two young tight ends they could build around for a long time out there in Vegas.”
When the six quarterbacks who were viewed as potential first-round talents came off the board in the first 12 picks, it was clear that the Raiders would have to pivot and select a player at another position. Brock Bowers was viewed as the best player on the board by many regardless of position. Tight end is not viewed as a premium position, but with Bowers' talent, he is likely viewed more as a playmaker than just a tight end. He will be a vital part of the Raiders' offense for years to come, and form a formidable tight end duo with Michael Mayer, as Olsen mentioned.
Raiders setting foundation for future quarterback
The Raiders are entering this season with a quarterback room that features Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew. One of those two will likely be the starter for this season, but it is highly unlikely that they are long-term answers. There was not a long-term answer available for the Raiders to pick in the first round of the draft this year, so the pivot plan was to select Bowers for the long haul and create a situation that would be desirable for a young quarterback to step into in the future.
There is the slight chance that Aidan O'Connell plays well enough to be Las Vegas' guy at quarterback past this season, but that seems unlikely. The Raiders still have Davante Adams as well, who is not getting any younger. Not to mention Jakobi Meyers. The weapons are all in place. The only missing piece on offense is the signal caller, and that is likely to be solved in 2025.
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