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Where will Brock Bowers be drafted? Colts, Jets lead list of 2024 NFL Draft landing spots

austin curtright, usa today network
·3 min read

Former Georgia football tight end Brock Bowers is likely to be the first tight end selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, but to which team is the question.

Bowers, the two-time recipient of the John Mackey Award — given to the nation's best tight end — is expected to be a first-round pick come Thursday after starring for three seasons with the Bulldogs. Despite missing some time a season ago, Bowers still managed to catch 56 passes for 714 yards with six touchdowns, raising his career total to 175 receptions for 2,538 yards with 26 touchdowns.

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Seen by many as the modern-day prototype for tight end, Bowers should be an instant contributor for any team he is selected by.

Here's where Bowers is being projected in the 2024 NFL Draft:

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Where will Georgia's Brock Bowers go in 2024 NFL Draft?

It would be a major surprise if Bowers fell out of the first round, as NFL draft experts seem to be in agreement that Bowers will be selected in the teens of the first round. Here's where Bowers is being projected:

USA TODAY: Round 1, No. 15 overall to Indianapolis Colts

The two-time Mackey Award winner's range seems to begin at No. 10. If he gets past that point, however, it's hard to pinpoint an exact landing spot in the middle of the first round. Indianapolis, however, would have to take a long look at Bowers, who could significantly ease Anthony Richardson's learning curve.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones: Round 1, No. 11 overall to Los Angeles Chargers (via trade with Minnesota Vikings)

New Chargers GM Joe Hortiz agreed to this trade because 1) the Chargers need more cheap players and 2) he's really good at the draft. With Harrison off the board a pick earlier, the Bolts slide down and still pick up an elite pass-catcher at the tight end spot for Jim Harbaugh.

NFL.com's Dan Parr: Round 1, No. 10 overall to New York Jets

The Jets put themselves in position to take the best player available with their moves to address the offensive line earlier this offseason. Bowers can be the Robin to Garrett Wilson’s Batman in Gotham.

The Athletic: Round 1, No. 10 overall to New York Jets

If you focus only on the “TE” positional designation here, you might not love this pick. But if you pay attention to the dynamic impact Bowers can bring to an offense, this isn’t a hard sell. The Napa, Calif., native is as much a tight end as he is a slot receiver who can also block inline or line up outside. The Jets are in a win-now mindset, and Bowers makes the offense better from day one.

Each of ESPN's Mel Kiper, Field Yates and Matt Miller have Bowers going No. 10 overall to the Jets.

Brock Bowers scouting report

Bowers has long been considered a lock to be a first-round NFL draft talent, even before he was eligible to be drafted. The two-time Mackey winner was a matchup nightmare with his acceleration, speed and pass-catching ability.

The 2023 college football season was his worst, statistically, but it saw him miss four games, whereas he played 15 in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Extrapolating his 2023 statistics over a 15-game season, he would have had 84 catches for 1,071 yards and 12 touchdowns. As it stood, his actual numbers were plenty impressive on their own: 56 catches for 714 yards (12.8 yards per catch) and six touchdowns in 10 games played.

Brock Bowers best 2024 NFL Draft fit

Brock Bowers could fit well with multiple teams in pass-friendly offenses. The New York Jets are the most popular pick, but USA TODAY Network's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has him going a bit later to the Colts:

"The two-time Mackey Award winner's range seems to begin at No. 10. If he gets past that point, however, it's hard to pinpoint an exact landing spot in the middle of the first round. Indianapolis, however, would have to take a long look at Bowers, who could significantly ease Anthony Richardson's learning curve."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Who will draft Brock Bowers? Landing spots, best fit for 2024 NFL Draft