Raiders Week 1 Review: Brock Bowers Shines in His NFL Debut

The Las Vegas Raiders were expected to take a tackle, quarterback or cornerback at number 13 on draft night. When the pick came around, one of the best players in the draft was on the board. The Raiders selected Brock Bowers from Georgia, despite having a tight end with great potential on the roster.

Bowers won the Mackey Award twice and was a standout player at Georgia, helping the team to two national championships and being a dangerous receiver threat. He was expected to impact the Raiders' offense, and in Week 1 we saw that he did.

Bowers was the Raiders' best player with eight passes and caught six balls for 58 yards. He played in the slot and lined up as a tight end. Fans could see his talent as a route runner and he even showed off as a blocker.

On this 26-yard catch in the second quarter, he ran a route that put Travis Kelce in the Hall of Fame. The route concept is called Blaze Out, which means you sell the post and turn it into an out route. Bowers executes this perfectly by having the linebacker rush back after the play action, only to lose Bowers in the process. It ended up being a big play against the Raiders.

He also showed his talent in the slot. In the play below, he's one-on-one against Derwin James. He runs a slant route and does a good job of resisting pressure by getting downfield and creating a two-way go. He jabs outside to create clearance on a good ball from Minshew for the 8-yard catch.

This play showcases his talent as a route runner. He will run a dig from the inline tight end position. When he releases, he will run to the outside, which helps hold off the corner and take advantage of the opportunity for an out route. Instead, we see Bowers break inside with plenty of spacing and get a first down on the pass from Minshew.

If Bowers can continue to develop as a route runner and blocker, he could be the Raiders' best first-round draft pick of the decade. Bowers has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in football, and he proved that last Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.