The New York Jets have had a busy offseason, and with the 2024 NFL Draft approaching, the franchise is viewed as the most likely landing spot for star tight end Brock Bowers.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay gave out their list of potential draft picks that feel inevitable, including some obvious selections. Kay had Caleb Williams with the Chicago Bears and Marvin Harrison Jr. with the Arizona Cardinals, but also wrote about why the Jets and Bowers make sense with the No. 10 pick.
“While the squad also had some major needs along the offensive line, the New York front office did well addressing that area by signing both Tyron Smith and John Simpson and trading for Morgan Moses at the onset of the new league year,” Kay wrote. “That leaves tight end as the main question mark left on this roster, one that Bowers is perfectly suited to patch up. If the Georgia product is still available at No. 10, the Jets would be foolish not to snap him up.”
With Aaron Rodgers set to return in 2024, Bowers could give the Jets quarterback another exciting weapon to work with next season.
Brock Bowers Is a Future NFL Star
Tight end isn’t the most valuable position in today’s NFL, but Bowers has the skills and pedigree to be worth a potential top-10 pick.
Bowers was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school in Napa, California. His scholarship offers included top programs like Michigan and Notre Dame, but Bowers opted instead to play for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.
That decision paid off big time for the 21-year-old. In three seasons at Georgia, Bowers racked up all of the stats and accolades. He left Athens with three All-American selections, two national championships, and two John Mackey Award honors as the nation’s top tight end.
The consensus big board currently has Bowers as the N0. 9 overall prospect, but also far and away the top-ranked tight end. The next closest prospect at the position is Ja’Tavion Sanders out of Texas, who is the 53rd overall prospect.
Bowers has a compact frame with great play speed, burst, and impressive hands that makes him such a dynamic mismatch in the passing game. Defenses struggled to bring Bowers down after the catch, allowing him to consistently generate explosive plays.
With that skill set, Bowers could be a great weapon in the middle of the field to take some of the pressure off of Garrett Wilson and company in New York’s offense.
Taking Pressure Off Of Garrett Wilson
Regardless of whether or not the Jets take Bowers, it will be important that the Jets find ways to take some of the pressure off of Garett Wilson in 2024.
The former first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has had a very strong start to his career, catching 178 passes for 2,145 yards and seven touchdowns. However, opposing defenses have learned to focus in on covering him, and in doing so shutting down the rest of the Jets offense.
Wilson has been the main driver of New York’s passing game, specifically due to a lack of other reliable pass-catching weapons. With Rodgers out last season, the Jets quarterbacks tried to keep force feeding Wilson. While that led to an increase in targets and receptions, Wilson’s efficiency dropped down to just 11.0 yards per reception with only three touchdowns to show for it.
