When Brock Bowers showed up at the University of Georgia, he was considered anything but a sure thing.

COVID-19 derailed the tight end’s senior season at Napa High School, costing him valuable development time. It also meant the Bulldogs had no way to track the progress of a recruit from a region known for great wines but not great football players.

“We really went with our gut feeling with this kid,” said Todd Hartley, Georgia’s assistant head coach and tight ends coach.

That meant interest was high when the quiet kid from Northern California first took the field with the Bulldogs for winter practice in January 2021. Spectators were eager to see if Bowers had what it takes to keep up with some of the best football players in the country, or if he would crumble at the first sight of SEC competition.

What happened next was a sign of things to come. Bowers made it abundantly clear that he belonged. He showed that he could be one of the best players on one of the most talented teams in the country.

“From the first practice, you could tell this kid was special,” Hartley said. “As a true freshman among his peers and Georgia has some pretty good players. And this guy stands out as soon as he steps on campus.”

Bowers, now 21, didn’t let up, which is why the Raiders selected him in the first round of the draft in April and why he’s off to a record-breaking start just two games into his NFL career.

“I thought he was the best player in the draft,” Hartley said, “simply because there was nobody that was going to outperform that kid in terms of performance. He wasn’t distracted by money. He wasn’t distracted by fame. He wasn’t distracted by any of the outside influences that can really affect these kids, even at this level. None of that was going to be a problem.”

First impressions

Bowers’ stunning performance on that first day of winter practice in Georgia was due to more than just his ability to catch passes and gain yards after the catch.

Also impressive was his determination to be the best, even among all the four- and five-star recruits on the Bulldogs’ roster.

“This guy won every sprint,” Hartley said. “The fastest guy out there, the hardest worker. And we were like, ‘Oh my God.’ I mean, we knew he was fast, but we didn’t know he was super fast or had that kind of work ethic.”

Bowers’ dedication set the standard during his time at Georgia. The level of dedication he inspired became the foundation for the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, the program’s first national titles since 1980.

He also led by example on the field and delivered incredible performances. Bowers won the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in college football in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first player to win the trophy twice since its inception in 2000.

He finished his college career with 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns. Those numbers rank third, fifth and second in program history, though Bowers shares the all-time list with wide receivers.

However, those impressive statistics won’t be what he will be most remembered for in Athens, Georgia.

“Brock Bowers was the best thing that ever happened to us,” Hartley said. “Not just because he had a million catches and won two Mackey Awards. But because he set the standard for work. And from the beginning, (other players) saw this kid and said, ‘If I want to be on the field, I have to improve my game.'”

Rinse and repeat

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce didn’t have to look far to remember the moment when he felt the 13th pick in this year’s draft could be something special.

“The day he walked in the door,” Pierce said.

The Raiders’ choice of Bowers was a bit of a surprise, as they had invested a second-round pick in tight end Michael Mayer from Notre Dame in 2023. The team had needs on the offensive line and at cornerback.

But the Raiders believed Bowers had a chance to become an elite weapon, and they didn’t want to pass that up.

“We knew we were getting a top player,” Pierce said. “I mean, he did it the first day he stepped on campus at Georgia. And he’s done it every single game, every single year. And when he got here in rookie minicamp, he got the pads on in training camp and it was like, ‘All right.'”

Then the games began. And Bowers did what he had always done since his performance in Georgia.

His 15 catches and 154 receiving yards in two games for the Raiders are both NFL records for a rookie tight end. He caught nine passes for 98 yards in his team’s upset win over the Ravens on Sept. 15, showing he’s just as capable of dominating games as a pro as he was in college.

“He wins the man game, has a feel for the zone and is a real catch-and-run fan,” said Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew. “I was amazed at how much power he had on some of his first-down catches. He got up, was motivated. It was great to see.”

Or, as wide receiver Davante Adams put it: “He’s a nightmare for linebackers and most safeties, and I think he could win on a lot of cornerbacks, too. So if you have that size, can block, and fit the whole scheme, you’re going to make a lot of plays in the league.”

Calm trust

The one aspect of NFL life that Bowers doesn’t seem to have gotten used to is the attention.

He seemed almost surprised to see a crowd of reporters at his locker at the Raiders’ Henderson headquarters on Wednesday.

“You didn’t think we wouldn’t be here to talk to you at a game like Sunday, did you?” Bowers was asked.

“I don’t think so,” he said, smiling.

Bowers’ shyness is already common in the Raiders’ locker room. Teammates who were blown away by his speed and talent are equally surprised by his demeanor. Bowers is all football all the time. Sometimes he plays video games when he gets home at night. But he’s just as likely to study his playbook instead.

Adams said the Raiders are still trying to break the ice with him.

“We still skate,” Adams said. “I don’t know if it was ever completely broken.”

Of course, Adams doesn’t mind. He appreciates how seriously Bowers takes his craft.

“You can tell when someone is trying to make friends and they’re just doing business. That’s fine,” Adams said. “But you can’t just try to make friends and not worry about work and not get too involved. We never had to worry about that with him. So you get to see both sides, but overall I would much rather have a guy who comes in and is as quiet and introverted as he is.”

What happens next?

Bowers received a big compliment last week.

Rob Gronkowski, a four-time All-Pro tight end and four-time Super Bowl champion, said on “Up & Adams” that he believes Bowers can surpass him as a pass catcher.

Gronkowski wasn’t the only one to praise Bowers after his impressive performance against the Ravens, which means he will undoubtedly become an even bigger focus for opposing defensive coordinators.

“Now it’s out there,” Pierce said. “And you can’t hide it anymore.”

Of course, this could not be hidden in the SEC either. Bowers still tore the league apart. Giants coach Brian Daboll said on the show “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” that former Alabama coach Nick Saban told him that there were two players in the 2024 draft that the Crimson Tide would have a hard time stopping: Bowers and LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

NFL teams have had the same problems so far because, as Adams said, Bowers simply “doesn’t have many weaknesses.”

“The sky is the limit,” Pierce said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.