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A former nine-year NFL player and now the Raiders head coach, Antonio Pierce, can’t think of another tight end like Brock Bowers, who is playing like anything but a rookie.
Bowers, taken 13th in this year’s draft out of Georgia, is putting up impressive stats.
Pierce said Bowers is incomparable because of his combination of size (6-foot-4, 230 pounds), athleticism, strength and dependable hands. And Bowers is producing even though opposing defenses are sending double teams and their top cornerbacks at him.
“They know we’re going to throw him the ball and we’re going to keep throwing him the ball,” Pierce said. “He’s winning those matchups. I just think the way he plays the game after he has the ball, it’s really like a running back. He’s a receiver when the ball is in the air, and when he has a ball in his hand, he’s punishing people.
“I can’t really speak highly enough about this player. This player is doing a hell of a job this year for us, and it’s no secret what we’re going to do each and every play when there’s an opportunity to throw it to 89.”
This is what Bowers is doing from a historical perspective:
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— His 84 receptions lead all NFL receivers, the first time this late in a season a tight end has topped the chart since former Raider Todd Christensen in 1986.
— He is on the verge of setting and perhaps smashing the rookie tight end single-season catches record. Sam LaPorta had 86 receptions in 2023 with the Detroit Lions.
— He’s had three games of at least 10 receptions, one of three rookies to accomplish that. The others were Odell Beckham Jr. with four games in 2014 with the New York Giants and Jaylen Waddle with three in 2021 with the Miami Dolphins.
— With 884 yards, he is closing in on becoming the third rookie tight end to reach 1,000 yards. The others were Hall of Famer Mike Ditka in 1961 with the Chicago Bears and Kyle Pitts in 2021 with the Atlanta Falcons.
Joe Horrigan, former…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/how-brock-bowers-dominant-season-stacks-up-from-historical-perspective
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Publish date : 2024-12-05 16:42:00
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