* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For tight ends, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 60 catches and 800 receiving yards at some point in
their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.
Positives
The ultimate mismatch weapon who opens up the playbook with
his ability to create with the ball in his hands.
Easily one of the best in the draft class - regardless of
position - in terms of contact balance.
Led all FBS tight ends in yards after contact in all three
of his college seasons (8.5-yard average for his career); rarely
does he succumb to the first tackle attempt.
Ridiculous red zone weapon - especially on fades and back-shoulder
throws and even on runs - with his blend of size, athleticism
and body control; Georgia even used him as a short-yardage back
at times.
Extraordinary acceleration for a 240-pounder and can find
his second gear in an instant.
Easily plucks throws away from his frame.
Negatives
Lacks ideal size and weight to live in-line and will probably
never be a traditional tight end in that regard.
Can be a bit stiff in and out of his cuts.
Almost seeks out contact after the catch and occasionally
takes unnecessary punishment, which could eventually lead to
durability issues down the road.
Faced durability questions for the first time in his college
career in 2023, missing three games due to a left ankle injury
that required tightrope surgery.
Effective blocker when he squares up but could break down
better on open-field blocks.
Suffered the first two fumbles of his college career in 2023.
Bottom Line
Gonzalez is arguably the most athletic tight end to play the
position in league history. Kittle is as good after the catch
as anyone who has ever played tight end. It may sound like hyperbole
to put Bowers in that stratosphere, but he is, without question,
one of the most complete tight end prospects to enter the NFL
Draft in the 21st century. NFL teams have seemingly toyed with
the notion of incorporating tight ends into their offense more
often for years, but it might be coming to a head now - and it
will happen more often if more prospects have a skill set similar
to Bowers'. Defenses are playing zone around 75 percent of the
time and doing their best to discourage offenses from going deep
by playing Cover 2 (or Tampa 2) at a very high rate. One weakness
of the two-high safety zone look is a tight end who can separate
and steal souls after the catch. Enter Bowers.
The concerns with him are so nitpicky that they barely deserve
a mention. He is a bit undersized to handle in-line duties on
a full-time basis, but no team in its right mind will be drafting
him with the idea of using him in that fashion more than half
of the time. It also seems like he seeks out contact needlessly
at times, although coaches undoubtedly prefer having to rein in
a player from being too much of a heat-seeking missile as opposed
to the alternative.
Bowers has been on the NFL's radar since he burst upon the scene
with 13 touchdown catches as a freshman in 2021. He is essentially
a versatile alpha receiver with running back skills in a tight
end's body. The three-time first-team All-American's contact balance
is phenomenal and he does not need much time to hit full speed
(which is probably in the 4.5 range). He finished his college
career with a 4.4 percent drop rate and never had more than three
in a season. The Bulldogs used him liberally on end-arounds and
even out of the backfield on occasion, allowing him to accumulate
193 yards and five scores on 19 career carries. It may be a long
time before we see a tight end break the rookie catch record Sam LaPorta set last season (86 receptions), but Bowers could have
a similar impact in his first year. As long as he stays on his
current track and remains relatively healthy, Bowers may not have
to wait more than two or three years before he is considered one
of the two or three best tight ends in the game.
Doug Orth has written for FFToday since 2006 and been featured
in USA TODAY's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He
is also a high-stakes player who often appears as a guest analyst
on a number of national sports radio shows, such as Sirius XM’s
“Fantasy Drive." Doug is also a member of the Fantasy
Sports Writers Association.
