Raiders select Georgia TE Brock Bowers with No. 13 pick in 2024 NFL Draft

Las Vegas continued the string of offensive players coming off the board, snagging a playmaking tight end.

The Raiders selected Georgia TE Brock Bowers No. 13 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Bowers selection made it 13 consecutive offensive players taken to open the draft.

Vegas used a 2023 second-round pick on Michael Mayer and doubled down on the position in Tom Telesco's first draft as general manager.

Bowers is a dynamic playmaker who will pair well with Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Mayer.

Bowers makes the leap to the NFL after a splendid college career in which he displayed both potential and toughness, standing out as Georgia's best pass-catcher, as well as arguably the top player in college football. After winning the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end with a career-best 942 yards to go along with seven touchdowns in 2022, Bowers closed his career in Athens with another strong season that saw him log 56 catches for 714 yards and six touchdowns, numbers that pale slightly in comparison to his previous seasons -- that is, until one considers what Bowers overcame to even make it on the field.

Bowers suffered an ankle injury that cost him four games and required TightRope surgery to have a chance to return before the year was over. Instead of packing it in and preparing for his anticipated first-round selection, Bowers elected to undergo the operation with one goal: Get back on the field in time to chase another national title.

The Bulldogs ultimately fell painfully short of the College Football Playoff, losing to Alabama in the SEC title game. But Bowers overcame significant adversity just to have an opportunity to play in the Bulldogs' final game before bowl season, further impressing scouts who were