Brock Bowers on Fit With Colts, Anthony Richardson: 'It's Exciting'
When you see a huge media scrum in front of a podium at the NFL Scouting Combine, it is generally for a highly touted quarterback or wide receiver prospect. Sometimes it's for a defender projected to go among the first few picks.
However, you rarely see a large crowd ready to hear from a tight end. That is, unless it's the Super Bowl and you are dating Taylor Swift.
But that is what we saw on Thursday as numerous members of the media crowded around to ask questions to Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers is largely seen as a top-10 prospect in the 2024 draft class. Some have even labeled him a generational talent at the position, projecting Bowers will rise to the level of Travis Kelce and George Kittle.
Because of his talent, it has been somewhat surprising to see so many mock drafts with Bowers headed to the Indianapolis Colts. The reason is the positional value of the tight end position. Many around the league believe tight ends should not be drafted high in the first round because other positions contribute a bigger impact.
With a little less than two months until the NFL Draft, it seems Bowers could legitimately be available when the Colts pick at No.15. If that's the case, Bowers would not mind in the slightest. The reason? Anthony Richardson would be his quarterback.
"I just remember him being just a freak athlete," Bowers said about Richardson. "Big dude, fast, and he was tough to bring down for our defense over there. He's a baller, so yeah, it's exciting."
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While Bowers calls Richardson a baller, he's no slouch himself. At 6-3 and 243 pounds, the tight end is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. In three years with the Bulldogs, Bowers racked up 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was also a two-time winner of the John Mackey Award for Most Outstanding Tight End in the country and a Consensus All-American in 2023.
The highly decorated Bowers would be an instant hit with the Colts, providing something Shane Steichen's offense is in desperate need of: A player who can create after the catch. According to Pro Football Focus, Bowers tallied 1,487 yards after the catch (YAC) in his career at Georgia, averaging 8.5 YAC per reception.
Providing yards after the catch is something Bowers feels he will be able to show from Day 1 in the NFL.
"I feel like I bring in yards after catch and just being able to make people miss," Bowers admitted. "Just turn good plays into great plays. ... I think I do a pretty good job at that and it's just a good part of my game."
Not only is Bowers a monster after the catch, but he also fits perfectly with how the Colts use their tight ends schematically. In 2023, 61.9% of Bowers' targets came 10 yards or less from the line of scrimmage. For the Colts' offense under Steichen, 61% of all tight end targets came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. It is hard to get any closer than that.
"I like catching the ball just in the flat and stuff and making things happen," Bowers smiled. "That's fun for me."
Although Bowers is an incredibly talented pass catcher, there are still areas of his game he could improve on. The tight end is serviceable as a blocker, but it is by no means a strength. Bowers knows this and has identified certain aspects of his blocking that he needs to work on at the next level.
"I think one of the things I can improve upon is secondary action when I'm blocking," Bowers explained. "Like getting engaged with somebody and they spin or something, and just being able to reset and reengage."
Having self-awareness is important for all players, especially during the draft cycle. With many pundits telling them how great they are, the NFL is a different level of competition. Bowers attributes his time at Georgia to keeping him grounded and instilling a culture of hard work and constant competition in their players.
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"Georgia helped me a ton," Bowers remarked. "I mean, obviously, we were going against first-round dudes on defense every single day in practice. Just that kind of development and going against that kind of competition every day really kind of improved my game and helped me out."
The same will be asked of Bowers at the next level. It is one of the many reasons teams like the Colts have such high interest in the 21-year-old tight end. He is already a very talented player, and has the work ethic to be one of the best.
The Colts have already met with Bowers at the combine, with Bowers explaining there were "15 to 20 people" in the room. One of those was tight ends coach Tom Manning, who has experience at the college level and clicked with Bowers right away.
"It's always good to talk to people with good football knowledge," Bowers relayed about Manning. "You can always try to learn something and they'll critique your game when you're watching film with them too. So, it's always good."
Critiquing the film might have happened in their meeting, but not for long. Bowers is a very polished prospect at the tight end position and will be an absolute weapon for any team that takes him. With the skillset he possesses, Bowers should not be characterized as a tight end, but rather an offensive playmaker.
The Colts have talked all offseason about adding explosive playmakers to their offense for Richardson. Bowers would provide an explosive element the Colts do not currently have and a moveable chess piece for Steichen against any defense. If he falls to No.15, it will be hard for the Colts to pass him up.
The AFC already has elite quarterback-tight end connections. The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes and Kelce. The Baltimore Ravens have Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews. Are Richardson and Bowers next?
Buckle up, Colts fans. The dream may actually become a reality.
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