Mike Florio throws wrench in Brock Bowers comparisons to Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski
Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski were undoubtedly the top players at tight end in their respective draft classes. However, one rarely mentioned fact about those players is that their draft stock was not as high as Brock Bowers. As such, the Raiders draft choice was accused of being "wishful thinking" by NFL analyst Mike Florio.
Speaking on Thursday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," the analyst said that because Gronkowski and Kelce were selected later, comparisons do not quite line up.
Mike Florio: "[00:03:34] I think one of the realities, too, is that tight ends don't get drafted in the first round a whole heck of a lot. Travis Kelce was a third-rounder. Kittle was a fifth-rounder. Gronk wasn't even a first-rounder because his back was so messed up coming out of Arizona. I'm looking at Kyle Pitts [who] was the last tight end to be a first-rounder. [00:04:00]" [26.2]
Mike Florio: "[00:04:21] It feels like wishful thinking that you're going to kind of will this guy into being worthy of the pick. [00:04:28]" [6.9] PFT
The assertion flies in the face of Las Vegas Raiders fans trumpeting Bowers at the team's biggest win of the weekend. If Bowers doesn't pan out in the way the franchise is hoping, it would mean the team spent a first-round pick on a player who might hand out a Day 3 pick result.
Travis Kelce, Darren Waller set development precedents for Brock Bowers
Until the rubber meets the road in 2024, 2025 and 2026, any guesses about his production are as reliable as one attempting to guess the order in which the NFL will schedule every game this season. Put simply, until one sees the tape in the next two seasons, final reviews on the tight end will be impossible.
Even then, Brock Bowers could have another decade to write his story. Former Raiders tight end Darren Waller took until his age-27 season to earn his first 1000-yard season in the NFL. As such, his true value assessment could be a work in progress that runs into the 2030s.
Even Travis Kelce took until his age-27 season to cross the 1000-yard threshold before crossing that mark every year until his age-34 season. At just 21 years old, Bowers might not draw comparisons with the greatest tight end of this generation until 2026.
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk" and H/T Sportskeeda.