Due in part to their Week 17 loss to the Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals are out of the playoffs. Even though they still have one game left, a lot of people are more interested in the NFL Draft than in the regular season games.
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is one player that is definitely high on the draft boards of every team, including the Bengals.
He made his statement on Instagram and declared for the draft, much to the astonishment of no one.
The Bengals decided not to address the tight end position in the 2023 draft, even though it was one of the deepest tight end classes in the last several years. Instead, they opted to sign Irv Smith Jr. in free agency and ended up elevating Tanner Hudson off the practice squad. Hudson leads the tight ends on the roster with 341 receiving yards but is set to hit free agency.
There’s no guaranty Bowers would be available when the Bengals go on the clock, which is currently sitting at No. 16 but could go up or down depending on the different outcomes in Week 18. However, it is clear the Bengals could use an upgrade at the position, and Bowers is clearly the best tight end prospect in this year’s draft.
It’s November 25th, 1993. Were at Texas Stadium for a Thanksgiving day showdown between the hometown Dallas Cowboys and the visiting Miami Dolphins. Dallas controls the game with a one-point lead but Miami’s lining up for a field goal in the final seconds. A booming kick could give the Dolphins a chance to gobble up a statement win against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Before we witness what comes next, there’s so much to unpack. To do that, we need to rewind
As a three-year starter, Bowers helped the Bulldogs win two National Championships and was the winner of the John Mackey Award, given to the NCAA’s top tight end, in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he technically had a “down” year, with 56 receptions, 717 yards, and six touchdowns. He did so while missing four games due to injury.
While I’m not in the draft room, I imagine if Bowers is available when the Bengals go on the clock the way Michael Mayer was this April, Bengals reps will sprint to the podium.
