NEWSLETTER
For all the discussion about the big three wide receivers who could be on the Chicago Bears radar on NFL Draft weekend, a different high-profile pass-catcher is apparently garnering some interest from the team.
All-American tight end Brock Bowers had a visit with the Bears earlier in the week, per sportskeeda’s Troy Pauline — a long-time NFL Draft and prospect guru. Pauline adds if the Bears (1) stay at No. 9 and (2) target a pass-catcher with the pick, then they will pick between Bowers and Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. That’s a spicy meatball, let’s discuss.
There are so many permutations of the NFL Draft that could result in Brock Bowers and Odunze being on the board when Chicago goes on the clock with the No. 9 pick. And you don’t need to have a wild imagination to envision the team debating whether to choose Bowers or Odunze. But I do struggle to think that the Bears are down to two options at No. 9 with eight days still to go before the 2024 NFL Draft opens its doors. What happens if a quarterback is on the board and someone desperately wants to trade up? Is there an offer that would be too good to pass up on either of those guys?
To be clear, this isn’t me dismissing information. I’m just trying to talk through scenarios that could present themselves on draft day. Maybe that explains why someone has gone through more than 300 ESPN mock drafts over the last week. But I digress, because Brock Bowers popping up as a Bears draft target certainly grabs my attention.
Who is Brock Bowers and would he be a good fit for the Bears?
There is no denying Brock Bowers is a special talent. The University of Georgia product is a three-time All-American (second-team in 2021, first-team in 2022, unanimous in 2023) and three-time first-team All-SEC member. Throw in a pair of John Mackey Award trophies for being college football’s best tight end (he’s the only guy to ever win two, by the way) and two CFP national championship rings and you’ve got a pretty loaded résumé.
I can’t believe I wrote that previous paragraph without noting Bowers’ numbers:
Bowers has been on our radar for a hot minute. Back in January, Patrick pegged Bowers as a prospect the Bears should consider with the No. 9 pick. This is what he had to say about the UGA stud:
Brock Bowers is a versatile dual-threat tight end with size, speed, athleticism, and IQ. Bowers has excellent route-running, elite ball skills, and reliability at catch points. He’s also involved in plays with sweeps, reverses, or screens, consistently delivering explosive plays. Bowers would be a heck of an addition to a Shane Waldron offense that will feature a healthy dose of 12 personnel.
Bringing Brock Bowers to the offensive mix would make for a unique addition. The Bears could conceivably deploy him as a traditional tight end in either the “U” or “Y” position or use him as a wide receiver. Could you imagine the 6-3, 243-pound Bowers lining up as a power slot? How would teams try to defend him knowing that D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen also need to be accounted for on a play? What kind of things could you run in a set with Bowers joining fellow tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett? There could be some tremendous mismatch opportunities for the Bears if they draft Bowers and play their cards right.
In the end, we are adding Bowers to our growing list of potential Bears targets who could be reasonably selected with the No. 9 pick in the NFL Draft. We’re just 8 days away. It can’t come soon enough.
