Big Board ranking: #7

Positional ranking: #1

 

Overview

Position: TE

College: Georgia

Class: Junior

Age: 21

 

Measurables

Height: 6’3 1/8”

Weight: 243 lbs.

Arm length: 32 3/4″

Hand size: 9 3/4″

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: N/A

10-yard split: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

 

Strengths

Super explosive. Elite twitch. Tremendous speed and top-tier acceleration. Terrific hands. Catches the ball very securely. Absorbs throws on his hip. Attacks the ball with opponents bearing down. Releases are patient before exploding. Routes are very crisp. Extremely smooth on deeper in-breaking routes. Uses head fakes to manipulate defenders on downfield routes. Fluid running post-corner routes. Dangerous on deep over routes from in-line position. Great understanding of spacing in coverage. Sinks and turns to present a target underneath. Often given targets in the flat to get the ball in his hands. Very smooth turning up on wheel routes and accelerates to run by defenders. Sells screen passes as the intended target. Very quick transitioning into a runner. Dominant after the catch. Phenomenal contact balance. Great vision and extremely physical with the ball. Extremely strong to shed tackles. Maximizes yardage and never goes down easy. Lined up all over the field. Used in the backfield and on end arounds. Saw snaps as a wildcat quarterback. Extremely tough player. Outstanding run blocker. Experience blocking across the formation and coming in motion. Battles defensive ends on the edge. Good when used as a pass blocker.

 

Weaknesses

Inconsistent elevating to play above the rim. Not great at bringing down high-point receptions and attacking the ball in tight man coverage. Has some contested drops. Sometimes bumped and slowed in routes when he should try to avoid contact. Can have trouble connecting on blocks in space. Dealt with various injuries throughout his career.

 

NFL comparison

George Kittle

 

Conclusion

Overall, Bowers is a complete tight end with top-tier explosiveness, athleticism, toughness, and receiving talent. The value he will bring as an all-around weapon similar to George Kittle makes him worth taking as a no-doubt top-ten pick.