Brock Bowers was quite highly regarded as a draft prospect entering the 2024 NFL Draft. The Georgia tight end wound up proving everyone correct right away with an epic NFL debut season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bowers already reestablished the rookie tight end record for receptions, entering Week 17 with 101. In Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints, Bowers broke the record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end. He hit the 1,072-yard mark during the game, breaking Mike Ditka’s longstanding record.
Ditka set that record back in 1961. His 1,071 yards and 12 touchdowns both represented career highs for the Hall of Famer Ditka, coming in a 14-game season years before the AFL-NFL merger.
Bowers surpassed the rookie TE receptions mark in Week 15, breaking the mark of 89 set last season by Detroit’s Sam LaPorta. Ditka posted all those yards on just 59 receptions in a very different era of football. With his 106th catch on the year, Bowers officially has caught more passes than any rookie regardless of position.
Another catch, another record 📈#BrockForOROY | @brockbowers17 pic.twitter.com/ZY55HVtv3y
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) December 29, 2024
Great job by Bowers, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.