Why Brock Bowers could star for the Las Vegas Raiders in ‘Joker’ role

The stage is set for another Brock Bowers breakout season, according to his new NFL head coach.

“We’ve got to get the most out of Brock,” Raiders coach Klint Kubiak told ESPN. “He’s been successful in college and high school with whoever’s coached him … love his work ethic.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart spoke often of Bowers’ work ethic during the superstar tight end’s three seasons in Athens.

“He’s easily, easily the quietest, hardest worker I’ve ever been around,” Smart said at SEC Media Days three years ago.

Bowers’ hard work and production were pivotal in leading Georgia to the 2021 and 2022 national championships, as he was the ultimate go-to guy in the passing game and a sound blocking weapon for future NFL rushing champion James Cook and UGA touchdown leader Zamir White.

Bowers’ next challenge is helping the Raiders turn things around.

Las Vegas is on its third head coach in as many years after four consecutive losing seasons, including 4-13 and 3-14 marks the past two seasons with Bowers on the roster.

Kubiak was hired as the Raiders’ head coach after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks last season, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was signed as a free agent and Las Vegas made Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 pick.

Defensively, Las Vegas signed former Georgia national champion linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker to join a defense that already featured former UGA first-round pick Eric Stokes at cornerback.

But it’s Bowers, who set an NFL rookie receptions record with 112 two seasons ago, who has become an offseason focal point since coming back healthy in spring workouts after missing five games last season with a PCL injury and bone bruise in his knee.

Those injuries were a point of contention for one ESPN writer in an article on fantasy football trends, who suggested Bowers could be in for a down season.

This, even though Kubiak had recently said Bowers is “a football robot from heaven.”

Bowers acknowledged last season didn’t meet his expectations.

“Definitely wasn’t how I planned my second year to go,” Bowers told ESPN, “but a little adversity, and I’ve just got to come back stronger this year.”

Cousins, who has played with some of the most elite receiving talent in the NFL over the course of his career, has already been impressed with Bowers’ unique skill set.

“Is there anything he can’t do?” Cousins said after watching Bowers make a difficult catch on an inside fade route at a Raiders practice.

Cousins suggested Bowers could replicate the “Joker” position he played at Georgia, with former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Todd Monken moving him all over the field and using him in different capacities.

“I remember in Washington, (former tight end) Jordan Reed was arguably our best eligible (receiver) there, and he became kind of the ‘Joker’ that you were able to use in unique ways,” Cousins said, “and Brock (Bowers), in a lot of ways, is that.”

NFL talent evaluators have certainly taken note, as Bowers was selected the league’s top tight end, according to an ESPN study featuring more than 70 voters made up of executives, coaches and scouts.

One NFL coordinator said of Bowers, that, “As far as route running, separation, zone instincts, yards-after-catch ability combination — he’s better than the field in those areas.