2024 NFL Draft: Brock Bowers headlines 6 first-round wild cards; what is Michael Penix Jr.'s ceiling/floor?
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today’s installment, he explores a half-dozen prospects who’ve thrown a wrench into mock drafting …
In the modern, pass-heavy NFL, numerous tight ends have emerged as the pivotal pieces on the offensive chessboard. Innovative coordinators have reimagined these robust hybrids as game-changing machines, leveraging their exceptional athleticism, stature, and ball handling skills to wreak havoc on rival defenses.
George Kittle has been at the forefront of the movement as a Swiss Army Knife for San Francisco 49ers, but the league is about to welcome a multi-dimensional weapon from Georgia with the potential to further revolutionize the position and game.
While draft season has a tendency to produce excessive hype on some prospects, Brock Bowers is the truth. The tape absolutely backs up the buzz about his extraordinary talent and NFL potential.
At just over 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, the exceptional talent and unique skills of the Georgia standout, Bowers, set him apart. As a flex tight end, he brings a modern edge to the game and can position himself anywhere within the formation. The 21-year-old athlete excels at creating and utilizing mismatches, whether he’s playing a traditional “Y” role or acting as a quasi-receiver in the slot. Moreover, Bowers’ size and athleticism allow him to take handoffs on off-tackle runs and execute jet-sweeps from the backfield. His outstanding speed and running abilities enable him to transform bubble screens into touchdowns. As an exceptional route runner with soft hands and extraordinary run-after-catch (RAC) capabilities, Bowers consistently dominates games.
What’s there not to love? The league eagerly anticipates the arrival of this dynamic football player who possesses an exceptional blend of size, speed, and skill.
As I observe Bowers dodge or plow through defenders, he brings to mind a young Jeremy Shockey. Shockey, a Miami All-American, entered the league as the No. 14 overall pick in 2002 and quickly earned first-team All-Pro honors in his rookie year. While this comparison might not fully meet the high expectations some have for the Georgia prodigy, Bowers shows a similar physicality, toughness, and impressive receiving skills to the four-time Pro Bowler.
Bowers’ game is well-known among teams seeking an offensive boost. As a versatile tight end with underappreciated blocking skills, he can remain on the field throughout all three downs as both a run blocker and pass catcher. His potential to offer a Kittle-esque hybrid contribution is evident.
Of course, Kittle was a fifth-round steal for the 49ers back in 2017. In fact, many of today’s best tight ends — including Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, Mark Andrews, Dallas Goedert, Trey McBride and Cole Kmet — entered the league as non-first-round picks. Meanwhile, some of the most highly drafted players at the position in recent years (think: Kyle Pitts and O.J. Howard) have struggled to provide the production most anticipated. That’s why you’re seeing a pretty wide spectrum of forecasts for Bowers’ draft slot at the end of this month.
In my opinion, Bowers’ draft range extends from the 10th pick (New York Jets) to the 21st pick (Miami Dolphins). The Indianapolis Colts (15th pick), Seattle Seahawks (16th pick), and Cincinnati Bengals (18th pick) could potentially be where he ends up.
I’m quite confident that whoever drafts Bowers at the end of this month won’t regret it. This dude is a different breed, with instant-impact, superstar potential on any team that incorporates a plan to exploit all of his fantastic traits.
Five more first-round wild cards
- Draft ceiling: 9) Chicago Bears
- Draft floor: 19) Los Angeles Rams
Latu, the most refined pass rusher of the 2024 class, has stirred significant excitement in the scouting community due to his potential to be a long-term disruptive force. The UCLA star’s edge-rushing abilities have led to 23.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in the last two seasons. Standing at 6-5 and weighing 259 pounds, Latu uses an impressive range of moves to bypass blockers. His varied techniques, including his clever Euro step, smooth two-handed swipe, and effective dip-and-rip maneuver, make him a menace for opponents who aren’t prepared to counter them.
Scouts are eager about his potential to excel as a top-tier pass-rushing specialist, but his previous medical condition presents an unpredictable element for his final draft position. Latu had to medically retire in 2021 after a severe neck injury during his time at Washington. He later moved to UCLA, got the clearance to play, and showed significant performance for the Bruins. However, his medical history continues to create doubts about his final selection position.
- Draft ceiling: 15) Indianapolis Colts
- Draft floor: 31) San Francisco 49ers
DeJean missed most of the pre-draft process, having suffered a broken leg this past November. But after putting on a sensational showing at his private workout this week, DeJean is shooting back up the charts as a late-rising prospect. He displays rare tools as a versatile defender with significant college experience as a cornerback, nickel and safety.
As a previous high school track champion in Iowa, excelling in long jump and 100-meter dash, DeJean brings a dynamic range of skills to the table, making him an asset to any defensive backfield. This former Hawkeyes star has a unique ability to create plays, combining sharp instincts, awareness, and athleticism on the field. His versatility and explosive nature are highly sought after by coaches, but the challenge lies in developing an effective strategy to fully utilize his potential as a decathlete in the defensive end. Therefore, he’s a difficult prospect to forecast.
- Draft ceiling: 13) Las Vegas Raiders
- Draft floor: 43) Atlanta Falcons
The long-pass expert possesses exceptional arm skills and innate pocket passer instincts. Penix dissects coverage with the precision of a surgeon, demonstrating remarkable accuracy and ball placement on long throws. Penix’s highlights are filled with spectacular throws soaring above the defense, making him an appealing prospect for teams seeking a fearless, aggressive quarterback. This will likely position the Washington star high on their list.
Penix’s impressive moments are overshadowed by his extensive history of injuries, which includes four season-ending injuries at Indiana before his transfer to Washington, and his somewhat restricted system fit, where he does not excel as a passer in the middle of the field based on timing. There is a degree of uncertainty as to whether his impressive statistics were more a result of Kalen DeBoer’s dynamic college offense rather than an indication of superior skill.
- Draft ceiling: 17) Jacksonville Jaguars
- Draft floor: 28) Buffalo Bills
The LSU standout ranks a notch below the “Big Three” wideouts of this class (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze), but he is among the few wideouts in the class with true WR1 potential. A gifted pass catcher with a smooth stride and sneaky acceleration, Thomas is a big-play machine, as evidenced by his average of 17.3 yards per catch and nation-leading 17 touchdown grabs.
Though some view Thomas as a limited vertical threat with an incomplete route tree, I perceive him as a naturally gifted player who could quickly become a solid secondary receiver with the potential to perform at a primary receiver level.
- Draft ceiling: 13) Las Vegas Raiders
- Draft floor: 30) Baltimore Ravens
The extra-extra-large offensive tackle has the raw tools to blossom into a premier NFL player. Mims’ rare combination of size (6-foot-8, 340 pounds), length (36 1/8-inch arms and 11 1/4-inch hands) and athleticism to stonewall edge rushers with unpolished technique. Though a few tweaks to his game could lead to consistent dominance on the edges, the Georgia product might spend most of his career crushing defenders as a mauler/brawler on the perimeter.
Mims’ draft stock could drop slightly in 2024 due to his relative inexperience, with only eight career starts at Georgia. However, he does have long-term potential as a former five-star recruit with blue-chip traits. Despite this, he is up against a class that boasts a wealth of offensive tackles with more refined games.
