Who is the NFL’s best TE?
By: Jake Rajala
It’s safe to say that Brock Bowers deserved to be second (after Jayden Daniels) in Offensive Rookie of the Year last season. Bowers unleashed 1,194 receiving yards and 112 catches. He nicely earned first-team All-Pro honors. Bowers led TEs in receiving yards and receptions. Matter of fact, he was third in catches among all pass-catchers (WRs and TEs).
Not only did Bowers have a season full of bliss, but he is only 22 years old!
PFF handed Bowers a grade of 85.1, which was third among TEs. George Kittle had the highest PFF grade among TEs with a score of 92.1. His YPC is 14.2, which is impressive for a TE. He also cracked 1,106 yards, which was the fourth time he’s recorded over 1k yards.
Another vital stat to consider is Yards After Catch. Bowers was sixth in YAC, while Kittle was 12th in YAC. It’s impressive that Bowers stayed with stamina, a mean edge, and was Top-3 in YAC, despite being third in receptions.
I believe it needs to be fair to discuss the situation for each TE. If Kittle had Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell playing QB for him, it would be a challenge for him to be the best TE in my opinion.
It also takes a noticeable amount of time for a TE to break out. Kittle recorded 512 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. Travis Kelce only unveiled 862 yards and five touchdowns in his sophomore season (as he didn’t play as a rookie).
Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty will extend drives and give more opportunities for Brock. The Raiders also don’t have a top-shelf WR, so they will focus on giving Brock a lot of opportunities.
Ultimately, I believe that Bowers is the best TE in the league. He can shine anywhere on the field and be reliable on third down. He reminds me of Vernon Davis with his quickness and deep speed. I also don’t believe that there is a TE playing at a Hall of Fame level right now, so that helps the young profile get my award for best TE. He could very well improve and then play like a legend in the future.
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