“He is the most talented tight end that I have ever coached or seen in person. He checks all the boxes. Ball skills, athleticism, balance, body control, speed, quickness, physicality, toughness, competitive character—he has them all!” Todd Hartley, Assistant Head Coach, Tight Ends, Georgia
Before rookie Brock Bowers starts dominating on the field for the Las Vegas Raiders, let’s see what his positional coach from the University of Georgia has to say about this future star to the Raider Ramble.
Georgia TE’s Coach On Raiders TE Brock Bowers: “He Checks All The Boxes”
Coach Hartley didn’t hold back when we questioned him about Bowers’ status as a “steal.” Given that he worked with him day in and day out, who better to know and understand Bowers’ game? Still, we all know that no prospect is perfect—there’s no such thing. As a result, the coach did make an observation about what we should all be looking out for as Bowers looks to improve in the NFL.
“Brock has never been the loudest dude or the most vocal at practice or in the locker room. I would love to see him break out of his shell even more and become a more vocal leader for his team. He leads by setting a standard of excellence with his preparation and the way he plays. He could have an even bigger influence on his team if he engaged more from a leadership standpoint.”
At the same time, what about an underrated or “under-the-radar” part of Brock’s game we might not be overfamiliar with?
“He gets a knock from a lot of people who just assume that he’s an average blocker because of his size. Well, they need to turn on the tape because it gets after it in the run game and in pass protection at the line of scrimmage. He plays with great technique, unbelievable effort, and the strength to move people when blocking.”
Playing With The Big Boys
Finally, having played in Georgia, Bowers went up against NFL-caliber talent in the SEC, and if you watch the film, he wasn’t afraid of a little contact. More importantly, Bowers consistently turned on the jets and left these defenders in the dust. Coach Hartley believes this will translate to the pros playing for the Raiders.
“The SEC is considered the best conference in the country when it comes to competition and NFL-caliber talent. He did it for 3 years against SEC defenses week in and week out; it will most certainly translate to the NFL, in my opinion. The thing with Brock is that no matter who he played against (player, opponent, conference, etc.), he brought the same level of intensity every single time. He only knows one way to play the game.”
*Top Photo: Getty Images