In a different reality, the AFC West appears significantly altered with Brock Bowers playing for the Denver Broncos instead of the Las Vegas Raiders. Assistant general manager Brian Stark provided some insight into what could have transpired.
Stark may wear Silver and Black now, but not long ago, he was sitting in a Denver draft room debating Bowers’ NFL future. And make no mistake—Stark was as high on Bowers as anyone. The league’s toughest division would look entirely different heading into the regular season had things gone differently.
Raiders Assistant GM Brian Stark Reflects on Scouting Bowers in Denver
In Denver, Stark collaborated with Sean Payton, who has consistently shown a strong interest in dynamic tight ends. According to Stark, Bowers wasn’t just a blip on their radar—he was a top priority. “We had him very high on the board,” Stark admitted, adding that the Broncos spent plenty of time discussing the Georgia star before ultimately selecting quarterback Bo Nix.
That decision altered the course of two franchises.
Denver revamped its quarterback room, while Las Vegas secured what many consider the most complete tight end prospect in years. Now, just one season later, Stark finds himself on the opposite sideline, pleased at the prospect of watching Bowers develop in Silver and Black instead of facing him.
“It’s been fun to be here and be on this side of it now,” Stark stated. The line should certainly bring a smile to Raider Nation. For once, the Raiders were not the team left second-guessing their draft board, which had become the norm. Instead, they became the team that other front offices envied. Regardless of your opinion of Tom Telesco, the former Raiders general manager, he provided the team with the best draft picks in years.
What makes the situation especially intriguing is Stark’s unique perspective. He saw firsthand how highly another organization valued Bowers, and now he gets to help oversee his development up close. That’s not just validation of the Raiders’ pick. It’s actually fuel for optimism about what Bowers can become in a system designed to maximize his versatility.
For a franchise that has often been haunted by “what-ifs” in the draft, Brian Stark’s comments flip the script: the Raiders got their guy, and now one of his former evaluators is thrilled to be in-house to watch it unfold.
Related: Assistant GM Brian Stark Weighs In On Rookie Class
*Top Photo: Getty Images