Prospect Profile: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Context

Lined up all over the formation for Georgia as a weapon, including playing the QB in the wildcat, but he most often lined up as a Wing.

Receiving

He wins off the line of scrimmage with his athletic ability and play strength, he can beat press with a jam by using his hand placement and aggression to shake clear of defenders, he can beat soft press because his foot speed and acceleration are so good for his size. Against off coverage he can quickly close the cushion and get into his route. He is explosive off the line and is particularly adept at faking to block before releasing into his route. The stem portion of his route is remarkably consistent and it sets up the break point for him against all types of coverage defender. He attacks vertically but can use his explosion to break this off and run all types of route with good technique. He’s able to make square cuts to get perpendicular to the line of scrimmage efficiently and is explosive out of his break. He attacks up the seam well and can threaten even more athletic defenders vertically. He is a good processor and reads coverage well – he feels for the soft spot in Zone coverage and can find even the smallest weak spots to settle and make a catch. He brings his hands together well for stationary targets and on throws where he isn’t disturbed by tight man coverage.

In space he brings down balls well and positions his body well to box out defenders and is physically tough, always bracing for impact and absorbing big hits at the catch point. When on the run and with a defender close in phase, he can be inconsistent with his hand placement for the catch. This shows up particularly on over the shoulder targets where he can use the incorrect hand placement to ensure the best chance of reeling in the target. This can show up on contested targets when he’s on the run but is most prevalent on vertical routes. He is a consistent YAC threat and with scary speed and change of direction for his size in the open field. He also wins in the YAC stakes with his play strength, toughness and aggression – running through arm tackles and pulling defenders with him for extra yardage.

Blocking

A little bit of an enigma as a blocker and tough to work out where you can expect him to excel and where you can expect him to struggle but on the whole, a good blocker and NFL-ready. You can put his play strength up there next to even bigger Linebackers and smaller Defensive Ends. As a Gap blocker, he can work well in Down blocks, even against a 4i, when there are multiple pullers running outside him and the Defensive Lineman has to read more traffic before getting upfield. He can also be successful on Trey blocks where he is the Drive man and releases to the second level – getting a good hit at the LOS before locating well in space, with excellent fit and finish. He will generally fit and finish well in space against more nimble defenders, often using his competitive toughness to drive guys off the ball. When he’s trying to pin inside as a stretch blocker or needing to Gap block against stronger Defensive Linemen, he will be unable to finish due to his play strength.

SUMMARY
NFL-ready receiving weapon who could be deployed creatively. Scary speed and explosion for his size, good blocking, potential for better. Deficiency with hands on over-the-shoulder targets.

PRODUCTION
JR: 71 Tgts, 56 Recs, 717 Rec Yards (12.8 Ave), 6 Rec TDs
SO: 82 Tgts, 63 Recs, 942 Rec Yards (15.0 Ave), 7 Rec TDs
INJURY: Left ankle surgery (JR) missed 2 games

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 5
Intelligence 4
Versatility 5
Grit 5
Scheme 4