Antonio Pierce explains when Raiders knew how good Brock Bowers could be

The Las Vegas Raiders surprised many with the selection of Brock Bowers in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With plenty of needs up and down the roster, tight end probably could’ve gone unaddressed.

But head coach Antonio Pierce, speaking with media after Bowers’ hot start to his rookie season, explained that it was early on that Raiders coaches knew how good Bowers could be. And that it might’ve been worth the pick.

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“The day he walked in that door,” Pierce said.

He continued, noting that Bowers had arrived at Georgia and managed to not just contribute but do so in a game-changing way as a freshman.

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Now, after 15 catches in his first two NFL games and more than 150 receiving yards, it might be much the same for Bowers at the next level.

“We knew we was getting a blue chipper. It was just, he did it Day 1 at Georgia. When he walked on campus and did it each and every game, each and every year. And he got here, rookie minicamp and you’re just, you know, don’t have pads on, ain’t going to put pads until training camp. It was like, ‘Alright.’ Then we slowed him down a little bit, because he was pushing himself and to be honest with you, we knew what we got. Just didn’t want to speak on it until he did it.”

Now that Bowers has flashed his immense upside on an NFL field, though, Pierce is happy to rave about the football player he is.

“Now it’s out there and there’s no hiding it — he’s a really good football player. He’s tough, he loves the game, he doesn’t care how he looks, how he talks, he just wants to play ball and that fits our mentality.”   

Another rookie pass catcher might be breaking out

Marvin Harrison Jr. was targeted three times in his NFL Debut. The former Ohio State star finished with one reception for four yards in the Arizona Cardinals’ 34-28 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

But by the end of the first quarter last weekend against the Los Angeles Rams, Harrison had four catches, 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

He put the Week 1 overreactions about his sprint speed to bed in a blink of an eye when he scored a 60-yard touchdown that also saw him extend his arm five yards out from the end zone and reach the goal line like Superman. Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing moved Harrison around, and the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft showcased increasing chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day wasn’t surprised to see Harrison break out in a 41-10 win over the Rams.

“Marvin Harrison is a wonderful player,” Day said of the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist and Biletnikoff Award winner Tuesday. “He’s gonna have a great career in the NFL. So after a week, or if it was two weeks or three weeks, you know Marv’s gonna be a great player in the NFL. He’s just such a pro. He’s going to translate very well in that league.

“This is just the beginning of what he’s able to do.”