Unless there’s a seismic shift to the landscape of the 2024 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers won’t be coming close to Brock Bowers. Nonetheless, they’re a heck of a match.
Bleacher Report NFL analyst Brent Sobleski recently linked next year’s top players with the league’s most needy teams. Among the pairings was a dream match between the Panthers and Bowers, who could be the best tight end prospect ever.
Sobleski writes:
Bowers is a complete prospect, too. While the tight end position is often defined by its ability to affect the passing game, Bowers contributes as an in-line blocker. According to Pro Football Focus, his run-blocking grade ranked seventh among Power Five tight ends last season.
While the Panthers do have Hayden Hurst and Ian Thomas under contract in 2024, Bowers is a clear upgrade and possibly the best tight end prospect of all time (surpassing Kyle Pitts).
The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder has the production to go along with that promise. Bowers, over his first two seasons at the University of Georgia, amassed 1,824 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns on 119 grabs.
Carolina, even with Hurst in tow on a three-year deal, would probably love to add the two-time national champion and First-team All-American to the arsenal of quarterback Bryce Young. But they, of course, are without a first-round pick for next spring because of, well, Bryce Young.
To get to the No. 1 overall spot for Young this past April, the Panthers shipped off 2023’s ninth and 61st picks, 2024’s first-rounder, 2025’s second-rounder and wideout DJ Moore. So, again, unless there’s some sort of miracle, this is simply just a dream.