The Indianapolis Colts concluded the 2023 season with a better-than-expected 9-8 record. Head coach Shane Steichen displayed fantastic play calling and utilization of his offensive weapons, often adapting his scheme to fit their strengths. This maximized their talents, giving Indy the best weekly chance to win.
While rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson only saw four games, veteran backup Gardner Minshew filled in as best he could in his 13 starts under center. Michael Pittman Jr. led the wide receivers, along with fellow pass-catcher and rookie Josh Downs. Third receiver and deep threat, Alec Pierce, struggled statistically and took a step back from his 2022 campaign.
There must be help with the pass-catchers on every level, but, perhaps the most overlooked was the tight ends. With second-year player Jelani Woods unable to see the field due to a hamstring, the responsibilities fell on Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, and fifth-round rookie Will Mallory.
There were some glimpses, but overall, this group was underwhelming in the playmaking area. Below are the season metrics for all three.
- Granson: 15 games; 30 catches; 368 yards; 1 TD
- Mallory: 12 games; 18 catches; 207 yards; 0 TD
- Alie-Cox: 17 games; 13 catches; 161 yards; 3 TD
Together, these three posted 61 catches for 736 yards and 4 touchdowns. With a developing QB like Richardson needing as many weapons as possible to throw to, this isn’t going to cut it. There’s an argument for Mallory, who saw his first NFL season, but for Granson and Alie-Cox, they’ve shown that they aren’t going to blow up the league in their respective roles.
With the Colts in line for the number-15 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, they must nail the selection. Whether the right player falls to them at 15, or they have to trade up, there’s one name that sticks out that is realistic, giving Steichen a true weapon. That is former Georgia Bulldog and three-time All-American, Brock Bowers.
The Breakdown
Bowers is a three-year starter at Georgia with multitudes of playmaking ability at a position that can open up the rest of any offense when used properly. The two-time John Mackey Award winner (best tight end in college football) is a perfect specimen to place with an offensive guru like Steichen, and he can be moved all over the field.
At Georgia, he played in 35 games and caught 175 passes for 2,538 yards (14.5 avg) and 26 TDs. He also carried the pigskin 19 times for 193 yards (10.2 avg) and another 5 scores on the ground. These statistics show the versatility of the 6’4”, 240-pound prospect. While he did suffer a high-ankle sprain in 2023, limiting him to 10 games, he’ll look to be 100% when draft time is here.
Strengths
The most obvious skill that could help a QB like Richardson get comfortable is Bowers’ speed and athleticism, which he puts on full display through strength, route-running, quickness, and sticky hands. While he has the tight-end position designation, he has the frame and quickness to be a multi-faceted piece in the passing attack.
While seam routes and crossers are his specialty, he’s also a great route-runner who can only get better at the craft. His combination of technical skill and size makes him a nightmare matchup for defensive backs and linebackers, as he’s often too large for corners to cover and too fast for ‘backers.
Once the ball is in Bowers’ hands, he can also create through his tackle-breaking ability, often gaining extra yards through sheer physicality. However, he’ll need to do more of this against far quicker and more experienced professional defenders in the NFL.
With the honest uncertainty of Woods’ health for Indianapolis, it might be the best course of action to get Bowers in a Colts uniform. While it’s likely the former Bulldog doesn’t fall to 15 and Colts general manager Chris Ballard may have to trade up a few picks to get him, it’s highly intriguing to think of what Steichen and tight ends coach Tom Manning could mold Bowers into. He has the potential to be one of the top tight ends in the NFL by year two or three of his tenure as a pro.
Weaknesses
There aren’t many weaknesses with Bowers, but whatever he lacks comes from his lighter frame.
While this helps him with acceleration off the line and cuts with routes, it also hampers his ability to block, specifically in the ground game.
On the other side, it doesn’t help matters with more of the physical coverage linebackers that he’ll face in the pros, as he doesn’t have the typical Y-tight end stature. It could also limit him against efficient edge rushers if he’s tasked with taking them on one-on-one to protect the field general.
Despite this knock on his game, he does have a “never say die” type of approach. This means that, regardless of who he faces in blocking or route running, he’ll make life difficult on that defensive assignment. There could also be a chance he tries to bulk up a bit once he’s officially drafted, potentially putting on muscle mass to not be moved so easily.
Given how Steichen’s offense will utilize the ground game with Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor, if Bowers is taken by Indy, he’ll need to shore up overall blocking to be the complete tight end that he’ll be selected to become.
The truth is that Bowers likely won’t be at the 15th spot given his unique abilities at a position where the top talents have high-end skills from top to bottom.
However, if he somehow is there when Indy is on the clock, or Ballard wants Bowers badly enough to trade up the ladder, there’s a good chance he’ll be in a Colts hat when he greets Commissioner Roger Goodell in late April.
With so many needs for dynamic and explosive playmakers on offense, Bowers fits the bill with his generational abilities at tight end mixed with the variety of ways he can be utilized to maximize his skills with any NFL team.
Could Indy be the suitor for the Georgia product? We’ll have to be patient as the playoffs continue with the league offseason on the horizon.
