NFL Exec: 'I Don't Like' Raiders Using 'Luxury' Pick on Brock Bowers in 2024 Draft

While there is very little argument that Brock Bowers is a good prospect who was worthy of being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, the team that selected him is drawing some criticism for taking a tight end that high.

One league executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando the Las Vegas Raiders made a bad decision by taking a "luxury item" with their first-round selection at No. 13 overall.

"I think they were stuck once Atlanta took (Michael) Penix and they were like, 'Oh, crap, we might not get a quarterback to fall to us,' and they scrambled and took that kid," the exec said. "He is a good player, but a luxury item. I don't like those kinds of picks unless you have everything else."

The dominoes from the Penix selection may never be known publicly, but at the very least, there were strong indications he was the player Las Vegas wanted in the first round.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the April 29 episode of The Pat McAfee Show "there was a possibility" the Raiders would have taken Penix if he didn't go to the Falcons.

The Raiders wound up using their first pick to take Bowers. B/R's NFL scouting department had the Georgia tight end ranked as the second-best player in the class, so it's a great value for them from that perspective.

For positional value, though, there's an argument Bowers isn't a great addition. His rookie deal is slotted to be worth $18.1 million, which is the ninth-most fully guaranteed money for a tight end in the NFL.

Las Vegas used a second-round pick last year on Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. This isn't necessarily an indictment of Mayer, or that the Raiders won't get both players on the field at the same time.

New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy used 12 personnel, which features one running back, two receivers and two tight ends, at the eighth-highest rate in the NFL last season when he was with the Chicago Bears.

The idea of putting Bowers in an offense with Mayer, Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers is very appealing, but it looks a little less fun when you remember Aidan O'Connell or Gardner Minshew II will be starting at quarterback.

O'Connell had some positive moments as a rookie, finishing with 2,218 yards and 12 touchdowns in 11 games. Minshew threw for a career-high 3,305 yards in 17 games (13 starts) for the Indianapolis Colts last season.

It's possible whoever ends up winning the starting job will be able to play well enough to have a top-10 offense given the skill-position talent around the quarterback.

For the Raiders, though, they need Bowers to hit the ground running to give them a shot at competing for a postseason spot in a loaded AFC.