On Thursday night, the Las Vegas Raiders chose No. 13 in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite predictions that they would trade up on Day 1, the Raiders remained in the middle of the first round and chose to bolster a position that they had targeted early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

On Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Raiders traded up to acquire Michael Mayer, a playmaking tight end for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Going into the selection, many people thought Mayer was the greatest player in his position group, thus it was unexpected that he was still available after the first round.

In 2024, the Raiders selected the unquestionably top tight end in the class, Brock Bowers from Georgia, at No. 13 overall. Bowers, who has a talent level that will undoubtedly translate to the NFL game, now joins Mayer at the position, making them one of the top tight end duos in the league.

Mayer really stepped up late in his rookie season, but an injury derailed it after Week 15. Luke Getsy, the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, had excellent results with his tight ends in Chicago last season, which is fantastic news for Bowers and Mayer supporters.

The Raiders have a lot of work to do in the 2024 NFL draft.
With the Raiders selecting tight end with the 13th overall choice, the emphasis shifts to offensive line and cornerback on Day 2. Of course, Las Vegas may opt to trade back into the first round, possibly late, so we will continue to monitor which players are still available as we approach the second round.

Fortunately for Tom Telesco, he still has some solid draft capital at his disposal, including the 44th overall pick. Offensive line and cornerback must be their top priorities with their second pick this year, but Bowers’ arrival marks a significant boost to what should be one of football’s most shocking attacks in 2024.