The 2023 College Football Playoff championship game will be ripe with NFL-caliber talent. Even if said players aren't yet draft eligible.
That's certainly true of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, whose elite size and frequent use in the Bulldogs' passing game make him a tantalizing draft prospect for NFL fans and general managers alike.
Bowers was one of the nation's top tight ends of his recruiting class, coming in as the 105th-ranked player overall in 2021, and the No. 3 player at his position. The 6-4, 230-pound tight end has proven to be more valuable to Georgia than recruiting services initially ranked him, and he won't have to wait nearly as long to hear his name called on draft day.
Indeed, Bowers has already proven himself invaluable to Georgia's offense as the 2021 SEC Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-America selection in 2022. He also won the John Mackey Award this season, given annually to the top tight end in college football.
MORE: Watch Georgia vs. TCU live on fuboTV (free trial)
With that, The Sporting News breaks down when Bowers is eligible for the NFL draft, including his career stats (so far) and mock draft projections for the Georgia tight end:
When is Brock Bowers eligible for the NFL Draft?
Bowers is not eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft, as he is only two years removed from high school. The sophomore won't be eligible for the NFL draft until 2024, following his junior campaign. He could also elect to return for a senior season in 2024, an option made more likely with the advent of NIL in college football.
MORE: Latest Sporting News NFL mock draft for 2023
Brock Bowers NFL draft projection
Bowers already is considered one of the top draft picks available of the 2024 NFL Draft. According to NFL Mock Draft Database, the tight end is a projected first-round draft pick, with a consensus projection to be selected seventh overall.
Indeed, he is projected to be a first-round selection in 77.8 percent of mock drafts, with his highest projected selection coming at No. 4 overall. Here is where he is projected to be selected, per various mock drafts and prospect listings:
- Walter Football: No. 10 overall to the Giants
- Draft Countdown: No. 9 overall to the Giants
- Pro Football Network: No. 1 overall prospect
Bowers also has recent history on his side, as two players at his position have been selected in the top 10 in the last four drafts.
- 2021: Kyle Pitts (No. 4 overall to Falcons)
- 2019: T.J. Hockenson (No. 8 overall to Lions)
That doesn't include other first-round selections at the position such as Alabama's O.J. Howard (19th overall in 2017) and Iowa's Noah Fant (20th in 2019).
Brock Bowers stats
| Year | Catches | Yards (ypc) | TDs | Rushes | Yards (ypc) | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 56 | 882 (15.8) | 13 | 4 | 56 (14) | 1 |
| 2021 | 56 | 790 (14.1) | 6 | 7 | 94 (13.4) | 3 |
| Career | 112 | 1,672 (14.9) | 19 | 11 | 150 (13.6) | 4 |
