Commanders strike it lucky with generational talent in 2024 mock draft

The Washington Commanders struck it lucky with Georgia's generational tight end prospect Brock Bowers in a recent 2024 NFL mock draft.

There is plenty of football left and a lot of twists to come before the 2024 NFL Draft. But make no mistake, scouts and front offices around the league are already forming their plans before the all-important assessment period gets underway.

Of course, the Commanders could look far different from an operational point of view depending on what happens over their next 11 games. Josh Harris is normally a patient figure when it comes to sports ownership, but Ron Rivera's seat is getting increasingly uncomfortable and new ownership normally results in landmark alterations across the board.

Whether these arrive or not remains to be seen. But if there was one thing to take from the Commanders' season so far, it's that Sam Howell has the tools needed to become the team's long-term quarterback.

Again, a new head coach and general manager might have a different view. If they decide to go in a different direction, there are a few highly-touted prospects emerging from the college ranks next spring that are worthy of consideration.

Commanders draft Brock Bowers in PFN's latest mock

This was not a sentiment echoed by Ian Valentino from Pro Football Network in his latest mock draft. Instead of going down the quarterback route, the writer gave Washington a generational tight-end prospect in the form of Brock Bowers at No. 12 overall.

"It’s not crazy to believe that the Washington Commanders could be under a new head coach next offseason (Belichick?). And instead of tearing down, they load up a roster with a solid foundation of talent on both sides of the ball. More playmakers are needed to push this group over the edge and get the most out of Sam Howell. As good as Harrison is, Brock Bowers is an even more unique pass catcher. He’s been dominating at Georgia since arriving on campus, offering elite speed, coordination, and versatility at 6’4″ and 240 pounds."

- Ian Valentino, Pro Football Network

Although the Commanders are desperate for help on the offensive line, this would be hard to turn down if Bowers made it so far down the pecking order. There are few players in college football who boast the credentials of the Georgia product, who looks destined for NFL superstardom barring any injury issues.

Bowers is an exceptional route-runner and immensely savvy when it comes to finding soft holes in defensive schemes. The ball skills are incredible and he also boasts enough speed to be a major threat after the catch.

Logan Thomas is out of contract in 2025 and could be a salary-cap casualty depending on how he fares in the coming weeks. Cole Turner remains a player of promise without doing enough to feature heavily in the game plan, but Bowers would be an immediate upgrade for Howell if the Commanders keep faith with their current man under center.

It would be a shock if Bowers made it out of the top-10 looking at his credentials. However, Valentino expects an early run on quarterbacks, which could lead to someone getting a prospect that had no business falling.

Of course, it's all speculation at this juncture. But if the Commanders did land Bowers and got themselves improvements to their offensive line by other means, nobody would be complaining.