sports
Brock Bowers Tops ESPN 2026 NFL Tight End Rankings
ESPN's annual survey of league executives, coaches and scouts placed Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers at number one. The 23-year-old received the top spot for the second straight year after posting 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games during his second NFL season.
Jul 10, 8:53 AM·1m read1 source
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Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders ranked first among NFL tight ends in ESPN's 2026 survey of league executives, coaches and scouts. The 23-year-old received the highest number of first-place votes despite missing time with injuries and playing behind a struggling Raiders offense. Bowers recorded 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games last season.
He set an NFL rookie record with 112 catches in his first year. Voters placed him between first and third on their ballots, and he held the top spot in the prior edition of the rankings. ESPN compiled the list from more than 70 ballots submitted by league personnel.
Voters ranked their own top 10 at the position, after which results were ordered by number of top-10 votes, composite average and follow-up interviews. The survey is the seventh annual edition and focuses on current performance rather than long-term projections.
An NFL coordinator surveyed for the rankings said Bowers stands out in route running, separation, zone instincts and yards-after-catch ability.
The 2026 training camps begin soon, and ESPN will release the remaining position rankings through mid-July.
