Brock Bowers is on pace to break Puka Nacua’s rookie receiving record

Last year, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua caught 105 passes, setting a new NFL record for a rookie. Nacua may not own that record for long.

This year, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has 52 catches through eight games, putting him on pace to catch 111 passes this season and break Nacua’s record.

Bowers’ 52 catches lead the NFL, and with eight more catches on Sunday he can join Nacua and Saquon Barkley as the only players with 60 catches in the first nine games of their careers.

Bowers has 535 receiving yards this season, the most of any tight end in the league, and if he gets 65 more yards on Sunday he’ll join Mike Ditka and Kyle Pitts as the only tight ends with at least 600 receiving yards in their first nine career games.

After Sunday’s Raiders-Chiefs game, Travis Kelce approached Bowers and told him, “Happy as hell for you. Keep doing your thing. I’m gonna shoot my jersey to your locker.” Kelce recognizes that Bowers is the NFL’s next great tight end.