2026 NFL Draft: Meet Eli Stowers, the QB-Turned-TE Who May Be the Subsequent Brock Bowers

[ad_1] Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers will possible be the second tight finish taken within the 2026 NFL Draft, reinventing himself as a pass-catcher with off-the-charts athleticism for his dimension and incomes comps to Pittsburgh Steelers extensive receiver DK Metcalf within the draft course of. However turning into a star tight finish in school wasn't the trail that Stowers was initially speculated to take to succeed in the NFL.

5 years and three colleges in the past, Stowers was coveted sufficient as a quarterback recruit that 247 Sports activities ranked him because the nation's No. 12 quarterback, one spot forward of Jaxson Dart. However persistent shoulder points, together with a torn labrum and the ensuing surgical procedure, made it tough and even painful for him to throw in school, such that he did not try a go in two years at Texas A&M.

Stowers transitioned to tight finish at New Mexico State, then discovered a brand new identification there within the final two years at Vanderbilt, catching eight touchdowns this previous season and profitable the John Mackey Award, given to school soccer's prime tight finish.

"I am so grateful to be the place I am at. I do know it is a blessing to be on this place," Stowers instructed me.

Place has been a key phrase in Stowers' soccer life, and even now, his mixture of dimension and velocity is a rarity. He is 6-foot-4 and 239 kilos, but additionally ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds and got here inside a half-inch of the NFL mix file at any place with a forty five.5-inch vertical leap. That is made some NFL groups surprise if he could possibly be an enormous receiver as a substitute of a quick tight finish, however Stowers simply desires to get on the sphere and make performs.

"I can play wherever a staff desires me to play," he stated by cellphone, taking a break between NFL visits. "If any individual desires to line me out extensive, I did that at Vanderbilt, and I can stretch the sphere that approach. I performed my entire profession at Vanderbilt at tight finish, so I can clearly do this, too. I am only a soccer participant. You may put me wherever."

Eli Stowers performed quarterback at Texas A&M earlier than turning into a star school tight finish. (Photograph by Tim Warner/Getty Photos)

Former Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher had talked about the opportunity of enjoying tight finish to Stowers when he was at School Station. Nonetheless, even when he transferred to NMSU, he did in order a quarterback, competing with Diego Pavia for the beginning job. He practiced at each positions, however was worthwhile sufficient as a backup quarterback that he did not go to tight finish conferences till late that season, ending with 35 catches for 366 yards and two scores. When NMSU offensive coordinator Tim Beck left for a similar job at Vanderbilt. Stowers and Pavia transferred with him.

Stowers thrived at Vanderbilt. When the Commodores knocked off No. 1 Alabama in October 2024, Stowers led the staff with six catches for 113 yards. Three weeks later, in a three-point loss to No. 5 Texas, he had a landing within the remaining minute. Pavia completed because the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2025, with Stowers as a prime goal, totaling 111 catches for 1,407 yards and 9 touchdowns in two years at Vanderbilt.

"Two years in the past, after we beat Alabama, we had a whole lot of man protection and we used him as a receiver," Beck instructed me. "We performed him at tight finish, however we put him out extensive and motioned him in and located a strategy to make the most of some man-beaters to get him the ball. He is explosive sufficient that he'll proceed to get higher at a few of the twitchier, shorter routes. And with the nice vertical he is obtained, with the ability to go up and get footballs, that is going to get higher. I believe he is obtained a brilliant future, nevertheless they use him."

Stowers desires to make it clear that any discuss of him enjoying receiver should not be a knock on his blocking, one thing he is taken pleasure in and improved on since turning into a good finish.

"The narrative that my blocking is a matter, I really feel like anyone that actually watches my movie from this previous 12 months can see I've gotten so much higher," he stated. "Anyone that is saying that actually does not know what they're speaking about."

After a lot time as a quarterback, Stowers sees the sport as a good finish now. His go-to gamers to observe on tape are Travis Kelce and Corridor of Fame Chargers tight finish Antonio Gates. Vanderbilt's offense had a route known as "Chief" as a nod to Kelce, one which Stowers had nice success in during the last two seasons.

Eli Stowers and Diego Pavia fashioned one of many prime quarterback and go catcher duos within the SEC this previous season. (Photograph by David Buono/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

"You may inform their understanding of the sport is what makes them so good at what they do," Stowers stated. "Kelce, particularly, being a former quarterback, I believe we're comparable that approach. He is aware of tips on how to learn zones, to make use of leverage to beat man protection, to make use of his physique to create separation. He is a quarterback's greatest pal, and that is why he and [Patrick] Mahomes have such good chemistry. Gates used such delicate actions to get open, and I attempt to be taught from that."

Stowers labored this previous season with former Vanderbilt and NFL receiver Jordan Matthews, who was an offensive guide at his alma mater and stated he should not be restricted by any positional titles.

"Eli has what it takes to be a No. 1 receiving choice in your offense, no matter what letters you place beside his title," Matthews instructed me. "Who's your No. 1 choice while you drop again? There have been years once I was with the Eagles, [Zach] Ertz was the No. 1 choice within the passing sport. He has what it takes to be the No. 1 choice."

Matthews was picked forty second total in 2014, the very best ever for a Vanderbilt pass-catcher, however he thinks Stowers may and must be taken increased subsequent week.

"He is athletic sufficient to beat any security, he is large enough to catch towards any nook or nickel, exterior or inside, and he is sensible sufficient to choose up any offense he'll be in," Matthews stated. "To me, he is a first-rounder. He mustn't go previous forty second. I believe it's totally clear how one can implement him in an offense. He is greater than succesful."

Matthews stated his favourite route for Stowers was an "18-yard dagger," deep sufficient to require receiver velocity. When Vanderbilt performed South Carolina this previous 12 months, the Gamecocks had received 16 straight within the rivalry, and when the Commodores confronted a third-and-21 attempting to protect the lead within the second half, they known as a go to Stowers, which he caught for a 24-yard acquire to maneuver the chains.

When it comes to dimension and velocity, the NFL tight finish that Stowers most intently matches is the Las Vegas Raiders' Brock Bowers, a 2024 first-round decide who has set tight finish data and made the Professional Bowl in every of his two professional seasons. Bowers is 6-4, 235 kilos and ran a 4.55 40, and the parallels come from somebody who labored with each of them.

"There are such a lot of similarities, it is loopy," Darrell Dickey, who was Stowers' offensive coordinator at A&M and later an analyst at Georgia, instructed me. "Brock has been enjoying the place so much longer, however they're each extraordinarily quick for a quote-unquote tight finish. They each have unbelievable athletic capacity. They each have unbelievable work ethics. They're type of quiet guys, they usually can block.

"The power is there to do the issues Brock Bowers has carried out. They're very comparable, and Eli's going to proceed to develop and has the potential to become that kind of participant."

Brock Bowers has rapidly emerged as one of many NFL's prime tight ends. Darrell Dickey, who coached Bowers and Eli Stowers in school, would not be stunned if Stowers performed just like the Raiders' star on the subsequent degree. (Photograph by Chris Unger/Getty Photos)

Each of Stowers' dad and mom had been school athletes, with father Donald enjoying defensive again at New Mexico State and mom Tina enjoying volleyball at Baylor. He is not even probably the most completed athlete within the household, as his sister Kyndal was named Most Excellent Participant of the NCAA Championship final fall after main A&M to a nationwide title in volleyball.

Stowers has had official visits with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys and met with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq is predicted to be the primary tight finish drafted, probably in the midst of the primary spherical. As soon as Sadiq's off the board, Stowers must be the subsequent tight finish to go off the board, however which may not occur till Day 2. FOX Sports activities NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang has Stowers ranked 58th on his prime 150 draft prospects checklist, touting the tight finish's athleticism whereas questioning his energy. Nonetheless, Rang talked about that Stowers is worthy of being a top-50 decide on this 12 months's class.

Nevertheless, Stowers stated he is not anxious about when he is picked and can enter the NFL with confidence, regardless.

"I really feel like I am the perfect tight finish within the draft," Stowers stated. "Any staff that will get me will get a man that is going to assist their staff win in no matter approach I probably can. So long as the staff actually desires me, that is a blessing in itself."