Broncos Eyeing Hidden Gem: Exclusive Pre-Draft Visit with Vanderbilt’s Enigmatic TE Eli Stowers

Stowers is a 6-4, 239 tight end prospect who is a bit polarizing. Some love his potential as a playmaker due to his 4.5 speed and 45-inch vertical, while others want nothing to do with him because he cannot block and is just a big, slow wide receiver.

For the Broncos, I could see why they would have interest in Eli Stowers. One, Sean Payton has been looking for his ‘Joker’ at tight end, and if Evan Engram fits that mold, then Eli Stowers does as well. Much like Stowers, Engram is a pass-catching first tight end who offers very little as a blocker. He is also in the final year of his contract, and drafting a talent like Stowers would make sense. It would also give quarterback Bo Nix another big and athletic target that he could target in the middle of the field and in the red zone.

The Broncos do not pick until the back end of the second round, so there’s a real shot that Stowers will be off the board long before the Broncos pick. However, if he’s on the board, I could see Payton pulling the trigger and hopefully, finally finding his pass-catching tight end threat he has been looking for.

With that said, I don’t think it’s Stowers or bust because this is a good tight end draft. While most do not offer the pass-catching upside that Stowers does, there are more traditional tight end prospects who can help out in the run game and as a pass catcher.