Notre Dame Signs Linebacker Drayk Bowen
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Notre Dame has signed elite linebacker Drayk Bowen, the 2022 Butkus Award winner and Indiana's Mr. Football recipient.
Hometown/High School: Merrillville, Ind. / Andrean
Height/Weight: 6-2, 230
IB Grade: 4.5 (Top 50 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
Recruited By: Marcus Freeman
Offers: Notre Dame, Clemson, Michigan, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Stanford, Missouri, NC State, Michigan State, Purdue, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Vanderbilt
2022 Stats - Offense: 242 att., 1,784 yards, 7.4 YPC, 26 TD
2022 Stats - Defense: 144 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 INT
2021 Stats - Offense:: 155 att., 965 yards, 6.2 YPC, 18 TD
2021 Stats - Defense: 105 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 INT
Honors: 2022 Butkus Award winner, Indiana Mr. Football, 2022 First Team All State LB, 2021 First Team All State
Player Comp: Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame
RECRUITING RANKINGS
Rivals: 4-star - No. 45 overall - No. 1 LB
SI99: No. 51 overall - 4 LB
ESPN: 4-star - No. 80 overall - No. 7 LB
247Sports: 4-star - No. 158 overall - No. 13 LB
On3: 4-star - No. 220 overall - No. 22 LB
Consensus - 4-star - No. 88 overall - No. 7 LB
NOTRE DAME FIT
Bowen is the kind of rangy, physical, punishing linebacker that Notre Dame loves, but he has the athleticism and range of a modern linebacker, and that combination is what makes him one of the nation's best players. Bowen saw his game take off as a senior, where he not only added about 15 pounds but he looked far more natural on defense. He is fast downhill, he's physical at the point of attack and he can run. He fits very well as Mike linebacker in this defense, he has the tools to play Will and I could even see him lining up on the edge at times. He'll need to improve his technique, but he has all the tools of a difference maker.
BREAKING DOWN BOWEN
Bryan Driskell, Publisher: "Bowen is an explosive athlete that gets downhill in a hurry and he has the range to play to the sideline. When he commits to attack the ball he covers a lot of ground in a hurry, and when he arrives at the football he arrives with power. Bowen shows first-step explosiveness, he closes on the ball extremely well and his natural hand strength and power will allow him to be extremely good at block destruction once his technique improves. His agility and balance are impressive physical traits, and when his footwork gets better his ability to scrape, flow and explode to the ball should allow him to make a lot of plays in the run game. Bowen is a bit on the raw side, thriving on God-given ability and effort. He'll continue to improve from a fundamental standpoint, and as that happens and he gets more and more experience his game will truly take off. He is a legit five-star upside player that possesses the kind of athleticism and natural power you simply cannot teach."
Ryan Roberts, Director of Recruiting: “There isn’t much that Bowen can’t do on the football field. He has made a variety of plays as a running back and linebacker for Andrean. As a linebacker, he could potentially profile as a MIKE, WILL or Rover on the next level. Bowen is a playmaker who has the athleticism, length and football IQ to make an assortment of plays all over the field.”
John Garcia Jr: "Ideal modern linebacker frame with two-way experience as ultra productive running back in the foundation. Projects on defense because of instincts, vision, sideline to sideline traits and overall explosiveness downhill in working towards ball carrier. Enough snap quickness and bend to work the edge on occasion and/or as a blitzer, yet athletic enough to drop into underneath passing zones as needed. Comfortable in space with quick hip transition and change of direction. Profiles as the next great second level ‘backer with true play-making ability no matter down or distance."
Andrean Head Coach Chris Skinner: "When the team needed a big play, we turned to Drayk. He was the heart and soul of our team. As a player, there really isn’t a limitation to him. He can be as good as he wants to be.”
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Irish Breakdown Content
Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule
Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
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