2023 5* LB Drayk Bowen

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[Paladin 3,305]

After naming top schools, five-star LB Drayk Bowen talks about his fall visit plans

by Steve Wiltfong

50 minutes ago

Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean 2023 five-star linebacker Drayk Bowen has narrowed his focus to five schools. The programs still in the mix for his eventual college signature are Auburn, Clemson, Indiana, LSU and Notre Dame.

The No. 1 player in the Hoosier State says he'll make a decision after taking visits this fall. He got an opportunity to see each of these programs during the summer.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Bowen elaborated on each of his top schools where he will also have the opportunity to play baseball.

Regarding Auburn: "I love both the football and baseball coaches, the campus feel and some of the students and players were awesome. Getting to see the way the coaches coach in meetings was very cool knowing how I'll be coached like by them."

Regarding Clemson: "Clemson was just a great visit. The campus was beautiful. Coach (Dabo) Swinney and Coach (Brent) Venables were awesome getting to see how they work with their players and learn about their program and the actual school was awesome."

Regarding Indiana: "I've really liked Indiana for a while, just the feel of the campus. Coach (Tom) Allen, the baseball coach (Jeff Mercer), talked to me, the the two coaches agreed that baseball, football was an option which made them a real interest especially with the business school."

Regarding Notre Dame where he visited once in the spring and twice in the summer: "Coach (Marcus) Freeman is awesome. I love him and the campus, baseball, football has been an option. They're close to home, but the visits have been awesome and the academics are top notch in the country."

Regarding LSU: "I loved the staff at LSU and the visit was awesome. They just got a new baseball staff so I didn't know if they were two sport but the football coaches have talked to them and they said they are fully on board with two sports there."

Bowen does have his fall visits in mind as well. He's looking to return to Clemson for the Georgia Tech game on Sept. 18. The Auburn game where they host Georgia on Oct. 9 is on the radar. Notre Dame's showdown with USC on Oct. 23 is one Bowen has interest in attending. The Indiana-Penn State game on Oct. 2 is also one he's hoping to attend. LSU hosting Mississippi State on Sept. 26 is one he could be at.

The 247Sports Composite tabs Bowen as the nation's No. 23 prospect regardless of position. He has been invited to play in both the All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-American game.

As a sophomore Bowen racked up 80 tackles, four forced fumbles, an interception, 13 stops for loss and five sacks.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Paladin

[JDUBB4AU 5,112]

Love the staff going nationwide 

[gravejd 3,270]

8 minutes ago, JDUBB4AU said:

Love the staff going nationwide 

Agreed! And this is exactly the kind of player you go national for. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, gravejd said:

Agreed! And this is exactly the kind of player you go national for. 

Bingo. You need the will and the way to go wherever you need to for 5* players. 

 

[DAG 33,980]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Bingo. You need the will and the way to go wherever you need to for 5* players. 

 

This is how a boise guy gets it done. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

5 minutes ago, DAG said:

This is how a boise guy gets it done. 

It is insane how far they have to go to get players.

https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/Season/2020-Football/Commits/

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

That is one heck of a sophomore player. It would be nice to get a kid that good. Kid really wraps up with good technique and has power especially to be so young.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,296]

A 5* LB that we don't have to beat Bama for?

FROM INDIANA?!

I'm all aboard the #HarsinHovercraft!

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[metafour 4,969]

The fact that they made this kid's Top 5 so quickly shows real recruiting ability, but this one is going to be a REALLY hard pull. He goes to a Catholic HS in Indiana and has a million crystal ball picks to Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman, their new DC and LB coach, is also a freakishly good recruiter.

[MCPeePants 227]

A top 5 for a 2023 seems pretty early, doesn't it?  Sounds like his mind is already made up like @metafourinsinuates.

[Mike4AU 1,739]

I would be shocked if he doesn’t choose ND.  That said, it is good press for AU to make the top 5 of a 5 star player from so far away.  Success does lead to more success. 

[Rednilla 5,390]

On 8/10/2021 at 3:05 PM, McLoofus said:

It is insane how far they have to go to get players.

https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/Season/2020-Football/Commits/

Hey, they only average being 900 miles away per recruit...

[McLoofus 35,182]

23 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

Hey, they only average being 900 miles away per recruit...

Oh wow, that's only 250mi further than Auburn to Miami. Totally nbd...

(Obvious sarcasm but others have said it non-sarcastically)

 

[Rednilla 5,390]

14 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Oh wow, that's only 250mi further than Auburn to Miami. Totally nbd...

(Obvious sarcasm but others have said it non-sarcastically)

 

Yeah, I mean, just a quick hop on the Cessna. Who doesn't have one of those, right? 

[lca408 366]

On 8/11/2021 at 11:16 AM, metafour said:

The fact that they made this kid's Top 5 so quickly shows real recruiting ability, but this one is going to be a REALLY hard pull. He goes to a Catholic HS in Indiana and has a million crystal ball picks to Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman, their new DC and LB coach, is also a freakishly good recruiter.

St Michaels is nice, new, and just a mile or so down College from downtown.

[Paladin 3,305]

 

5 stars, 5 schools, 2 sports: An inside look at Andrean junior Drayk Bowen's recruitment

Aaron Ferguson aaron.ferguson@nwi.com 

MERRILLVILLE — It’s easy to forget that Drayk Bowen is just entering his junior season. He’s regimented in his workouts, disciplined in his nutrition and is one of the most sought-after prospects in football and baseball.

Many Division I athletes play multiple sports in high school. Few are recruited by elite Division I programs in both sports. This past week Bowen narrowed his recruiting list to five schools: Auburn, Clemson, LSU, Indiana and Notre Dame.

In a vacuum, there aren’t many similarities between the five schools, which he narrowed from a list of 12. The grouping features three conferences and an independent.

Auburn hired Bryan Harsin away from Boise State in the offseason. Indiana is coming off one of its best seasons in program history. Notre Dame plays all over the country and has recent College Football Playoff appearances. LSU is two years removed from a national championship. Clemson has appeared in the last six (of seven total) playoffs, winning two of four national championship game appearances in that stretch.

“For a while people thought it was kind of weird the schools I had, but mainly it was about relationships and how I felt about the campus and coaches,” Bowen said. “Once I started to learn more, that’s how I narrowed it down more.”

The three factors, he said: relationships with coaches, being recruited in baseball as well as football, and the business programs and their connections after school

'I don't want to be that normal kid': Andrean's Drayk Bowen makes sacrifices, reels in offers

Bowen’s summer isn’t typical of a normal 17-year-old. June was spent traveling an estimated 4,700 miles visiting schools. That doesn’t even factor in driving to Indianapolis for travel baseball practices and back to the Region for football workouts. He said he spent 13 days at home.

“This is kind of my life. I enjoy it,” Bowen said.

With two years of high school football under his belt, Bowen has emerged as a leader for Andrean. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker is rated as a five-star recruit, No. 28 in the country according to 247 Sports composite rankings, the No. 2 linebacker and top prospect in Indiana.

“Obviously from an on-field perspective, he’s a unique talent,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said. “What’s been impactful for our other players outside the field is just the way he works. His dedication to improving his body, his strength, his craft. He’s an extremely dedicated and disciplined worker.“

Bowen began working out in eighth grade, putting on 50 pounds. That was when he first started working out. Then as COVID-19 erased his freshman baseball season, he began thinking about what was going into his body and incorporating nutrition.

“He’s doing all these things that add up to a really dedicated worker that you don’t see out of a high school athlete, even the ones who are elite,” Skinner said. “He’s got a drive and an intensity to think long term. He has these goals and he wants to work toward them.”

Said Bowen: “I know it’s benefiting me in the long run because I’m ahead of the competition in that aspect.”

Expect Bowen to line up all over the field defensively for the 59ers, who are a Class 2A school playing a 4A-and-up schedule. His versatility is exceptional because of his elite athleticism. Skinner used three words to describe him: athletic, strong, explosive.

“To have somebody like him to play in different positions so we can neutralize some of those strengths opposing offenses have, it makes everyone else better around him because we’re able to fit those pieces around him,” Skinner said.

Drayk BowenAndrean junior Drayk Bowen is a power-five recruit in baseball and football. He completed his first high school baseball season last spring, losing his freshman season due to COVID-19. 

Andrean baseball coach Dave Pishkur has spent 41 years leading the 59ers, producing several Major League players, many more playing in college and winning seven state championships.

“Athletic-wise, he can compete with any athlete I’ve ever had,” Pishkur told The Times in April. “There’s things he’s done better than others. He’s respected by his teammates. I would assume he’s probably respected by his opponents, I would think if you read anything about him. He understands a lot of the game and has pretty good instincts that I like.”

Bowen’s first prep baseball season was impressive. He played every position except catcher, and hit .400 with 26 runs scored, 16 RBIs and a team-high 23 stolen bases. This summer he played with the Indiana Bulls, based in Indianapolis, and traveled the country for tournaments.

“It was taxing but it was pretty fun,” Bowen said of his summer. “You’d go to a campus and then get that break from anything football related to go play baseball and hang out with your friends at the hotel. When you’re in a game and getting to compete, letting that stuff go, you kind of feel relieved.”

The two-sport journey Bowen embarked on is challenging for many reasons: mixing in football workouts, speed and agility, weightlifting and going to baseball facilities in the offseason to stay fresh.

“I think there’s much to learn so his growth is going to be greater in baseball than it is in football,” Pishkur said. “He’s going to ‘wow’ you on the football field because he runs like a deer, is tough as can be, he doesn’t have a sophomore body and has all the intangibles for football. But I think in baseball, his better days are ahead of him. He’s going to have to be more patient in this game than he was in football.”

Mature beyond his years — physically and mentally — Bowen is still a kid chasing after his dreams.

Said Bowen: “That’s kind of what I wanted in my life, it’s what I’ve done all my life so I knew going into this I wanted something like that that was challenging to me.”

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[abw0004 10,110]

1 hour ago, Paladin said:

 

For anyone wanting to know, he talks about Auburn starting at 4:59.

[Paladin 3,305]

 Five-Star LB Drayk Bowen Turns In Another Strong Performance

by Tom Loy

247Sports made its way to Merrillville, Ind., on Friday to watch one of the nation's premier high school football players. Andrean high school class of 2023 linebacker Drayk Bowen is listed by the 247Sports Composite Rankings as a five-star recruit, the No. 28 overall player in the country, No. 2 linebacker nationally and No. 1 recruit in the state of Indiana next cycle. He's a 6-2, 215-pounder with two-way abilities at linebacker and running back, but schools see him producing early and often on defense at the next level. His list of scholarship offers is currently over 30 including the likes of Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and many others. However, those schools are no longer in play, as he’s narrowed his recruitment down to five finalists. Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, Indiana and LSU are the programs still in play for the elite football prospect, who will likely play baseball at the collegiate level as well.

Analysis: To be completely honest, I didn't know exactly what to expect from Bowen, with this being my first time watching him in action in person. The tape checked out, the offer list backed it up, but you never know 100% until seeing a prospect right in front of you with your own two eyes. Although I was only able to watch him for a single half since it was a blowout and there was no reason for him to step foot on the field for the second session, Bowen was terrific both out of the backfield and on defense. He scored two touchdowns and was in on multiple tackles. Other than a few minor miscues early by the team, Andrean never struggled in this one. The Fighting 59ers bounced back from a tough loss the week before and defeated East Chicago Central, 45-0, in a game that was essentially over at halftime. The reality is that Bowen is everything you look for in a big-time defensive prospect. No question he has some real talent as a running back, but that's not where I see him shining at the next level. Bowen has a tremendous motor. That may be his most impressive attribute because it's easy to take some plays off, especially when the opposition is clearly outmatched, but that's not his style and that was very evident Friday night. Bowen, a nice, respectful young man off the field, he's clearly a nasty, violent player on the field. He doesn't just hit ball-carriers, he punishes them. Technically-speaking, this really isn't saw raw talent still finding his way at the position. He's patient, smooth, and uses great form when bringing down offensive players. He has a great head on his shoulders, is smart, understands the game and where to be at all times. There genuinely wasn't anything that jumped out immediately as a concern or something that will hold him back from being a wire-to-wire composite five-star prospect. There is so much to like about his game and I believe he's going to be an outstanding collegiate player when that time comes. I guess the only thing you want to see at this point is how he will fair against better competition. He's typically going to be one of, if not the best player on the field every Friday night, especially with where he plays now, but I'd be curious to see how he looks against talent in Georgia, Florida, California or even Texas at this stage. That said, after watching him in action, I have nothing but confidence in Bowen to more than hold his own.

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Paladin

[WFE12 9,191]

 

[WFE12 9,191]

Just now watching that video..dude looks like a man amongst boys out there