Drayk Bowen
Notre Dame#159 overallDraft Movement
Down 31 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Drayk Bowen is a decorated multi-sport athlete from Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana, who arrived at Notre Dame as a consensus four-star recruit and the 2022 Indiana Mr. Football. He was also one of the top-ten baseball prospects in the country out of high school and has continued playing both sports for the Fighting Irish, a dual-sport background that scouts note translates directly to his rotational power and hand-eye coordination on the football field. Standing 6'2" and listed between 235 and 239 pounds, Bowen has the frame scouts describe as NFL-ready for the linebacker position. He broke into Notre Dame's starting lineup as a sophomore and finished third on the team with 78 tackles that year, adding a crucial forced fumble in the national championship game against Ohio State. Through his first two collegiate seasons heading into 2026, he had accumulated 159 career tackles, 13.5 combined tackles for loss and sacks, and 4 turnovers generated, grading well in run defense and average in coverage. Evaluators note that Bowen is rangy and efficient at covering ground in both run and pass defense, with a relentless pursuit motor that shows up consistently on film. Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has praised Bowen as a "warrior" with notable football intellect and physicality. Scouts describe him as a throwback true MIKE linebacker whose best work is done between the tackles, arriving at pulling and climbing linemen with force and posting just a 6% missed tackle rate in 2024. His biggest limitations heading into his junior season are coverage range and pursuit speed, both of which appear slightly below NFL average on current tape, though evaluators note he was still an underclassman when those grades were assessed. He grades as a Day 3 prospect for the 2026 class, a label that carried forward into his 2027 projection, landing in the middle-round tier among inside linebackers with a round 3-5 projection. The consensus across big boards suggests a m
Strengths
- Physical, tone-setting tackler with a 6% missed tackle rate in 2024 and just 10.7% career missed tackle rate
- quick processor with a fast trigger downhill against the run, consistently taking correct angles before offensive linemen can climb to the second level
- relentless motor and sideline-to-sideline pursuit range that shows up on every snap
- legitimate NFL frame at 6'2"/235 lbs built for MIKE linebacker demands between the tackles
- multi-sport athlete (football and baseball at scholarship level) contributing to elite rotational hip power and hand-eye coordination at contact
- effective stack-and-shed ability against tight ends and fullbacks while maintaining vision on the ball
- vocal pre-snap communicator and natural leader who commanded a veteran defense as a sophomore
- strong run defense grades in 2024 and across his career entering 2026
Weaknesses
- Coverage skills remain a work in progress and grade out as merely average
- pursuit speed and range in coverage appear slightly below NFL average
- can be overly aggressive attacking downhill, creating vulnerability against play-action and misdirection
- does not always show elite lateral quickness to recover when initially caught out of position
- pass rush arsenal is limited, relying on speed and power over refined hand technique
- missed tackle rate ticked up to 10.7% on a career basis, higher than preferred for a MIKE projection
- still developing as a full-time starter with limited sample size against elite competition
College Stats
2023 (freshman): 14 tackles, primarily special teams contributor in 12 games; 2024 (sophomore): 78 tackles (3rd on team), 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles including one in national championship game, 2 pass breakups, strong run defense grade, 6% missed tackle rate; Career through 2025: 159 tackles, 13.5 combined TFL/sacks, 4 turnovers generated, 18 hurries, 60 stops, strong career run defense grade, average career coverage grade
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $520K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Notre Dame's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
4-star recruit; Indiana Mr. Football 2022; Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year (2x); High School Butkus Award winner (best high school linebacker); Top-10 national baseball prospect out of high school; middle-round tier among 2027 inside linebacker prospects