Listed measurements: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, though the Notre Dame baseball roster from this spring listed Bowen at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds. The weight gain came between the beginning of baseball season and the check-in at the commencement of football’s summer conditioning.
2023-24 year, eligibility: An early-enrolled freshman, Bowen has all four seasons of eligibility remaining.
Depth Chart: Bowen should be a third-string linebacker, most likely at Will (weakside) behind fifth-year Jack Kiser and sophomore Nolan Ziegler.
Recruiting: A consensus four-star prospect, rivals.com ranked Bowen as the No. 2 inside linebacker in the class of 2023 and the No. 48 prospect overall. An All-American and Butkus Award winner (following in the footsteps of Manti Te’o, Jaylon Smith and Prince Kollie in that latter regard), Bowen never wavered from a year-plus commitment to the Irish, despite Clemson, LSUand Michigan all chasing him.
WHAT WAS SAID WHEN BOWEN SIGNED IN DECEMBER
“More a run defender than a pass defender, Bowen’s speed should keep him on the outside of the defensive second-level, but rarely should he be asked to cover a receiver or a running back downfield. …
“Bowen’s speed is an on-field reality more than a sprinting delight, but it is enough to encourage early playing time, particularly on special teams.”
QUOTES
Bowen’s commitment to Notre Dame was so strong, he played a key part in keeping the Irish class of 2023 intact despite a couple embarrassing losses on the field in the fall.
“He did a great job of continuing to keep this class interconnected,” head coach Marcus Freeman said in December. “He tells me he’s a great Madden player, they all play Madden against each other, video games, that’s what these young guys do. … Drayk was vital in keeping this group together.”
Names that quickly come to mind that earned similar praises in cycles past include Josh Lugg, Kurt Hinish and Blake Fisher.
“He has come to every single home game,” Freeman said. “He loves this place. He’s probably our best recruiter. He talks to every single one of these recruits, and they all respect him. He’s, again, an outgoing personality, but he’s a great football player, highly-rated and those different things.”
NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS
The Notre Dame football program has undoubtedly driven immeasurable amounts of business to Julio Rodriguez, a South Bend barber, who has been cutting players’ hair for more than five years now but gained more notoriety when Marcus Freeman started sporting a clean fade on the Irish sidelines.
Drayk Bowen in the building 📈 pic.twitter.com/u2tUTFkfJC
— julioscutz (@julioscutz) February 16, 2023
2023 OUTLOOK
Bowen initially lost weight when he got to Notre Dame. A two-sport athlete, the day-to-day workload this winter and spring was more than any other early-enrolled freshman dare embrace. When he should have been a high schooler, Bowen was effectively competing at two collegiate sports.
But in time, Bowen replaced those five lost pounds with muscle and then more muscle. This is the benefit of a collegiate strength and conditioning program. At home, a snack is a snack. Around a nutrition table, it is a focused protein shake.
That growth eventually leads to a freshman wall, the body just needing a couple weeks to reset. When exactly that comes for Bowen may impact whether he plays in 13 games on special teams this season or only up to four blowouts in reserve linebacker duty.
He has the profile of a special teams contributor, but if Bowen is wearing thin toward the end of preseason practices, common timing for that wall to show up, then the slight step back could knock him off those coverage units.
Early enrollee Drayk Bowen sheds light on his daily schedule at Notre Dame as he balances baseball and football. pic.twitter.com/gz7ANllWJ9
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) March 9, 2023
DOWN THE ROAD
Fifth-years Kiser, JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau could all return in 2024. It does not mean they will. Whenever that veteran trio ends their college careers, Bowen will benefit from their longevity.
Kiser, Bertrand and Liufau have left so little playing time for the players just behind him on the roster that Notre Dame now has no seniors or juniors among its linebackers. A quintet of current underclassmen will compete to replace the veterans, be it next spring or in 2025’s.
NOTRE DAME 99-TO-0
The summer countdown begins anew, Rylie Mills to Deion Colzie
No. 99 Rylie Mills, senior defensive tackle, moving back inside from end
No. 98 Devan Houstan, early-enrolled four-star defensive tackle
No. 97 Gabriel Rubio, junior defensive tackle, one of three Irish DTs with notable experience
No. 95 Tyson Ford, sophomore defensive tackle, up 30 pounds from a year ago
No. 93 Armel Mukam, incoming freshman defensive end, former Stanford commit
No. 92 Aidan Keanaaina, a senior defensive tackle now ‘fully healthy’ after a 2022 torn ACL
No. 91 Aiden Gobaira, sophomore defensive end, former four-star recruit
No. 88 Mitchell Evans, the next starter at ‘TE U
No. 87 Cooper Flanagan, incoming freshman tight end, four-star recruit
No. 84 Kevin Bauman, senior tight end coming off a torn ACL
No. 83 Jayden Thomas, junior receiver, probable No. 1 target in 2023
No. 79 Tosh Baker, senior tackle, again a backup but next year ...
No. 78 Pat Coogan, junior interior offensive lineman
No. 77 Ty Chan, sophomore offensive tackle, former four-star recruit
No. 76 Joe Alt, first-team All-American left tackle
No. 75 Sullivan Absher, incoming freshman offensive lineman
No. 74 Billy Schrauth, sophomore left guard, likely starter
No. 73 Andrew Kristofic, fifth-year right guard, likely starter
No. 72 Sam Pendelton, early-enrolled freshman offensive lineman
No. 70 Ashton Craig, sophomore interior offensive lineman
No. 68 Michael Carmody, senior offensive lineman
No. 65 Michael Vinson, sixth-year long snapper, four-year starter
No. 64 Joe Otting, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 59 Aamil Wagner, sophomore offensive tackle
No. 56 Charles Jagusah, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 56 Howard Cross, fifth-year defensive tackle, multi-year starter
No. 55 Chris Terek, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 54 Blake Fisher, junior right tackle, second-year starter
No. 52 Zeke Correll, fifth-year center, third-year starter
No. 51 Boubacar Traore, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 50 Rocco Spindler, junior offensive guard
No. 47 Jason Onye, junior defensive tackle on the verge of playing time
No. 44 Junior Tuihalamaka, sophomore defensive end, former linebacker
No. 42 Nolan Ziegler, sophomore linebacker, Irish legacy
No. 41 Donovan Hinish, sophomore defensive tackle following in his brother’s footsteps
No. 40 Joshua Burnham, sophomore linebacker-turned-Vyper end
No. 38 Davis Sherwood, junior fullback/H-back, former walk-on
No. 17 Brenan Vernon, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 13 Holden Staes, sophomore tight end, up 20 pounds in a year
No. 12 Penn State RB transfer Devyn Ford gives Notre Dame newly-needed backfield depth, experience
No. 4 Rhode Island transfer safety Antonio Carter gives Notre Dame desperately needed backline depth