Lynn Bowden, Jr. | WR | Kentucky
Elevator Pitch
Though he’s known nationally for his work as a dual-threat quarterback, Bowden is a wide receiver at heart, and a good one at that. He’s a dynamic athlete with good fluidity who offers plenty of value after the catch. He may be raw as a route runner, but the intrigue that comes with using him as a gadget player should catch teams’ attention.
Vitals
Height | 5-11
Weight | 204
Strengths
Bowden is a do-it-all playmaker who can make an impact for an offense in numerous ways.
Prior to transitioning to quarterback due to Kentucky’s lack of healthy talent at the position, Bowden was putting up some good numbers as a receiver. He is an electric player who can make defenders miss in the open field with impressive lateral quickness and very good ball-carrier vision for a wideout. That athleticism translates to some pretty enticing upside, as his raw talent of stopping on a dime and accelerating quickly makes it possible for him to grow as a route runner.
One positive thing that came out of Bowden moving to quarterback – taking on a bigger role as a runner in the process – is that his running style offers value in after-the-catch situations. Not only are his athleticism and his vision good for the position, but he also has a well-proportioned frame and runs with determination and solid power. He has shown some potential in attacking leverage points as a route runner, and he has good physicality and strong hands in tight-window situations coming out of the slot.
Weaknesses
Though his positional change put his name on the map across the country, Bowden missing out on reps as a receiver prevented him from developing a skillset that needs polishing. Despite his athleticism and body control, he doesn’t have great hip-sinking abilities in his cuts and isn’t an incredibly sharp route runner. He hasn’t shown much in the way of hand usage to create separation, either.
Bowden ended up fumbling the ball nine times in 2019, and while that number would go down if he didn’t touch the ball so often like he did in Kentucky’s scheme, ball security is a bit of an issue for him. He also has only one good season as a receiver, so while he played well in the five games he spent at the position, he’s still pretty unproven in that regard.
Projection: Day 3
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