Tag: Andrean

Notre Dame commitment named 2022 Indiana ‘Mr. Football’

Just the fourth ever to win the award and attend Notre Dame

In a college football world where we’ve wondered what exactly the word commitment means these days, it’s not difficult to know what it does to Drayk Bowen.  Bowen was named the 2022 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top high school linebacker earlier this month and committed to Notre Dame all the way back in November of 2021.

And that commitment hasn’t wavered at all since.  In fact, Bowen has been the loudest voice in Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class when it comes to recruiting more talent to the Irish.

Bowen was named Indiana’s Mr. Football for 2022 on Friday, an award that seemed inevitable.  Bowen told the Indy Star that he made it a goal of his to win the award his senior season.

“I’m super, super surprised and just grateful,” Bowen said. “Last year I learned more about it and saw (Gibson Southern) quarterback Brady Allen get it and was like, ‘OK, that’s one of the awards I want.’” – Drayk Bowen

Indiana’s Mr. Football has been awarded to the high school football player of the year in the state since 1992.  Bowen will become just the fourth player to win the award and enroll at Notre Dame.

Here is every Indiana Mr. Football winner all-time:

Notre Dame commitment named nation’s top high school linebacker

Notre Dame is getting one of the best.

We’ve known for a while that Notre Dame is getting a good one in 2023 recruiting commitment [autotag]Drayk Bowen[/autotag].  Bowen has been fun to follow since committing to Notre Dame over a year ago and playing his high school football not even an hour west of South Bend.

Often times we highlighted Bowen’s incredible performances in the backfield at Andrean (Merrillville, Ind.) High School, but he’ll be joining Notre Dame to play linebacker.  Just how good is he at that?

Bowen was named the high school recipient of the 2022 Butkus Award on Tuesday.  The award goes to the nation’s top linebacker at the high school, college, and professional levels annually.

The Butkus selection committee said of the future Domer:

“Drayk Bowen is an explosive, drive-thru striker with knockback lower-body power and outstanding block destruction. He displayed exceptional instincts hitting holes as a linebacker and running back and erases angles in the open field. He’s an exceptional leader and excels equally as well in the classroom and community. In a class filled with many exceptional linebackers, he stood out as the best of the best.”

Prince Kollie also won the high school award in 2020 before signing his national letter of intent with Notre Dame.  [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] (2012), [autotag]Jaylon Smith[/autotag] (2015), and [autotag]Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah[/autotag] (2020) all won the collegiate award while wearing blue and gold.

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Notre Dame linebacker commit has insane offensive night to earn state finals trip

His stat line would make it appear that he’s ready for the next level. A state championship game however now waits in between.

Notre Dame 2023 recruiting class commitment [autotag]Drayk Bowen[/autotag] better be careful.   If he wants to play defense for Marcus Freeman and the Irish then he has to stop being so dominant on offense.  The future Fighting Irish linebacker ran like wild Friday night and has Indiana high school football fans buzzing this morning.

Is Bowen ready for the next step?  In what was his final game on his home high school (Andrean, Merrillville, Indiana) turf he went out with whatever is significantly louder and can’t be felt more than a bang.  Bowen’s stat line on the night:

35 carries, 358 rushing yards, 10 yards per carry, and five touchdowns.

Like on the football field where Bowen stars at more than one thing, at Notre Dame he’ll continue what he’s done at Andrean by playing both football and baseball for the Fighting Irish.

Another day like that next weekend and Bowen will be a state champion for the second time.  And perhaps Tommy Rees will start politicking for Bowen to get offensive snaps in blue and gold.

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