34 days until Notre Dame football: Drayk Bowen’s potential at Mike linebacker

BlueandGold.com will release a countdown article highlighting a significant Notre Dame football statistic every day until the 2024 season opener at Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 in College Station, Texas. Today, there are 34 days until the Irish and Aggies kick off at Kyle Field.

Notre Dame is not afraid to burn a redshirt on special teams. Linebacker Drayk Bowen is a prime example.

Bowen, the No. 103 player in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking out of Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean, played in 12 out of 13 games his freshman year on special teams. Pro Football Focus credited him with 3 tackles, and he finished with a 79.9 special teams grade in 161 snaps. He also played sparingly on defense, appearing in 5 games and totaling 74 snaps in five games.

Thirty-four of those snaps came against the run, for which he earned an 80.5 PFF run defense grade. Bowen’s potential at middle — or “Mike” — linebacker is obvious, which is why the Irish coveted him as an in-state prospect.

Notre Dame believes Bowen can play Mike or the weakside “Will” linebacker spot, standing at 6-foot-2, 239 pounds entering his sophomore season. His starting job at Mike is not 100 percent locked in, with freshman Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa on his heels. But he will have the first crack at it, and if Viliamu-Asa beats him out, he’ll still play plenty for the Irish on defense in 2024.

Bowen’s size, length and athleticism are prototypical for an inside ‘backer. He can also line up on the edge and rush the passer, giving him the ability to play Will. While Viliamu-Asa and junior Jaylen Sneed got more headlines throughout spring practice, Bowen stood out as much as any of them on the field.

He was an aggressive tackler against the run and a force as a pass rusher. The big question, though, is can Bowen operate as a leader in the middle of Notre Dame’s defense like his predecessor, JD Bertrand?

“Drayk’s done a good job,” linebackers coach Max Bullough said in early April. “I mean, he’s progressing each day like we’ve asked him to do. One of the big things for him is control of the defense.

“A lot of that is, yeah, it’s having a bark out there and it’s been loud, but it’s also building the trust with your guys on and off.”

Despite Viliamu-Asa’s obvious potential, Bowen has the advantage of a year in Notre Dame’s system. If he shows he can control the defense, like Bullough said, he has the inside track to start.

But even if Viliamu-Asa does overtake him, Bowen could slide right back into the lineup when graduate student Jack Kiser leaves in 2025. He’ll be an important piece of the Irish linebacker corps for the next three seasons.

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