Coach | 2023 LB Drayk Bowen Owns "Rare Combination"

It’s not just the gifts Drayk Bowen‍ was blessed with that impress Chris Skinner the most. Instead, it’s the way the 2023 Indiana linebacker has worked to maximize those gifts that impresses the Andrean High School head coach most.

“I think he possesses a rare combination of skills and talents,” Skinner says. “Athletically, he's very gifted; very good two-sport athlete, really good baseball player as well. He's got good range of flexibility. He's got good burst, strong.

“It's not just being athletic. It's been also building on top of that athleticism. You wouldn't necessarily see this watching the film, but he's very disciplined. He's a straight A-student, he's got above a 4.0 GPA takes all honors and AP classes. He's very committed to diet and into working out to continuing to improve his body. It all comes together into a pretty impressive package.”

Skinner says Bowen “brings a lot of emotion when he steps out of the field” and credits him with bringing a similar attitude to the classroom.

“We're a pretty tough academic school,” the coach says. “For him to compete the way he does on the athletic fields and then uphold that same high standard in the classroom, that obviously speaks to the type of kid he is and type of character he has.

Bowen plans to play both football and baseball in college. His offer sheet currently includes schools like Arkansas, Ball State, Cincinnati and Indiana in addition to Notre Dame, who offered a couple weeks ago.

Bowen told ISD’s Matt Freeman he was “grateful” for that offer from the Irish.

“Just what Notre Dame football means and especially being here in Indiana I think that's a pretty special offer coming off a year in which they make the College Football playoffs,” Skinner says. “Obviously, they have a long-standing history of success.”

Skinner has been encouraging his players to do whatever they can to stay in front of college coaches as the dead period continues to be extended.

“We're trying to do everything we can through social media,” he says. “I'm constantly sending things out to coaches. We tell them to, constantly update their Hudl highlights and don't be afraid to tweet at any coaches. So, we're at the point right now just take swings.

“Obviously, Drayk is a little bit different from some of our other guys in that he already has Division-I offers. He's more high profile, but it's same idea, just keep trying to reach out keep trying to make connections to hope people take notice.”