BREAKING | Composite Five-Star LB Drayk Bowen Commits to Notre Dame
Notre Dame was never the choice.
2023 Andrean (Ind.) linebacker Drayk Bowen grew up watching Texas as he father, Jeremy, was from the Longhorn State.
The Longhorns were quickly replaced by Alabama as Bowen grew up around Alabama fans in Northwest Indiana. In fact, those family friends not only graduated from Alabama, but one played for the great Bear Bryant.
Yet, on Wednesday evening, Bowen gave his pledge to Notre Dame to play baseball and football.
It marks the third composite five-star prospect Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has landed in 11 months as Bowen joins 2022 linebacker Jaylen Sneed and 2023 defensive end Brenan Vernon.
"After talking with my family and some mentors, we laid out all the pros and cons of each school,” Bowen told ISD. “I knew Notre Dame had a great education, close to home, but being close to home never really mattered to me because of (summer) baseball. Auburn and Clemson were in the South and that almost put them ahead.
"Laying out everything, I got to Notre Dame and Notre Dame's education is something I want because I know that's going to take me way past football."
Notre Dame was the only school to host the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder over the summer, but Clemson held the lead heading into the fall.
As his recruitment went on, Bowen started to come around on Auburn and Notre Dame. In fact, Bowen knew he wanted to go to Notre Dame, so he tried to eliminate the Irish from contention to test his decision.
"I kind of tried to eliminate them from my recruitment. It had never been Notre Dame in my eyes because it was in the North and I always wanted to go South and play in the ACC or SEC.
"I knew they were a great school, but it was never them. Going through how I could never find something wrong with the school or any reason to eliminate them from my choices kept them in there.
"At one point, I just couldn't say no to Coach Freeman and to the school."
Bowen is also good at keeping secrets as he committed to Brian Kelly, Freeman and Chad Bowden before the USC game on his most recent visit to Notre Dame.
"It was a surreal moment to be with them and telling them when they least expected it. Coach Freeman kind of just sat there and didn't really know what to do. Coach Bowden was excited - just like how he gets.
"Telling Coach Kelly, he was just the same and he didn't expect it either. It was a surprise for all three of them."
Most folks who followed Bowen's recruitment knew he wanted to play baseball in college, but few knew how important Andrean star factored it into his decision.
Notre Dame head skipper Link Jarrett and assistant Rich Wallace were on Bowen before his sophomore year and the long relationship was a significant factor at the end of the day.
"It was Coach Jarrett's enthusiasm for the game of baseball. How much he loved it, how much he wanted his players to work for it and how much he supported them - but his attention to detail. Everything was taken into detail. The slightest details you wouldn't even think of he had thought of and was taking it and putting it into his practice plan.
"With Coach Wallace, it was how I'm going to take baseball and put it into life - how I'm going to grow and learn life. They also said I could play middle, so that was a big thing."
Bowen knows his commitment is a big one, but he also knows his job is just starting as he wants to bring some elite talent with him to Notre Dame.
"I definitely have some recruits in mind like Sonny (Styles), Luke (Montgomery) and Carnell (Tate), but I want them to figure out where their best fit is. If it's at Notre Dame, great. If it's not, then I'll be happy for them because they found the place that was the best fit for them. I will definitely try to get them here."
Exclusive Video | Drayk Bowen Explains Recruitment & Notre Dame Decision
Ranking
ISD: 93 (four-star)
247: 93 (four-star)
Rivals: 6.0 (four-star)
ESPN: 86 (four-star)
Composite: 98.68 (five-star)
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