Nation's No. 1 linebacker talks Clemson offer and June visit

Bowen will visit Clemson later this month.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Fri Jun 04 16:00:09 GMT-04:00 2021

The No. 1 linebacker in the 2023 class will be a priority target for Brent Venables and the Clemson staff, and the Tigers defensive coordinator extended a much-anticipated offer to the 5-star on Tuesday.

Merrillville (IN) Andrean linebacker Drayk Bowen picked up a Clemson offer on June 1st, adding to his growing total of over 20 offers. Bowen has built a strong relationship with Venables prior to receiving the offer, and Venables believes that Bowen can be a leader for Clemson in the 2023 class.

“He just said it’s time and then I got the offer. He said that he feels like I can be a real asset to the team and be a captain for this class,” Bowen told TigerNet. “I had a feeling I was going to get the offer because he told me it was just a matter of time. I talk with coach Venables a lot and we talk about culture and building strong relationships. And of course football.”

At 6-2, 215 pounds, Bowen is a versatile linebacker who can play in space and put pressure on the quarterback. Venables sees Bowen contributing in that exact way at Clemson.

“He said he’d be using me as an outside linebacker and an edge rusher. He said he likes how hard I play on the field and how I play downhill and fast,” Bowen said. “He says he likes my character and me as a person off the field.”

Bowen will visit Clemson on June 9th, with Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, and LSU also on his schedule for June.

“I’m looking to get to know the coaches and see them in person,” Bowen said of his upcoming visits. “I want to see the campuses and learn the culture of the program. I’m looking for the best fit for me academically and athletically, and a place I can hopefully earn playing time.”

Bowen is currently ranked as the No. 25 player overall in the ’23 class and the No. 1 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite rankings. The 5-star collected 80 tackles in his 2020 season, with 13 of those coming for loss. Bowen is also a standout baseball player, as well as a 4.0 student.

What will a school be getting from Bowen when he decides which school checks all of his boxes?

“They’ll be getting a hard worker in and out of the classroom, but also a person that wants to be a better me every day,” he said. “They’ll be getting a student of the game and a kid with great character.”