Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/523134
backer who won't have to come o+ the *eld." Bowen says his best high school moment was Barnegat's run to the South Jersey Group 3 championship game his junior year. While the Bengals weren't able to claim the championship, falling 31-7 to Delsea, Bowen said he'll never forget their road to the title game. "The journey to get to the championship was something that will always be mem- orable," he said. "We didn't have our best game in the championship, but leading up to it, we played well, and it was really exciting." In the past, Bowen also played basketball and ran track, but he decided to concen- trate on football his senior year. As with most incoming freshmen, he has high aspirations and is hoping to con- tribute right away for the Nittany Lions. "I just want to do whatever I can to help the team," he said. What he will do best is rush the passer. In high school, he had many defensive responsibilities, and rushing the passer wasn't the highest priority. Yet with his speed and quickness, Bowen could turn out to be a nightmare for opposing Big Ten quarterbacks. "He's going to be so tough to stop when it comes to the pass rush," Davis said. Bowen is one of those players who enjoys getting in the weight room. While he is looking to add some muscle, he doesn't want to sacri*ce any speed. How fast does he run? "I couldn't tell you," he said. It's fast enough to stay with receivers in pass coverage. In fact, as his statistics indicate, he was also fast enough to outrun defensive backs when he played receiv- er. "We used him in so many ways on o+ense because of his versatility," Davis said. Bowen said he never worried when he was an under-the-radar player before at- tending Barnegat. "I knew I would be getting what I deserve once I got the exposure," he said. His big-play ability caught the eye of college coaches, albeit later than most. And he brings a work ethic that his coach says is second to none. "He not only works hard on the *eld but in the classroom," Davis said. "His better days are ahead of him." ■ THE BOWEN FILE STATS Totaled 136 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 25 quarterbacks pres- sures during his junior and senior seasons at Barnegat High... Forced seven fum- bles and recovered five... Had 41 catches for 799 yards in his last two years, while finishing with 1,610 all-pur- pose yards and 17 touch- downs HONORS Named a four- star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the nation's No. 24 linebacker and No. 8 overall prospect in New Jersey