Notre Dame sophomore Drayk Bowen heads into football practice Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. MANDATORY CREDIT: Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Notre Dame Linebacker Continues Star Emergence in 2024

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Oct 20, 2024 11:20 AM ET

Entering the 2024 season Notre Dame's linebackers were full of potential but outside of veteran Jack Kiser, hadn't shown a ton on collectively on any collegiate playing fields to know what the season would bring.

Seven games into the season the linebackers have been perhaps better than the hype and one star from the groups is especially starting to emerge.

Drayk Bowen Stars Again as Notre Dame Beats Georgia Tech

Pretty cool moment for the Bowen family today at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Dylan Bowen, one of the top baseball prospects in the 2026 class, is taking an official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend and has the opportunity to watch his older brother Drayk on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/eIN0wI5ahK
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) October 19, 2024

Drayk Bowen came into Notre Dame with significant hype, winning the Butkus Award as the nation's top high school linebacker just two years ago. His second year on campus has shown why the former Andrean High School star so hyped out of northwest Indiana.

Bowen has grown this season and as Notre Dame gets set to enter the stretch run of the regular season only appears to see his importance to the Fighting Irish defense grow.

Bowen recorded nine tackles in Notre Dame's 31-13 victory over Georgia Tech. Those nine led the team and put him in the lead for tackles on the team for the season as he now sits with 38 on the season.

Bowen has also forced a fumble, gotten credit for a pair of passes defended, and recorded a sack for a 12-yard loss this season and a pair of tackles for loss.

On Saturday, Bowen was recognized nationally for his performance as Pro Football Focus had his game against Georgia Tech graded as the fifth-best by any linebacker nationally in Week 8.

This might be one of Notre Dame's best individual plays all night.

It's the same play call (counter) on which Jeremiyah Love scored the game-winning touchdown. It's blocked really well up front. Then Drayk Bowen lays the boom on the TE and blows the whole thing up. pic.twitter.com/PZLFeLcXh0
— Jack Soble (@jacksoble56) September 3, 2024

Notre Dame's defense continues to impress as the 11.9 points per game it is allowing rank in the nation's top-five and Bowen's star continues to grow.