Name: Davonne Bowen
Position: OLB
Height/Weight: 6-02 / 220 lbs
Hometown: Piedmont, SC
Rating: Consensus 3-star
The 7th best prospect from the state of South Carolina, Davonne Bowen could make an immediate impact on the Gamecocks’ defense and special teams. With numerous gaps to fill on defense, and a decided lack of speed, look for his quickness to be a quality that the coaches’ look to exploit on day one.
Strengths: Did I mention this kid is fast? Yep. Fast. 4.4 40-yard dash speed and a 6-2, 220 frame make him comparable (at least on paper) to another Gamecock linebacker you may know, Skai Moore.
Here’s a video of him just zooming past a Wren offensive line to sack-and-strip the Gamecocks’ newest quarterback recruit, Jay Urich:
Weaknesses: He’s going to probably have to be a quick learner, and fast. Scheduled to be a summer enrollee, Bowen is going to have to pull double-or triple-duty in preparing for a season in which he’s likely going to be relied on as a multi-use tool both on special teams and within the defensive unit. He played defensive end in the Shrine Bowl, and has played OLB for a few years, and has also acted as a punt returner and special teams coverage guy while in high school, so hopefully this is just unnecessary worry.