Lynn Bowden Jr. 2020 NFL Draft Profile

After switching positions throughout his time with Kentucky, Lynn Bowden Jr. is looking for some security at the NFL level. The versatile receiver had a wild season last year, recorded 30 receptions on 57 targets for 345 yards and one touchdown. However, Bowden had to give up receiving duties in Week 7 when he took over as the starting quarterback. Bowden was quarterback in name only, as he only recorded 97 (rather ugly) dropbacks during his eight weeks under center. After the season, Bowden decided to skip his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bowden initially entered the collegiate football ranks as a four-star recruit out of Ohio. Initially committing to Indiana, Bowden had a change of heart and spent three seasons with the University of Kentucky. As a true freshman, Bowden recorded 17 receptions on 22 targets for 186 yards and 10.9 yards-per-target on 185 offensive snaps. One year later, he recorded 67 receptions on 86 targets for 745 yards and five touchdowns on 670 offensive snaps.

Strengths

Dangerous after the catch and in open space;

Perfect for wildcat/designed trickery;

Versatility to play running back, quarterback, and wide receiver in some capacity;

Shifty player capable of making defenders miss tackles;

Strong build with accommodating strength in his runs.

Weaknesses

Jack of all trades, master of none;

Route running has a long way to go to be NFL-caliber;

Breakaway speed leaves something to be desired;

2% drop rate;

Entirely reliant on scheme to get into the open field.

NFL Comparison: Brad Smith

Projection: Round 5

Bottom Line on Lynn Bowden Jr

Lynn Bowden Jr is a unique player that can do a little bit of everything on offense. The Kentucky product has experience doing just about everything on offense, including work as a quarterback, wide receiver, and running back. He’s definitely not going to be a quarterback at the next level, but he could succeed as a running back/wide receiver hybrid. The Kentucky product is special with the ball in his hands, capable of making guys miss in the open field and turning small gains into big ones. He’s surprisingly effective between the tackles and could probably succeed as a legitimate running back in a supporting role. Additionally, creative coaches are going to like his ability to take jet sweeps and run the occasional wildcat play.

Don’t expect Bowden to be much more than a gimmick player, however. Bowden isn’t a good route runner and doesn’t have the straight-line speed you’d expect from someone with his shiftiness. He has pretty unreliable hands and can’t get into the open on his own. Ultimately, Bowden is a scheme-specific player that will need to make a living on special teams, at least in the short term.