Lynn Bowden Jr.: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
Position: WR
School: Kentucky
Class: Junior
Date of Birth: October 14, 1997
Height: 5-11 Weight: 204lbs
Athletic Testing
Lynn Bowden Jr. opted not to participate in the NFL Combine drills and did not hold a Pro Day.
Bio
Lynn Bowden Jr. began his football journey at Warren G Harding High School in Ohio, where he played quarterback and recorded 2,277 rushing yards, 1,366 passing yards, and 57 total touchdowns as a senior. He was named Ohio Division II Offensive Player of the Year and was recruited as a wide receiver. The four-star prospect initially committed to Indiana in February 2016 before ultimately landing at Kentucky. Bowden got on the field early, finishing his freshman campaign with 17 receptions for 210 yards (12.4 YPR) and 689 return yards. It was enough to earn SEC All-Freshman honors.
See Where Lynn Bowden Lands In Our 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings
As a sophomore, Bowden led the team with 67 receptions for 745 yards (11.1 YPR) and five touchdowns. According to PFF, he averaged 7.7 yards after the catch per reception with 17 broken tackles. Bowden continued his work on special teams, averaging 29.9 yards per punt return and tying the national lead with two touchdowns. He accumulated another 539 yards on kickoffs and was named second-team All-SEC.
Bowden continued to play slot receiver for the first five weeks of 2019 (30-348-11.6-one TD), before being called on to play quarterback due to the team’s injuries at the position. He started the final eight games at quarterback, helping the team achieve bowl eligibility. His passing numbers weren’t great (35-43, 403 yards, three TDs, three INTs), but he was dangerous as a running threat. On 185 carries he rushed for 1,468 yards (7.9 YPC) and 13 touchdowns. He combined for 273 yards in the return game and finished among the top-five players in the nation in all-purpose yards, earning the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most outstanding all-purpose player and first-team Associated Press All-American all-purpose honors.
College Stats
Lynn Bowden College Stats Courtesy of sports-reference.com
Positives
+YAC
+Versatile
+48 broken tackles on 166 designed runs in 2019
+80 career kick/punt returns (two TDs)
+206 career rush attempts
+27-percent Target Share in 2018
+83.8-percent catch rate in 2018
+2.52 yards per team pass attempt in 2018
+38-percent of team receiving touchdowns in 2018
Kentucky WR Lynn Bowden Jr. is such an interesting prospect. His development as a WR was slowed due to move to QB in 2019
But, his market share numbers as a full-time WR in 2018 are intriguing:
27% Target Share
2.52 yds/team pass att
38% of team pass TDs
83.8% catch rate
🤔
— Alex Johnson (@a_johnsonFF) March 25, 2020
Negatives
-26.3-percent (40th-percentile) Dominator
-11.4 (10th-percentile) YPR
-Development as a wide receiver was stunted due to his move to quarterback in 2019
-Not a downfield threat
-16.2-percent Drop Rate
-28.6-percent contested catch rate
-Incomplete athletic profile
-Jack of all trades, master of none
-Only 114 career receptions
Highlight Reel
Best Comparable Player (PlayerProfiler): Deebo Samuel
NFL Draft Projection: Middle Rounds
Bottom Line:
Lynn Bowden is one of the most interesting and exciting prospects in the 2020 draft class. His growth as a wide receiver was stunted in 2019 with his move to quarterback halfway through the campaign. But, his market share numbers from 2018 when he was playing receiver full-time are intriguing. In the short-term, Bowden projects as a hybrid running back/slot receiver who will be used primarily in the return game and as a gadget player. If he can develop his receiving skills, he can become an electric receiver out of the slot. He will likely come off the board in the middle rounds on draft weekend and will be an exciting high-upside selection in the late rounds of dynasty rookie drafts. I will own a lot of Bowden in dynasty.
Resources: DLF, PlayerProfiler, NFL.com, PFF
