DaQuan Bowers of Clemson ~ 6.4/275
"A well-built, thickly put together kid with a long pair of arms and natural flexibility and bend when asked to coil up into his stance. Showcases a good first step at the snap, keeps his pad level down initially on contact and extends his arms well at the point. Will get a bit upright though when run at and isn't the most balanced of guys trying to shed blocks. Has good length and extends well in order to keep himself clean, but doesn't use his hands real well and is real violent when engaged.
Gets overextended too often and bent over at the waist though contact and can be hung up easily at times. However, plays off slide down blocks well down the line because of his athleticism and length and is tough to reach the corner on because he closes quickly as well. Exhibits the anchor strength to consistently set the edge when run at and really took a liking to his motor this season. Played hungry more consistently chasing from the backside and making far more plays in pursuit.
Possesses a good first step off the edge in the pass game for a guy his size and again extends his arms well in order to quickly gain inside position. Generates a natural pop at the point of attack and can initially overwhelm on contact. Works his legs well through the play when engaged and has the ability to drop his pad level when trying dip around the edge and accelerate past his man. Displays some natural flexibility and fluidity in all areas of the game and when in space does a nice job suddenly using his inside move to slip blockers inside and accelerate quickly toward the quarterback.
However, lacks the kind of burst to consistently turn the corner off the edge and isn't real shifty through contact. Doesn't disengage from blocks nearly as well as given credit for as a pass rusher off the edge and too often gets upright and hung up easily when engaged off the edge. Works hard and has the natural power/length and athleticism to eventually fight his way through contact and close, especially when the QB is flushed from the pocket, but isn't nearly as savvy or technically sound using his hands to consistently disengage.
Had some trouble with his weight during the early part of his career at Clemson. Seemed to lean out and really take his game to another level as a junior with the potential of entering the draft. Therefore, will he keep that same type of drive once he is drafted high and has a significant paycheck in his pocket?
Impression: A strong, long-armed athlete with impressive closing speed for his size and natural anchor strength. However, needs to do a better job using his hands to shed blocks in both the run and pass game, gets held up far too often when engaged for me to give him an elite level grade."
Gets overextended too often and bent over at the waist though contact and can be hung up easily at times. However, plays off slide down blocks well down the line because of his athleticism and length and is tough to reach the corner on because he closes quickly as well. Exhibits the anchor strength to consistently set the edge when run at and really took a liking to his motor this season. Played hungry more consistently chasing from the backside and making far more plays in pursuit.
Possesses a good first step off the edge in the pass game for a guy his size and again extends his arms well in order to quickly gain inside position. Generates a natural pop at the point of attack and can initially overwhelm on contact. Works his legs well through the play when engaged and has the ability to drop his pad level when trying dip around the edge and accelerate past his man. Displays some natural flexibility and fluidity in all areas of the game and when in space does a nice job suddenly using his inside move to slip blockers inside and accelerate quickly toward the quarterback.
However, lacks the kind of burst to consistently turn the corner off the edge and isn't real shifty through contact. Doesn't disengage from blocks nearly as well as given credit for as a pass rusher off the edge and too often gets upright and hung up easily when engaged off the edge. Works hard and has the natural power/length and athleticism to eventually fight his way through contact and close, especially when the QB is flushed from the pocket, but isn't nearly as savvy or technically sound using his hands to consistently disengage.
Had some trouble with his weight during the early part of his career at Clemson. Seemed to lean out and really take his game to another level as a junior with the potential of entering the draft. Therefore, will he keep that same type of drive once he is drafted high and has a significant paycheck in his pocket?
Impression: A strong, long-armed athlete with impressive closing speed for his size and natural anchor strength. However, needs to do a better job using his hands to shed blocks in both the run and pass game, gets held up far too often when engaged for me to give him an elite level grade."
"Pass Rush: Combines explosion out of his stance and pure upper-body strength to overwhelm most college right tackles. Senses bootlegs to his side of the field, keeps outside leverage and sheds -- or gets a hand on a receiver to slow him up -- before chasing down the quarterback. Gets his hands into passing lanes when stalemated at the line, with a great vertical and the length to block passes at the line. Lines up on either side of the line. Does not have an elite first step as an edge rusher, relies on bull rushes and poor footwork by college tackles to turn the corner. When lined up wide, he can get inside lane with his hands and is tough to stop once in his man's jersey. Better tackles can stand him up as the game progresses. Too often, he is late coming off the snap.
Run Defense: Ready-made strong-side NFL defensive end because of his strength as a run-stopper. Uses thick upper body, quickness and awareness, and leverage to keep containment on the edge, and sheds most tackles easily. Stays square to the line of scrimmage and shows good awareness throughout the play. Competes, chasing to either sideline, even after losing his balance. Takes on multiple blockers, (tackles, pulling guards and fullbacks) as they come with violent hands so he can hold his ground. Generally stays alive against cut blocks, but loses his balance regularly and needs to use his hands better to defeat.
Explosion: Has explosive strength on the edge, bringing his full force in his hand punch to the chest of overmanned college tackles on bull rushes and when shedding blocks. Flashes the ability to come hard off the snap and turn the corner as a pass rusher on the strong side, but may struggle to do so against NFL right tackles without improving technique.
Strength: Already looks like an NFL end, pushing some tackles into the backfield with one arm, and will only grow stronger over the next couple of years in a pro strength and conditioning program. More developed in the upper body than the lower body, but plays with excellent leverage against bigger linemen. Strong hands to shed on the outside.
Tackling: Combines NFL-quality strength and length to provide explosive tackling on the edge. Most ballcarriers find it difficult to evade him once in his grasp. Closing speed and strong wrap give him the capability of forcing fumbles on sacks or against ballcarriers in the open field. Changes direction well for his size and is able to keep himself in outside runs to force a decision. NFL backs won't go down as easily as college backs do when he gets one hand on them, however.
Intangibles: Matured and turned on his game after losing his mentor, former DE Gaines Adams (cardiac arrest) and his father (seizure) over the past year. Lost 20 pounds between junior and senior seasons. His best football is ahead of him. Has become a student of the game."
Run Defense: Ready-made strong-side NFL defensive end because of his strength as a run-stopper. Uses thick upper body, quickness and awareness, and leverage to keep containment on the edge, and sheds most tackles easily. Stays square to the line of scrimmage and shows good awareness throughout the play. Competes, chasing to either sideline, even after losing his balance. Takes on multiple blockers, (tackles, pulling guards and fullbacks) as they come with violent hands so he can hold his ground. Generally stays alive against cut blocks, but loses his balance regularly and needs to use his hands better to defeat.
Explosion: Has explosive strength on the edge, bringing his full force in his hand punch to the chest of overmanned college tackles on bull rushes and when shedding blocks. Flashes the ability to come hard off the snap and turn the corner as a pass rusher on the strong side, but may struggle to do so against NFL right tackles without improving technique.
Strength: Already looks like an NFL end, pushing some tackles into the backfield with one arm, and will only grow stronger over the next couple of years in a pro strength and conditioning program. More developed in the upper body than the lower body, but plays with excellent leverage against bigger linemen. Strong hands to shed on the outside.
Tackling: Combines NFL-quality strength and length to provide explosive tackling on the edge. Most ballcarriers find it difficult to evade him once in his grasp. Closing speed and strong wrap give him the capability of forcing fumbles on sacks or against ballcarriers in the open field. Changes direction well for his size and is able to keep himself in outside runs to force a decision. NFL backs won't go down as easily as college backs do when he gets one hand on them, however.
Intangibles: Matured and turned on his game after losing his mentor, former DE Gaines Adams (cardiac arrest) and his father (seizure) over the past year. Lost 20 pounds between junior and senior seasons. His best football is ahead of him. Has become a student of the game."
"Pass rush: Bowers has a good burst off the line that he turns into power. Shows good snap anticipation. By far the best bull-rushing defensive end in this year’s draft. Has impressive power to move offensive linemen backwards. Effectively uses a swim to get past linemen. Doesn’t really use other pass rush moves other than the swim.
Pursuit: Is very good in pursuit, especially against the run. Shows good range to make plays on the backside. When Bowers gives full effort, he works hard to the ball. Had some lapses as a junior where he throttled his play down.
Run defense: Is a powerful defensive end who can get low to stop the run. Is better working the run to the inside than the outside. Still, Bowers mostly bull rushes and works to keep outside contain. Has lined up at tackle and has the power to beat guards when he stays low.
Strength: Here is one of the main areas that makes Bowers ready for the NFL right now. He shows the strength to bull rush offensive linemen backwards and at times demands double teams. Has some trouble against double teams, especially when he’s not low. Got to show off his power plenty as a junior when Clemson used him as a 3-technique to pass rush from the inside.
Tackling: Can be an explosive hitter when he reaches the ball carrier. Has the strength to knock the ball loose on tackles. Changes direction pretty fluidly to keep up with shifty runners.
Technique: For Bowers to succeed his has to get leverage. At times in 2010, though, he often came out of his stance too high, allowing linemen to get below him. While Bowers doesn’t get driven backwards, he does get held up. Has good hand usage to fight off linemen, though. Rarely gets in trouble against counter moves.
Final word: Not a lot of true defensive end prospects have Bowers’ blend of strength, size and quickness. Make no mistake, he’s the kind of 4-3 end that a team can plug in for years to get pressure on the quarterback. Bowers can also shift inside in nickel situations and is strong and instinctual enough to handle draws.
***
The most obvious comparison for Bowers is former New York Giants end Michael Strahan. Bowers isn’t quite as boisterous as Strahan, but he’s similar in playing style. Bowers has a good burst off the snap and turns that burst into power.
His main move is a straight forward bull rush with a swim, just like Strahan. You might not get a lot of double moves or spins out of Bowers, but he doesn’t need them.
Bowers was highly recruited out of high school but was considered an underachiever until 2010. A knee injury that essentially knocked him out of three games slowed his progress as a sophomore. But he finally delivered as a junior. He came into the year in much better shape and finished with 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss.
Pursuit: Is very good in pursuit, especially against the run. Shows good range to make plays on the backside. When Bowers gives full effort, he works hard to the ball. Had some lapses as a junior where he throttled his play down.
Run defense: Is a powerful defensive end who can get low to stop the run. Is better working the run to the inside than the outside. Still, Bowers mostly bull rushes and works to keep outside contain. Has lined up at tackle and has the power to beat guards when he stays low.
Strength: Here is one of the main areas that makes Bowers ready for the NFL right now. He shows the strength to bull rush offensive linemen backwards and at times demands double teams. Has some trouble against double teams, especially when he’s not low. Got to show off his power plenty as a junior when Clemson used him as a 3-technique to pass rush from the inside.
Tackling: Can be an explosive hitter when he reaches the ball carrier. Has the strength to knock the ball loose on tackles. Changes direction pretty fluidly to keep up with shifty runners.
Technique: For Bowers to succeed his has to get leverage. At times in 2010, though, he often came out of his stance too high, allowing linemen to get below him. While Bowers doesn’t get driven backwards, he does get held up. Has good hand usage to fight off linemen, though. Rarely gets in trouble against counter moves.
Final word: Not a lot of true defensive end prospects have Bowers’ blend of strength, size and quickness. Make no mistake, he’s the kind of 4-3 end that a team can plug in for years to get pressure on the quarterback. Bowers can also shift inside in nickel situations and is strong and instinctual enough to handle draws.
***
The most obvious comparison for Bowers is former New York Giants end Michael Strahan. Bowers isn’t quite as boisterous as Strahan, but he’s similar in playing style. Bowers has a good burst off the snap and turns that burst into power.
His main move is a straight forward bull rush with a swim, just like Strahan. You might not get a lot of double moves or spins out of Bowers, but he doesn’t need them.
Bowers was highly recruited out of high school but was considered an underachiever until 2010. A knee injury that essentially knocked him out of three games slowed his progress as a sophomore. But he finally delivered as a junior. He came into the year in much better shape and finished with 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss.
"It’s hard to find a better overall prospect than Da’Quan Bowers. He’s been a highly coveted defensive end for the last few years. As a recruit coming out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High, he was the #1 overall recruit in the nation, and was described to be the closest thing to Reggie White and Bruce Smith by Rivals.com.
Bowers is a force to be reckoned with.
Bowers arrived on the Clemson campus after graduating early, and made an immediate impact, making many plays in the 2008 Spring Game as a true freshman. Bowers started immediately as a true freshman for the 2008 season.
While Bowers never really lit up the sack statistics in his freshman and sophomore years, he was still very effective overall, making numerous tackles for loss, and still disrupting the backfield. A knee injury in his sophomore year forced some struggles for him. He played some defensive tackle at times, often as a three technique in his freshman and sophomore seasons.
But it wasn’t until 2010 when Bowers made re-established his name as a sack artist. He recorded 25 tackles for loss, 15.5 of which were sacks. He broke out in a big way, and his stock won’t get any higher. On a Clemson team that’s struggling, and will most likely struggle in 2011, Bowers felt to need to leave for the NFL Draft in order to not jeopardize his draft stock.
Strengths
Bowers has made quite the name for himself as a pure pass rusher. He’s a very effective bull rusher, who uses a fantastic swim move to get penetrate the offensive line. He can line up on the inside in certain situations, as his strength allows him to knock defenders off of the ball with his excellent snap judgement and awareness. Bowers moves well laterally, and plays well in pursuit. He is effective against the run, doing well in keeping outside contain, but his penetration is excellent for forcing the runner back inside. He’s a powerful tackler, and wraps up well when tackling the ball carrier. With a great defensive line coach, Bowers has all the physical tools to be one of the most dominating defensive ends to come out in the last five to ten seasons.
Weaknesses
Bowers doesn’t seem to have any glaring weaknesses, which is a reason why he’s such a special player. But some coaches at the next level may want him to develop more pass rushing moves. His swim move and bull rush is just about all that’s a part of his repertoire and he may need to add an inside move to his game. At times he seems to lose focus, and will take plays off. He seems like he loses confidence somewhat easily. After giving up a big play, it takes him a few more plays to get back in a groove. While he’s quick, and athletic, it may be difficult for him to translate to the 3-4 OLB position, making him most likely restricted to the 4-3 scheme. Bowers does need to work on staying low, and maintaining leverage. He sometimes jumps straight up out of his stance, getting held at the point of attack, and being rendered useless.
Draft Range
As of now, Bowers’ value lies as a surefire Top Ten draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. It seems that his biggest competition for the #1 overall draft spot is fellow defensive lineman and penetrator Nick Fairley, from Auburn. Right now only three of the top ten teams in the draft currently run a 4-3 defense. The Browns may be making the switch to make it four, but if Carolina doesn’t take Bowers with the #1 overall pick, then Cincinnati will be hard pressed not to grab him with the fourth pick overall. I don’t see him sliding down out of the Top Five.
NFL Player Comparison: Michael Strahan"
Bowers is a force to be reckoned with.
Bowers arrived on the Clemson campus after graduating early, and made an immediate impact, making many plays in the 2008 Spring Game as a true freshman. Bowers started immediately as a true freshman for the 2008 season.
While Bowers never really lit up the sack statistics in his freshman and sophomore years, he was still very effective overall, making numerous tackles for loss, and still disrupting the backfield. A knee injury in his sophomore year forced some struggles for him. He played some defensive tackle at times, often as a three technique in his freshman and sophomore seasons.
But it wasn’t until 2010 when Bowers made re-established his name as a sack artist. He recorded 25 tackles for loss, 15.5 of which were sacks. He broke out in a big way, and his stock won’t get any higher. On a Clemson team that’s struggling, and will most likely struggle in 2011, Bowers felt to need to leave for the NFL Draft in order to not jeopardize his draft stock.
Strengths
Bowers has made quite the name for himself as a pure pass rusher. He’s a very effective bull rusher, who uses a fantastic swim move to get penetrate the offensive line. He can line up on the inside in certain situations, as his strength allows him to knock defenders off of the ball with his excellent snap judgement and awareness. Bowers moves well laterally, and plays well in pursuit. He is effective against the run, doing well in keeping outside contain, but his penetration is excellent for forcing the runner back inside. He’s a powerful tackler, and wraps up well when tackling the ball carrier. With a great defensive line coach, Bowers has all the physical tools to be one of the most dominating defensive ends to come out in the last five to ten seasons.
Weaknesses
Bowers doesn’t seem to have any glaring weaknesses, which is a reason why he’s such a special player. But some coaches at the next level may want him to develop more pass rushing moves. His swim move and bull rush is just about all that’s a part of his repertoire and he may need to add an inside move to his game. At times he seems to lose focus, and will take plays off. He seems like he loses confidence somewhat easily. After giving up a big play, it takes him a few more plays to get back in a groove. While he’s quick, and athletic, it may be difficult for him to translate to the 3-4 OLB position, making him most likely restricted to the 4-3 scheme. Bowers does need to work on staying low, and maintaining leverage. He sometimes jumps straight up out of his stance, getting held at the point of attack, and being rendered useless.
Draft Range
As of now, Bowers’ value lies as a surefire Top Ten draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. It seems that his biggest competition for the #1 overall draft spot is fellow defensive lineman and penetrator Nick Fairley, from Auburn. Right now only three of the top ten teams in the draft currently run a 4-3 defense. The Browns may be making the switch to make it four, but if Carolina doesn’t take Bowers with the #1 overall pick, then Cincinnati will be hard pressed not to grab him with the fourth pick overall. I don’t see him sliding down out of the Top Five.
NFL Player Comparison: Michael Strahan"
"Positives: Had 46 tackles, 10.5 for loss and three sacks in 2009... Good size and bulk... Solid pass rusher... Solid rip and swim moves... Good upper body strength... In an effective inside rusher and can be used as a 3-technique... Good closing speed... Long arms... Solid versus the run... Can get good leverage playing inside... Has the strength to anchor... Uses good technique to disengage... Hard hitter... Versatile, is best suited with his hand down as a left DE in a 4-3, but could also fit as a 5-technique in a 3-4... Instincts continue to get better... Played through injuries in 2009... One of the top ranked players out of high school, is finally living up to the hype.
Negatives: Is a bit stiff in the hips coming around the edge... Does not get consistent leverage in the run game... Needs to stay low to maximize lower-body strength... Misses some tackles... Will give up on plays too early... Missed two games with MCL and PCL strain in 2009... Needs to improve his sack total... Little experience dropping into coverage."
Negatives: Is a bit stiff in the hips coming around the edge... Does not get consistent leverage in the run game... Needs to stay low to maximize lower-body strength... Misses some tackles... Will give up on plays too early... Missed two games with MCL and PCL strain in 2009... Needs to improve his sack total... Little experience dropping into coverage."
"Strengths: Freakish athletic. Can really explode off the snap and force his will upon the OT. Has a variety of pass rush moves which he employs with some thought and planning to great effect. Has been able to put consistent pressure on the QB when healthy, and finishes the deal on the rush. Has nice size, and can hold the point against the runner. Is a violent throw-down tackler who makes ball carriers feel his presences and teams scheme away from him. One of the better dual-threat 4-3 strongdside DEs to come out of college in recent years. No true weaknesses in his package. Nice youn g man. Solid team mate. Young, with a load of upside.
Weaknesses: Not always as focused as he will need to be at the next level. Motor runs hot and cold. When he loses focus, he can be locked on an driven. Work habits are above average, but not outstanding. Will need some coaching up on how to be a better overall football player.
Projection: Top 5 pick."
Weaknesses: Not always as focused as he will need to be at the next level. Motor runs hot and cold. When he loses focus, he can be locked on an driven. Work habits are above average, but not outstanding. Will need some coaching up on how to be a better overall football player.
Projection: Top 5 pick."
"Da'Quan Bowers had some high expectations to live up to; now he is just not reaching those expectations, he is exceeding them. After a couple of decent, but unspectacular seasons, Bowers is tearing up the Atlantic Coast Conference during his junior campaign at Clemson. During his first two years with the Tigers, Bowers was usually starting, but he only tallied a total of six sacks during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Things changed quickly in 2010. Just six games into the season, Bowers has 37 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. He is wreaking havoc in the backfield against just about every unfortunate team on the schedule. Clemson is not having a great year, but plenty of people are paying attention to Bowers. The 6-4, 280 pound defensive end is one of the most consistent pass rushers in the nation right now.
Barring an injury or a major drop-off in production, Bowers would be a first round selection in the 2011 draft if he opts to leave a year early. The way things are going, Bowers could very easily lead the nation in tackles-for-loss and sacks and that is an impressive feat to accomplish. Many have Bowers as the top pass rusher on their board and that means, if the right team has the first pick, that Bowers would be in the mix for the first overall pick in the draft. There is a long way to go, but it is hard to find another end with the production and pure skills and talent that Bowers possesses."
Things changed quickly in 2010. Just six games into the season, Bowers has 37 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. He is wreaking havoc in the backfield against just about every unfortunate team on the schedule. Clemson is not having a great year, but plenty of people are paying attention to Bowers. The 6-4, 280 pound defensive end is one of the most consistent pass rushers in the nation right now.
Barring an injury or a major drop-off in production, Bowers would be a first round selection in the 2011 draft if he opts to leave a year early. The way things are going, Bowers could very easily lead the nation in tackles-for-loss and sacks and that is an impressive feat to accomplish. Many have Bowers as the top pass rusher on their board and that means, if the right team has the first pick, that Bowers would be in the mix for the first overall pick in the draft. There is a long way to go, but it is hard to find another end with the production and pure skills and talent that Bowers possesses."
"The Skinny: On pure talent and potential an argument can be made that the defensive end is one of the top-five players in college football. The term ‘body beautiful’ was invented to describe players like Bowers. Coming out of high school this Tiger was considered by many to be the highest rated recruit in the country, regardless of position. On the field Bowers is one of the most natural defensive linemen in the country when it comes to playing the run. The ACC product loves getting into the pads of offensive linemen and manhandling them like rag dolls. He is so powerful it is not uncommon to see him toss aside a tackle and blow the ball carrier up in the backfield before he even hits the line of scrimmage. While not as natural rushing the passer, Bowers has a very high ceiling in this regard; his first step is good enough to beat tackles to the outside and he is strong enough to overpower linemen and collapse the pocket."
"Bowers is quick off the ball to crash the corner. Yet, he also is physical at the point of attack and uniquely can fit on either the right or left side. He can even create mismatches from the inside in sub packages. The nation's most heralded high school recruit underachieved his first two seasons, but motivated by the recent passing of his father and "big brother" Gaines Adams, he cut down his weight, reshaped his body and found a new burst that has allowed him to bend the edge, close and finish in a way he couldn't a year ago. Strong, explosive and powerful, he is more complete than Adams was exiting Clemson. With untapped potential to become a better pro than college player, he could be the first pass rusher selected if he exits early as expected."
Fanatical FootBall Fiend on DaQuan Bowers
An absolutely magnificent Force. DaQuan Bowers could forge an exceptional career as a 3.4 Flanker ~ OutSide LineBacker, to you Earthlings!! ~ or may be better suited as a 4.3 Defensive End. In either case, he should be extraordinary, and he's a dead certain Top 10 pick, very likely to go in the Top 3.
As always, the preceding thoughts were regurgitated, derivative tripe, adding no value whatsoever, while in fact obliterating intelligent thought and offending the spirit of all decent men. You are now stupider for having read it, and are encouraged, in the strongest possible language, never to expose your eyes to this Site again.
As always, the preceding thoughts were regurgitated, derivative tripe, adding no value whatsoever, while in fact obliterating intelligent thought and offending the spirit of all decent men. You are now stupider for having read it, and are encouraged, in the strongest possible language, never to expose your eyes to this Site again.
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