Here is your Bowen data...

Yes. The 2026 advanced statistics strongly support your assessment of Drayk Bowen. He is a very good run defender and a significantly below-average pass coverage linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

2026 PFF grades

Run defense

79.5

Pass coverage

49.3

Overall defense

65.8

Source: PFF 2026 player grades, updated November 2, 2026. Grades are on a 0–100 scale, not percentiles.

NCAA and PFF stats

Metric

PFF grade

Rank among 758 qualified LBs

Run defense

79.5

180th

Pass coverage

49.3

668th

Overall defense

65.8

461st

Pass rush

59.0

501st

The difference is striking:

• His run-defense grade is 30.2 points higher than his coverage grade.
• He ranks approximately in the top 24% of qualified linebackers against the run.
• He ranks in the bottom 12% in pass coverage.

This is precisely the profile of a linebacker who can be an asset against physical rushing attacks but a vulnerability when offenses force him to defend space.

Additional evidence

PFF also reports the following for Bowen in 2026:

Metric

Value

Coverage snaps

136

Run-defense snaps

153

Passer rating allowed when targeted

97.3

Defensive stops

20

Missed tackles

1

NCAA and PFF stats

The 97.3 passer rating allowed supports the concern about coverage, while the low missed-tackle total supports his reputation as a reliable tackler. However, PFF's snap and tackle totals differ from the latest official box scores, so I would treat these figures as provisional.

Is this a recurring weakness?

There's some evidence it is. An independent scouting assessment references a previous 59.2 coverage grade, and PFF reported that Bowen's overall defensive grade declined from 80.7 in 2024 to 70.7 in 2025.

2027 NFL Draft LB+1

The important distinction is that those figures do not establish that his coverage was equally poor in every season.

What this means for Notre Dame

My interpretation is that Bowen's value is disproportionately concentrated near the line of scrimmage.

Against a team that attacks linebackers with crossing routes, tight ends, running backs releasing into the flats, and play-action concepts, his weaknesses could become much more consequential.

The next statistic I'd want is yards allowed per coverage snap and completion percentage allowed when targeted, ideally separated into man and zone coverage. Those would tell us whether the weakness is primarily athletic, related to recognition and positioning, or scheme-dependent.

You can review his numbers directly on Bowen's PFF player profile.