SI All-American Candidate Owen McGowan Highlights and Evaluation

Owen McGowan is a linebacker prospect from Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Mass. Owen McGowan is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Owen McGowan
Projected Position: Inside Linebacker
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 225 pounds
School: West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial
Committed to: Boston College 

Frame: Compact. Adequate length. Above-average width across the upper body. Thick, powerful thighs and trunk. Room for additional muscle and mass, but already filling out. 

Athleticism: Strong. Plays far bigger than size suggests. Has a surprising open-field speed given frame and closes to target in a hurry. Adequate overall quickness; agility limited by relatively tight hips. Natural hand-eye coordination. 

Instincts: Big hitter. Lays wood with shoulders square to the ball, but also an effective tackler in space. Will plow through blockers en route to the ball, using leg drive to uproot them. Relentless in pursuit. Shows great hands-on offense as pass-catcher out of the backfield. Good overall awareness; quick to diagnose. 

Polish: Great tackler. Capable of plugging gaps, taking on blocks in the run game. Shows a keen sense of timing as a blitzer. Needs more experience in coverage; will always be limited by lack of lateral agility. 

Bottom Line: McGowan is strong, fast and decisive enough to contribute to Boston College right now. Ceiling and positional versatility is limited by lack of athletic wiggle. Projects as key special-teamer early, with the potential to emerge as a quality multi-year starter.