Player Evaluation: Micah Bowens

Offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne has seemingly found another undervalued quarterback in Nevada native Micah Bowens. A three-star recruit from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Bowens is similar to a long line of passers who ultimately ended up being more than meets the eye. Since committing to the Nittany Lions in February, Bowens has continued to develop into the modern prototype of the position. BWI contributor Thomas Frank Carr breaks down the future Nittany Lion to give fans a better feel for what they can expect from Bowens in the future.

Important Note: Scouting notes are based on highlight videos. They should not be seen as a complete picture of the strengths and weaknesses of a prospect. As these young men are still in the early stages of their development, projections are based on potential and development.

Fundamentals: It’s easy for a young quarterback to be erratic with their fundamentals, especially when they have the athletic ability that Bowens possesses. He does a fabulous job of keeping his feet underneath himself so that he’s ready to deliver the ball when necessary. This leads to consistent ball placement. There are not a ton of plays under pressure to view, but Bowens also shows good pocket presence and seems comfortable even when there is pressure bearing down on him. In general, he exhibits sound pocket movement and a certain poise that is essential for high-end quarterback play.

Accuracy: No quarterback is going to put errant passes on their highlight reel but Bowens genuinely seems to have a very accurate arm. There are very few throws where Bowens puts the ball low, high or anywhere but on the frame of the receiver. It’s easy to extrapolate that he is in fact an accurate passer based on his footwork and pocket fundamentals.

Athleticism: There’s no doubt about Bowens' ability to move in the open field. He shows great potential both inside and outside of the pocket as a runner. While there are plenty of designed runs on his highlight reel, he also shows the ability to scramble and keep his eyes downfield to find the open receiver. Developing this trait is a far more difficult skill and is just as valuable, if not more, than just his ability to pick up yards with his feet.

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The Unknown: The quarterback position is such a cerebral one that it’s hard to see everything on a highlight reel. True answers to his pocket presence, processing under pressure and decision-making are all favorable on tape, but are still truly unknown until tested under stress. Intangible qualities such as leadership, personality and ability to learn are also important factors that cannot be totally deduced from film. This is true of every position, but are absolutely critical at quarterback.

Consistency of Delivery: Bowens has a non-traditional throwing motion for a quarterback in both the upper and lower body. He does not stride through his throws when throwing the football, which is typically done to create the hip torque necessary to deliver a ball with velocity. Instead, he accomplishes this while keeping his weight in a back-centered position and rotating his hips independently of his lower body. This shows incredible hip mobility and core strength, which are both huge plusses as long as the ball continues to be delivered accurately and the process is easily repeatable.

As for the actual delivery of the football, Bowens has a slight loop in his throwing motion. In most cases, this loop will lengthen the delivery and reduce efficiency. While Bowens' delivery is not efficient in movement, it is in speed. The ball jumps out his hands easily and the loop in his motion does not seem to affect his ability to deliver the ball with zip and timing, despite his quirky upper and lower body mechanics. Fixing any of these qualities is as unlikely as it is unnecessary. Continuing to accentuate the speed and accuracy of his delivery is paramount to his future success.

Arm Strength: To be clear, Bowens seems to have a naturally strong arm. The question is whether his throwing motion limits his ability to reach that potential. His tape suggests that he’s a deep ball thrower and he can create enough velocity to get the ball where it needs to go at the high school level. The upper limits of his ability just have not been tested or at least shown on film.

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