Rookie Spotlight

By Ralph Mancini, FFi Senior Writer

Who knew? With king-sized super talents Calvin Johnson and Dwayne Jarrett getting all the fanfare among rookie wide receivers during April’s NFL draft, who knew that the less heralded Dwayne Bowe would end up making the most significant impact as a Kansas City Chief despite the presence of star veterans Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez? Faced with a sputtering running game and the absence of lead wide out Eddie Kennison to start off the season, Bowe has made the most of his opportunity to become one of Kansas City’s go-to playmakers by leading all rookie wide outs in receptions, yards and touchdowns. After hitting paydirt in three consecutive games this season, Bowe made it his mission to be in the end zone every week. At 6’ 2 1/2, 221 pounds, the former LSU standout has been as physical as advertised. In fact, Bowe has not only established himself as a receiver who relishes working the middle of the field, he’s also known to punish defensive backs after making a catch and has been quite a handful to bring down when matched up one-on-one. In addition, Bowe is blessed with extraordinarily long arms allowing him to fend off defenders attempting to jam him, making it possible for the rookie to immediately get into his routes. Perhaps the only physical attribute that’s lacking on the part of number 82 is top-shelf speed. Coming into the 2007 draft, Bowe was clocked at pedestrian 4.52 in the 40-yard dash. But if speed were the sole indicator of a receiver’s value, then former Florida State product Anquan Boldin would probably be applying his talents to another profession right now. Much like Bowe, Boldin was viewed as nothing more than a possession receiver entering the professional ranks with his 40-time falling somewhere in the area of a 4.65. Both Boldin and Bowe prove that Joey Galloway-type speed isn’t required when you’re strong enough to break arm tackles and produce yardage after the catch.

Kansas City’s low-scoring, run-heavy game plan last Sunday severely limited Bowe’s chances of making a dent in their grudge match versus the Raiders, but Bowe found a way to make the biggest play of the ballgame in the fourth quarter. Down 7-6, the young difference maker sensed that Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard was being pressured and kept running to get himself open. Huard evaded a furious rush mounted by Warren Sapp and uncorked his longest throw of the game--a 58-yard completion to Bowe, who would have scored if not for a desperate lunge on the part of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Bowe’s effort led to a Larry Johnson one-yard touchdown plunge giving Kansas City all the points they needed to win their battle. In many ways, the Miami native is still an unpolished neophyte in the game of football, who never threw on a pair of shoulder pads until his junior year at Norland Senior High School. Upon entering the league, Bowe was somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of routes one must learn to be an NFL receiver. Suffice it to say, the robust wide out has been a quick study, who has not only has perfected the drag route, but also finds himself in motion much more frequently than he did in his days as a LSU Tiger where he finished his college career with 154 receptions for 2,403 yards and a school-record 26 touchdowns. Kansas City’s expectations of Bowe have risen exponentially from the season’s outset when he was still viewed as somewhat of a project playing behind Eddie Kennison and then-starter Sammie Parker. The fortunes of coach Herm Edwards this season lie squarely the on the broad shoulders of Bowe, Gonzalez and Johnson.