Dwayne Bowe can see clearly after his corrective eye surgery in 2006, and he has his eyes set on being a first-round NFL Draft pick.
Bowe could be the third Tiger to go in the first round, behind projected top-10 picks quarterback JaMarcus Russell and free safety LaRon Landry. If three LSU players go in the first round, it will be the first time since 1951 that such an event has occurred.
Some draft analysts say his improved vision and subsequent stellar senior season may be the factors to secure Bowe as a first-round pick.
NFL.com senior analyst Pat Kirwan thinks Bowe will go to the Dallas Cowboys in the 22nd pick, while Rivals.com analysts project Bowe will go to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 15th pick.
“He was a totally different receiver after [the surgery],” independent NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier said.
Detillier said Bowe was “terrific” during Senior Bowl practices. This caused Detillier to bump Bowe 10 spots from 28 to 18 on his list of best available players.
“He really caught everyone’s eye as to how talented he was,” he said.
Detillier now projects Bowe will go in the first round somewhere in the the 16th to 22nd-pick range.
“He’s arguably the best receiver after [Georgia Tech’s] Calvin Johnson,” he said.
Detillier said the 6-foot-2-inch, 217-pound Bowe is the “best blocker” because he uses his size to his advantage. Bowe is not known as a speedster, but he ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
“He’s a big, physical guy with great downfield blocking skills,” he said. “He’s gonna win a lot of those battles, because they’re like one-on-one chess matches. If he can break loose, he can go down the field.”
Detillier said Bowe will excel in the NFL in short or mid-range pass receptions.
Bowe finished his LSU career with 2,403 yards, a record 26 touchdowns and the single-season 12-touchdown record his senior year.
Bowe’s agent Ethan Lock said Bowe was not available for comment.
—–Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]