Pre-draft evaluation of Bills OL Jude Bowry

Positional rank: OT19 (OT12)

Round grade: 4

My pre-draft scouting report on Bowry:

Jude Bowry is a prototypically sized offensive tackle with adequate length and a frame that can still carry more weight. He’s a fluid, natural mover with above-average burst out of his stance and smooth hip roll when climbing to the second level. While not a true bend-and-anchor type, he shows enough athleticism and functional strength to survive on the edge, though he can get overextended at times.

In pass protection, Bowry is more comfortable, using his foot quickness and initial burst to meet rushers early. He has the lateral agility to handle stunts and movement, but his consistency drops in true one-on-one situations, where he’ll stop his feet on contact and allow rushers to soften the edge. His hand usage and grip strength are inconsistent, leading to issues sustaining blocks. In the run game, he’s more positional than powerful, with decent pad level and mobility but limited pop or displacement at the point of attack.

Overall, Bowry projects as a developmental swing tackle with the athletic profile to stick outside, though a move inside to guard could maximize his pass-protection ability. Improving his play strength, grip, and ability to keep his feet active through contact will be key to his development.

Jude Bowry relevant stats at Boston College

Career snaps at Boston College: 1,399

Career pressures allowed / pass-rush snaps: 39 / 732

Pressures allowed in his final collegiate season: 14 / 320

The 1,400 snaps from Bowry don’t represent a particularly large number — there are occasionally some offensive linemen who enter the NFL with upwards of 3,500 snaps. However, Bowry turns 23 in August — which nowadays makes him not particularly old as a rookie and was a two-year full time starter for the Eagles.

As for the pressure-allowed percentage — typically you’d like to see a snap-to-pressure ratio over 20% for an offensive tackle — Bowry’s was 18.7%.

Jude Bowry combine / pro day numbers

Height: 6’5” (29th percentile among OTs)
Weight: 314 (52nd)
Arm Length: 33 3/4” (35th)
Hand Size: 10 3/4” (90th)
10-Yard Split: 1.75 (72nd)
40-Yard Dash: 5.08 (80th)
Vertical Jump: 34 1/2” (96th)
Broad Jump: 115” (95th)

Final thoughts on Bills second-round pick of OL Jude Bowry

Strictly based on my pre-draft evaluations and grades, which of course are meant from a league-wide perspective and not tailored to specific teams, I thought Bowry was selected too early, which is precisely what I wrote about Parker and Igbinosun, yet Bowry was the largest “reach” when compared to my overall Big Board rankings. I did have a fourth-round grade on him, which is precisely when he was selected.

Nuance is needed here, like with all players when they morph from draft prospects into actual draft picks.

Bowry was my OT19 in this class, yet it’s distinctly possible the Bills had Bowry higher on their board based on how easy it is to envision him playing guard in the NFL, along with his tackle experience in the ACC. He has the wider, more stocky frame typically reserved for the interior and would be an elite-level athlete at guard if that’s where he ultimately lands.

Because of his built-in yet unrealized versatility, Bowry may have been higher on Buffalo’s board than the likes of “guard-only” prospects who were selected after him (whom I had graded higher) like Oklahoma’s Febechi Nwaiwu and Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer, and Miami’s Anez Cooper, The first two were selected in Round 4 by the Bengals and Colts respectively, and Cooper was drafted in Round 6 by the Jets.

With Bowry the Bills got somewhat of a moldable ball of clay, with high-end explosiveness, a mean streak, and the frame to play offensive tackle or guard in the NFL. All those elements are extremely valuable.