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Last week Jamel Dean's life as a high school student ended after he graduated early, and received his diploma from Florida's Cocoa High. In the coming weeks, another one of the other talented members of the Elite '15 will follow in his footsteps.
Three-star class of 2015 offensive tackle Branden Bowen will walk away and graduate from Draper City, UT's Corner Canyon High School on Jan. 16. Unlike Dean, who arrives on the OSU campus next month and will go through spring drills with the team, the 6'7, 330 pound Bowen won't be enrolling at Ohio State until the summer.
"I plan on graduating next month, but I will not enroll because my graduating date is past the enrollment date, and I was unable to freeze my grades for the rest of the semester. I plan on heading there in June," Bowen told Land-Grant Holy Land.
Just cause Bowen will be out of school doesn't mean he will be spending his time goofing off and lounging around his house. The massive lineman has big plans lined up for his soon-to-be wide open schedule.
"I'm going to work with my trainer (former Utah player John Madsen) six times a week as well as work there (John Madsen Performance). I will also be working with offensive lineman (Jesse Boone) that played under Coach Meyer to keep my footwork, and [understanding of] schemes, and all of those things good."
Losing bodies on both the first and second team offensive line units next season, Urban Meyer and the Buckeyecoaching staff are going to need their underclassmen to come up big.The staff have already told Bowen if he continues down the path he is heading that seeing the field as a true freshman is something that could happen.
"Coach Meyer and Coach Warinner have told me and my trainer that they want me in the two-deep next year to rotate in when needed," stated Bowen. "They told me I'd be in a similar situation as Jamarco Jones was in this season."
The Ohio State coaching staff aren't the ones that hold Bowen in high regards. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, he is currently the 86th ranked offensive tackle and 801st overall player in the stacked class of 2015.
Before you watch him suit up for the Buckeyes next season, take a few moments to check out Bowen's senior highlight tape, courtesy of the crew at Hudl:
Quick Hits:
- Longtime Ohio State commit Joe Burrow isn't going anywhere. According to Rivals recruiting writer Sean Callahan the Athens High star is 100% Buckeye, even after picking up scholarship offers from Nebraska and Oklahoma.
- Per reports, the Buckeyes recently offered class of 2016 defensive end Prince Tega Junior. Tega, a 6'8, 250-pound four-star prospect has blown up over the last month or so. OSU now joins Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Texas as just a few of the teams to offer the Alabama native.