Draft Prospect Outlook:
Tall, powerful fullback -- converted quarterback -- unafriad to lower the boom. Accuracy finding and contacting linebackers is lackluster, as he dives forward into his target area too often. Has some receiving ability.
College Recap:
A 247Sports Composite three-star recruit out of Los Gatos, California, Bawden was the team's backup quarterback as a freshman, going 13 of 34 for 147 yards with a TD and two picks, adding 43 yards on 11 carries. He was moved to fullback in 2015, serving as a backup as a sophomore. Bawden made 11 starts as a junior, catching 15 passes for 137 yards while grading out as Pro Football Focus's best blocking fullback in the nation.
Bawden's 15 catches for 103 yards and a TD as a senior only tell a small piece of the story, as he served as the lead blocker as Rashaad Penny led the nation in rushing with 2,248 yards and 23 TDs, making it the second straight year he's blocked for the nation's leading rusher. Bawden could be particularly appealing for a team looking to return to smashmouth, old-school football (see: Raiders). -- R.J. White
