Grant Bowen is frequently finding himself in the dean’s office these days.

It’s not because he’s getting into trouble. Rather, the IC Catholic Prep sophomore admitted he’s been making as many as two trips a day to the office in order to meet with prospective college coaches.

“I pretty much go down to the dean’s office and we talk football,” said Grant, the son of former Iowa Hawkeye and NFL defensive back Matt Bowen. “We all love football. There have been tight end coaches coming in, linebackers coaches coming in... They’ve all come in and talked football with me, which I’m really thankful for.”

Since the end of his sophomore season, Bowen has firmly landed himself on the recruitment stage. A tantalizing physical talent at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Bowen is up to more than a dozen Power 4 offers from programs such as Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia and Nebraska.

“I’m just really thankful for the opportunities to go play at those places as they’re big-time programs,” Bowen said. “I’ve had some quality conversations, which help me see what every college is really about. I get a little snippet of what I’d be experiencing.”

Bowen, whose father Matt spent seven years in the NFL, turned in a strong sophomore campaign. A two-way starter for the Knights, Bowen starred at wide receiver, reeling in 34 catches for 731 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bowen also handled outside linebacker duties, posting 55 total tackles, six tackles for loss, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

“He showed tremendous growth as a sophomore,” said Matt, who’s an assistant coach at IC Catholic Prep. “He really took off this year in terms of his football intelligence. His physical tools have really developed at an accelerated rate. Being able to play two ways in the Chicago Catholic League as a 15-year-old kid... There are a lot of demands put on you and he responded in a positive way.”

Bowen was named an All-CCL/ESCC Green honoree and an IHSFCA Class 3A All-State First Team player in 2025. Bowen, who lives only a few minutes away from the IC Catholic Prep campus, helped the Knights to an 8-4 record and a pair of Class 3A playoff wins during his sophomore season. It was a vast improvement from the 2024 campaign, when the team went 4-5 and missed the playoffs.

“It was a big step,” said Bowen, who missed most of his freshman season to a growth plate fracture near his left pelvis. “I’m grateful for that step, as it gave me a lot of experience... I played well on both sides of the ball. Next year, I want to improve on getting more tackles and being more effective on the defensive side of the ball.”

As Bowen continues to grow physically, his role on the team, along with his college prospects, will continue to grow as well. In addition to playing wide receiver and outside linebacker, Bowen said he’s anticipating more reps at the tight end position as he prepares for his junior season. After averaging 21.5 yards per catch in 2025, Bowen aspires to continue being a top target on later downs.

“It’s a mentality thing,” Bowen said. “I wasn’t getting the ball 22 yards in the air on every play, but I was breaking tackles. I hate losing. I didn’t want my team down, so I didn’t want to go down. My role was to be a big target where, on third down, they could get me the ball. Next year, I’ll probably have the same responsibility.”

A multi-sport athlete who plays basketball for the Knights, Bowen has made defenders pay with his combination of size, hands and leaping ability. Those same skills enabled him to shine on defense, where he sought to deny passes at the line of scrimmage and make stops on off-tackle runs. Route running and block shedding are two areas Bowen is seeking to improve his game for next season.

“I felt like my best ability was going up and getting the ball,” Bowen said. “I had some good routes, but if I get put in the slot, I want to have great routes and open my hips up more so I can have more crisp routes... I’ll probably have a similar role on defense and I might get moved down to the edge on third-down scenarios.”

Bowen’s biggest role model has been his father Matt, who starred at Iowa before becoming a sixth-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2000. An All-State player at Glenbard West, Matt Bowen played defensive back at Iowa, where he was named an All-Big Ten honoree and an All-American during his last year as a Hawkeye.

“When I was a sophomore at Glenbard West, I was the quarterback of the sophomore football team,” Matt said. “I threw about five passes a game and played free safety. I didn’t have his length or his explosive ability. He’s a much better player than I was at that age and I think he’ll be a better player when it’s all set and done.”

“He’s been my coach since sixth grade and Pop Warner,” Grant said. “He’s always been there and he’s always supported me. He’s given me the right advice and he’s scolded me when I needed it. He’s led me on the right path and he’s led me to where I am today. He’s helped me to never give up and never make a goal unachieveable.”

Bowen’s favorite players include his father and former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski. An inspiration for Grant has been his 18-year-old brother, Matthew, who was born with Down syndrome. The two brothers have formed a meaningful relationship, one that had made a positive impact on both Grant and the Bowen family.

“He never gives up when he goes to the hospital,” Grant said. “He used to go to the hospital frequently, but he always had a smile on his face. He never gives up. He’s always such a smiley, jolly guy.”

“Matthew is very supportive of Grant,” said Matt Bowen, a father of four boys. “Matthew has been a role model for Grant and our entire family. It’s the compassion he brings, the true kindness and the ability to push through adverse moments... Matthew gravitates toward Grant and I think it’s a very special relationship.”