Brent Bowden facts for kids

Brent Michael Bowden (born May 21, 1987) is an American who used to play professional football. He was a punter. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked him in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football for Virginia Tech.

Bowden also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Virginia Destroyers.

Brent Bowden's Early Life and High School Football

Brent Bowden was born on May 21, 1987, in Huntsville, Alabama. His parents are Tim and Denise Bowden. His older brother, Chris Hall, was also a punter for the Florida State Seminoles. His younger brother, Grant, is a punter at Liberty University.

Brent went to Westfield High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. There, he played football as a punter.

High School Performance as a Punter

In 2003, when Brent was a junior, he was a great punter. He averaged 40 yards per punt. Seven of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line. Eleven of his punts were caught by the other team without them running with the ball (called a fair catch). His longest punt was 64 yards.

In 2004, his senior year, he punted 29 times. He averaged 44 yards per punt. His longest punt was 58 yards. Sixteen of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line. Nine landed inside the 10-yard line, and five landed inside the 5-yard line. Eight of his punts were fair catches.

After his senior season, he earned top honors. The Associated Press and the Virginia High School Coaches Association named him first-team all-state. He was also named first-team All-Concorde District, All-Northern Region, and The Washington Post All-Met. Scout.com once ranked him as the fourth-best high school punter in the country.

Brent Bowden's College Football Career

Brent Bowden played college football at Virginia Tech.

=Starting His College Journey (2005-2006)

In 2005, Bowden was a "redshirt" player. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in any games. He was the backup punter behind Nic Schmitt. He dressed for all 13 games but did not get to play.

In 2006, Bowden again dressed for every game. However, he did not play in any of them. He was still the backup punter to Schmitt. He also helped hold the ball for kicks.

=Becoming the Starting Punter (2007)

In 2007, Bowden became the main punter for the Virginia Tech Hokies. This happened after Nic Schmitt finished college.

In the first game against East Carolina, Bowden punted six times. He averaged 42.3 yards per punt. Four of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line. His longest punt was 52 yards.

Throughout 2007, Bowden played in all 14 games. This included the ACC Championship and a Bowl Game. He tied a Virginia Tech record for most punts in a year with 87. He averaged 42.6 yards per punt. He also held the ball for all field goals and extra points.

=Playing Through Injury (2008)

In 2008, Bowden started and played in all 14 games again. This included the ACC Championship and a Bowl Game. He punted 69 times, averaging 40.4 yards. He played this year even with a back strain.

=Earning Top Honors (2009)

In 2009, Bowden started and played in all 13 games. He punted 57 times, averaging 43.65 yards. He was named the first-team All-ACC punter for 2009.

Overall, in college, Bowden played in 41 games in a row as a punter and holder. He punted 214 times. He averaged 42.13 yards per punt.

After his college career, Bowden played in the Texas vs. The Nation Game on February 6, 2010. He averaged over 50 yards on 8 punts in that game.

Brent Bowden's Professional Football Career

Before the 2010 NFL draft, experts thought Bowden was the second-best punter available. They expected him to be picked in the seventh round. He was invited to the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, where players show off their skills.

Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose Bowden in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 172nd player picked overall. He signed a four-year contract on June 16, 2010. However, he was released on September 6 to make room for another player, Chris Bryan.

Bowden was signed to the team's practice squad on September 8. But he was released again on September 14.

Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars

On August 13, 2011, Bowden signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was waived (released) by them on August 25.

Playing for the Virginia Destroyers

Brent signed with the Virginia Destroyers in September 2012. In his first game against Las Vegas, he averaged 48.5 yards on 4 punts. Two of those punts landed inside the 20-yard line.