Lynn Bowden had his coming out party vs. Florida

Lynn Bowden was the prize of Kentucky’s 2017 recruiting class, and on Saturday, Kentucky fans saw why.

Bowden was a four-star athlete out of Ohio who could run, catch, and even throw the ball.

Bowden took over the teams kick return duties and played as a slot receiver in 2017 as a true freshman, He did not have the immediate impact many thought he would. Though he was named to the SEC All-Freshman team as a return man, Bowden did not put up the receiving numbers fans were hoping for.

Bowden had six games without a single catch, including his first four games. His biggest receiving game was also his best return day, when he hauled in 79 receiving yards on three catches along with nearly returning a kickoff for a touchdown at Vanderbilt.

Bowden finished the season with just 210 receiving yards and no touchdowns.

As a kick returner, Bowden had 869 yards with no touchdowns.

In the season’s opening game against CMU, Bowden again struggled. He fumbled and only had five catches for 17 yards.

Then, in the biggest stage possible, Bowden produced in a big way.

Bowden matched his career-high in receiving yards with 79 yards to go with four grabs and caught his first career touchdown, a 54-yard score. He showed great speed to beat his defender and get into the end zone.

After the game, Bowden told reporters “we needed a big play. I told Terry to trust me.”

Terry Wilson trusted Bowden and hit him for the game’s longest touchdown.

For Bowden, it may be the first of many as he looks to build on his clutch performance.