Georgetown stayed close to home and landed a versatile defender in Cowan, who Ty Xanders also named one of his favorite September pickups outside the National Top 100. He’s a chameleon on the ball, knowing when to sit back and stay sound and when to jump a dodger. I watched him take on all kinds of ball carriers over the summer, and he held up against them all. I was especially impressed by how well he handled bigger, stronger, more physical dodgers. Cowan played mostly down low for Paul VI in the spring, but he has the qualities to play LSM, too. Opponents need to be aware of his takeaway ability: if a ball carrier slows down or leaves his stick exposed, Cowan will make him pay. Once the ball hits the turf, he’s elusive under pressure and has the stick skills to handle and score with either hand in transition.

Defense was clearly a priority for Georgetown heading into 9/9, and quite frankly, the Hoyas absolutely crushed it, landing four guys — a mix of known commodities with high floors and “project” types with high ceilings. In my opinion, Cowan fits somewhere in between. A lefty who plays with a mean streak, he’s one of two guys in Georgetown’s class who fit that description. Possessing outstanding feet and hands, Cowan’s been known to punch the sky with an over-the-head check and, more often than not, land them. However, he’s done a really nice job of mixing up his playing style depending on the scenarios and matchups, and he has the frame to be physical to the point that his man wants nothing to do with him and moves the ball elsewhere. His stick work is excellent, as he also has a penchant for digging out some downright nasty groundballs in traffic and getting the ball moving the other way.