Dean Lowry

BIOGRAPHY

Dean Lowry attended Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford, Illinois. He is a defensive lineman in the National Football League.

Besides football, he lettered in baseball as a freshman and played basketball for one year. He was coached by Dan Appino and was part of two undefeated teams. He was named as a SuperPrep All-Midwest honoree and an All-State selection by both the Chicago Tribune and Champaign-News Gazette. Lowry finished his senior year with 65 tackles (21 for loss), and 10 sacks.

Lowry was ranked as the 34th defensive end in the country and the 17th best prospect in the state of Illinois. He was ranked as a three-star recruit and received a number of scholarship offers from schools such as Northwestern, Ball State, Illinois State, Indiana, Iowa, Northern Illinois, Purdue, Vanderbilt, and Western Michigan. He committed to Northwestern on June 7, 2011.

Lowry played in all 13 games his freshman year as a backup to future Minnesota Vikings defensive end Tyler Scott. During a game against Vanderbilt, he had one fumble recovery, one quarterback hurry, two solo tackles, and a pass deflection on the line of scrimmage. His efforts that year earned him ESPN.com Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors.

Going into his second season with the Wildcats, Lowry started nine games at defensive end. While making his first start against Syracuse, he had his first career interception. Lowry had his first career touchdown on an interception return against Maine. During a game against Ohio State, he had six tackles (5 solo) and recovered a fumble. He finished the year second on the team in tackles for loss with seven, and third on the team with 4.5 sacks.

Lowry started every game at defensive end in his junior season. During a game against Notre Dame, he recorded six tackles (1.5 for loss) and forced a fumble. During a game against Western Illinois, Lowry moved over to the defensive tackle spot and had four tackles, one sack, and two passes defensed. He was named the Defensive Player of the Game as a result of his performance. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team and an honorable mention by league coaches. He finished his junior year with 41 tackles with 8 for a loss, ranking second on the team.

In his final year with the team, Lowry set a single-game team record against Nebraska with six tackles for a loss, he also recorded two sacks in the game and was named the team's Defensive Player of the Game. He again picked up that honor in a game against the Duke Blue Devils where he had six tackles with half of one for a loss. He was named as a consensus pick to the second team All-Big Ten team.

Lowry was selected by Green Bay with the second of two fourth-round choices (No. 137 overall), the second of two compensatory choices awarded to the team in the 2016 NFL Draft. He became the first defensive end from Northwestern to be drafted since DE Corey Wootton was selected by the Chicago Bears in 2010 (fourth round, No. 109 overall). Lowry also became the first player from Northwestern drafted by Green Bay since DT James Anderson in 1973 (14th round).

Lowry played in 15 games as a rookie in 2016 and registered 14 tackles (eight solo), two sacks, three tackles for a loss, nine QB pressures and three QB hits. He posted sacks in back-to-back games in ’16, recording one in Week 13 vs. Houston and one in Week 14 vs. Seattle. Lowry appeared in all three postseason contests as a rookie and posted two tackles (one solo) and a QB pressure.

Lowry played in all 16 games with 11 starts in 2017 and registered 34 tackles (22 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for a loss, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, two passes defensed, eight quarterback hits and six QB pressures. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance vs. Tampa Bay in Week 13. He posted four tackles (all solo), a sack, a QB pressure and a QB hit, and registered his first career TD after recovering a QB Jameis Winston fumble forced by DT Kenny Clark at the Green Bay 38 late in the second quarter and returning it 62 yards. Lowry became just the seventh Green Bay player (since 1982) to register a sack and a defensive TD in the same game.

Lowry signed a two year contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.