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2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Oklahoma S Billy Bowman Jr.
Main Photo: [Kirby Lee] USA Today Sports

Every Billy Bowman Jr. scouting report must state the obvious: standing under 6 feet tall, he lacks the size typically associated with playing safety in the NFL. However, if you take a deeper dive, the Oklahoma standout has all the tools to overcome those concerns and become a reliable starter at the next level.

Bowman’s on-field ability is only part of the reason for a bullish outlook. He’s also a detail-oriented leader. In November, Sooners safeties coach Brandon Hall recalled a moment in practice that made the defensive back stand out from the crowd.

“That stuck out to me because he’s one of the first players I’ve ever seen pretty much stop a practice and demand that we run play again,” Hall told Colton Sulley of The Oklahoman. “He was bent on getting that done. Billy’s the first player ever to make us run a play again. Usually, it’s the head coach who is the guy who usually says, ‘No, reload it. We’re doing this again. I want to see it again.’ And at that moment, it was Billy who did that.”

NFL teams are always looking for more players with a relentless pursuit of perfection. Bowman fits the bill, and that improves his chances for success, regardless of his height in the media guide.

Billy Bowman Jr. 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Key Prospect Information

Position: Safety

Height: 5′ 10”

Weight: 192 pounds

School: University of Oklahoma

Strengths

  • Reads the game at a high level
  • Sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability
  • Elite game speed to erase defensive mistakes
  • Ball hawk who makes smooth breaks on throws
  • Special teams potential raises floor as prospect

Weaknesses

  • Lack of size will impact coverage assignments
  • Inconsistent tackler against powerful ball-carriers
  • Must improve angle of pursuit on outside runs
  • Can get overpowered when dropping into the box

Bottom Line on Billy Bowman Jr.

Bowman made steady improvements across four years at Oklahoma. Any concern he’d struggle with the move from the more wide-open Big 12 to the SEC was quickly erased thanks to a strong senior season. He wasn’t perfect, but his nose for the football is impressive.

The 22-year-old Texas native finished his Sooners career with 199 combined tackles, 14 passes defended, 11 interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He also scored four defensive touchdowns, including three during the 2023 campaign.

Although it’s impossible to ignore his lack of ideal size, it was never an issue he couldn’t overcome, at least at the collegiate level. An NFL team will have to game-plan around that factor at times, particularly when it comes to covering bigger tight ends, but it’s not an issue that should destroy his draft stock.

Bowman is a blur when playing his best football. The safety features a terrific first step. It allows him to cover a lot of ground when combined with his 4.4 speed. He covered up a lot of mistakes made elsewhere on the Oklahoma defense simply by being in the right place at the right time.

His pro outlook is a bit tricky to predict, though. He possesses an immediate starter skill set, but the size factor will undoubtedly play a role. It’ll likely make him last until late on Day 2 or early on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL draft. The team that takes him may not need him to start as a rookie.

That said, Bowman should have no problem making himself valuable on special teams if he doesn’t emerge as a defensive starter. Perhaps that’s his first-year role before battling for a spot atop the depth chart in 2026.

Put it all together, and he’ll be a high-upside target for safety-needy teams like the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles in the middle rounds once the draft kicks off on April 24.

2025 NFL Draft Projection: Round 4 pick

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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