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Defensive Theme Continues From The Atlanta Falcons Drafting Defensive Back From Oklahoma

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Josh Petry | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 2:21 PM ET

The theme continues with the Atlanta Falcons drafting Oklahoma defensive back to keep shoring up the defense.

It's been all SEC players so far for Atlanta. This time with the 118th overall pick in the 4th round of this year's NFL Draft, the Falcons have gone after Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. Bowman has been a four-year starter for the Sooners and has collected 11 interceptions.

Bowman was a consensus four-star and top-100 national recruit out of high school. Bowman will play in the NFC South alongside former teammate Danny Stutsman, who was selected in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints. He was also a third-team All-SEC selection.

Due to Bowman Jr.'s lack of size, his draft grades suffered a bit. He stands at just under 5-foot-9, and weighs 192 pounds. However, he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at this year's NFL Combine. Scouts are concerned about how he will match up against big bodies within the NFL.

Another concern for Bowman Jr. has been his lack of tackling consistency, but with how versatile and athletic he is, this may be overlooked and can be tweaked when it comes time for training camp. Bowman Jr. must also work on breaking down and setting his feet to tackle in order to bring down an open-field runner.

Some may be surprised by the pick, but the mid- to late-round picks in the draft are players who can contribute immediately but may also have a question or two that still need to be answered.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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