Listed as a safety for the Oklahoma Sooners, his versatility made him a perfect match for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Draft. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From Draft Hype to Camp Impact: Billy Bowman Jr. Turning Heads with Atlanta Falcons

Originally posted on Atlanta Falcons on SI
By Garrett Chapman | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 11:55 AM ET

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – “If you don’t like watching him play, then you just don’t like football.”

Those were the first words from Atlanta Falcons ’ general manager Terry Fontenot after they selected Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft. A few months later, the rookie is backing up the hype, and it’s clear what Fontenot envisioned.

The Fa lcons had just selected Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts in the third round, but Fontenot and the Falcons had different plans for Bowman: Nickel.

The nickel corner is unique in a defensive scheme, and the Falcons have lacked a true difference-maker at the position.

They are generally a little smaller in stature than a standard defender, and a lot of value is placed on short-area quickness since they usually match up with one of the shiftier wide receivers. Yet, due to where they line up on the field, they need to be willing and able to mix it up in the run game or even blitz the quarterback on occasion.

“It’s kind of like a baby-backer with corner skills,” explained defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg. “A middle linebacker with a safety brain, with a little defensive end rush in them. You’ve gotta be able to do it all.”

This is where the Falcons saw the u pside for Bowman during the draft process, likening his skillset to that of a “cobra strike” in short spaces.

“[It’s] his twitch, his explosions, short area burst, his aggressive demeanor, ball skills, cover skills. That all suits his ability to blitz,” assistant general manager Kyle Smith said back in April after drafting Bowman. “That all suits the nickel and what our vision of what the nickel is going to be with Coach [Jeff] Ulbrich.”

For the Oklahoma Sooners, he did a little bit of everything: free safety, cornerback, or even a little bit of linebacker. Versatility like that will prove invaluable at the next level.

Bowman has extensive experience playing in the slot. Last year for the Sooners, he took 397 snaps at free safety, 184 snaps in the box and 156 snaps in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus.

Bowman brings a physicality to the game that the Falcons had been lacking at the position. In coverage, he matches the fluidity of a cornerback and the ball-tracking skills of a safety, highlighted by his 11 interceptions at Oklahoma between his sophomore and senior seasons.

“My presence is felt when I'm out there, and I feel like everybody can see it,” Bowman said about what sets him apart. “The way I move, the way I run to the ball, the way I get to the ball, my communication, [and] my attack force.”

He has been in competition with Mike Ford Jr and Dee Alford for starting duties, and the rookie has had his fair share of reps with the first-team all camp long.

Morris said the rookie has been promising, but that is probably an understatement. His relentless energy is evident every time he touches the field, and that will be useful – if only on special teams in the early portion of his career.

Bowman has taken his fair share of lumps. He still has to continue development in coverage, and at 5-foot-10, he will be tested by bigger receivers in coverage. But he attacks each day with a steady maturity that defensi ve coordinator Jeff Ulbrich says is “uncommon” for a rookie.

“You don't see the swings. You don't see the bad day, the good day, the good move, the bad move,” he said, saying how steady Bowman’s been throughout camp. “Because of that, it's going to give [Bowman] a great opportunity to be successful year one.”

This is still a process of acclimation, and Bowman himself noted that he will be emphasizing improving his coverage skills when he takes the field for the team’s final preseason game on Friday night in Dallas. While there is a clear path to playing time for Bowman, his contributions to the team every Sunday may be limited as he continues to adjust.

Whether it comes on defense or in special teams, the rookie has repeatedly flashed his pote ntial during camp and the preseason. He has made a pair of splendid tackles in punt coverage and has been steady in coverage.

“He’s been able to go out there and really show he’s definitely formed a role that he’s going to play for us regardless,” Morris said. “He’s going to be able to go out there and give us significant minutes.”

No matter if it’s as a special teams demon in September or a full-time nickel by October, Bowman has already injected the Falcons’ defense with the kind of jolt Fontenot envisioned. That cobra strike is coming, and it’s only a matter of when.