Billy Bowman Jr. An Early Senior Bowl Standout

The first set of 2025 Senior Bowl National and American Team practices took place on Tuesday. With NFL decision-makers keeping a watchful eye on the action, Mobile encourages a competitive environment, offering prospects an opportunity to increase their 2025 NFL Draft stock. 

Oftentimes, scouts are in attendance to confirm their opinions or learn whether or not they must revisit the tape. One player who confirmed his scouting report on Tuesday was Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr.

Bowman Jr. arrived in Mobile with a plethora of ball production attached to his name. The Sooners standout is an experienced defensive back. In four years in Norman, Bowman Jr. appeared in 47 career games, recording 11 interceptions, including six in 2023, the second-most among all FBS defenders that season.

Ball skills and versatility were traits that Bowman Jr. made evident on Tuesday. On one particular rep in the slot versus Florida wide receiver Chimere Dike, Bowman Jr. displayed recovery speed by capitalizing on an underthrown ball to record an interception. His abilities to click-and-close and come down with the football are going to change an NFL defense next season.

"I want to prove that I’m the same productive player they see on tape," Bowman Jr. told The Draft Network in January, weeks before doing just that during his first practice in Mobile. "You can tell I’ve been playing football for a long time because I have great instincts and anticipation.”

The interception wasn’t the lone highlight of Bowman Jr.’s practice. The versatile cover-man also recorded this pass breakup in another individual rep, highlighting his make-up speed at the catch point despite initially allowing a sliver of separation.

A four-year starter, Bowman Jr. accumulated 199 tackles at Oklahoma. His 11 interceptions included three pick-six touchdowns, and he was also credited with 14 pass breakups. Tuesday's Senior Bowl practice session just reinforced what Bowman Jr. put on tape on a season-by-season basis.

It was important for Bowman Jr. to display his versatility. He accomplished that by stringing together positive reps as a safety in the nickel position. Flexing out into coverage, playing single-high or two-high, or defending the line of scrimmage are all strong suits of Bowman Jr.'s game. That multi-tool usefulness will endear itself to general managers throughout this process.

TDN’s director of scouting Keith Sanchez called Bowman Jr. a top-50 player following Tuesday’s standout practice. There are NFL evaluators who feel the same. Despite lacking terrific size, Bowman Jr. uses experience, versatility, football IQ, and natural athleticism to overcome any perceived physical shortcomings, which shouldn’t be overblown.

Instincts, quickness, and ball-tracking ability are present. Bowman Jr. is alignment-versatile in zone coverage, reading the offense from anywhere on the field, including the nickel position. In man-to-man coverage, Bowman Jr. is sound, effective, and efficient in his movements, reading leverage, and highlighting recovery speed if his opponent initially stacks him vertically.

Bowman Jr. entered Mobile as a proven playmaker. Everything the Denton, Texas native put on tape during Tuesday's practice doubled down on his initial scouting report. Bowman Jr. is going to be a productive NFL defender, particularly as an instant contributor as a rookie next season.