Standout Oklahoma Sooners defender disrespected in latest rankings released by top college football analyst
The Oklahoma Sooners enjoyed a tremendous breakout season last season from standout freshman cornerback Eli Bowen. Bowen lightly played to start the season, but quickly locked down the job after the Auburn game, starting against Texas and not missing a start for the rest of the season. Bowen was one of the best cornerbacks in […]
The Oklahoma Sooners enjoyed a tremendous breakout season last season from standout freshman cornerback Eli Bowen. Bowen lightly played to start the season, but quickly locked down the job after the Auburn game, starting against Texas and not missing a start for the rest of the season.
Bowen was one of the best cornerbacks in the country last season, allowing just 227 yards and three touchdowns (with most of that coming in the final game of the season). He frequently shut down the best wide receivers on Oklahoma's schedule.
Here were Bowen's numbers going up against the top receivers he's played so far this season:
- Bru McCoy: 2 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards
- Ryan Wingo: 1 target, 0 receptions
- Malcolm Simmons: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
- Cam Coleman: 1 target, 0 receptions
- Matthew Golden: 1 target, 0 receptions
- Silas Bolden: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards
- Vandrevius Jacobs: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards
- Antwane Wells: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards
- Luther Burden III: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards
- Ryan Williams: 6 targets, 1 catch, 30 yards, 1 PBU, 1 INT
- Kyren Lacy: 1 target, 1 catch, 7 yards
Despite providing elite production and frequently shutting down the top receivers he played, Pro Football Focus didn't see fit to name Bowen as a top-ten returning cornerback in the country. He was named an "honorable mention".
"Bowen was one of the 25 highest-graded corners in the nation as just a true freshman, earning an 81.9 PFF grade. His 89.4 run-defense grade was seventh among all cornerbacks while his 78.7 coverage grade trailed only Leonard Moore among true freshmen at the position. While just 5-foot-9, 186 pounds, Bowen has terrific movement skills and already has the football IQ of a senior."
This ranking, to me, is disrespectful of Bowen's film. There's no argument for several of the players ranked ahead of him to be over him. It can't be the size, considering the 5'9 170-pound D'Angelo Ponds is ranked third on the list. It can't be the production, as only one player ranked on the list ahead of him allowed fewer yards than he did this season.
To each their own, of course, but teams were actively picking on a few cornerbacks ranked ahead of Bowen while actively avoiding Bowen's side of the field. Hopefully, Bowen continues his strong freshman season and finds himself firmly on the list this time next offseason.
