Former Sooners fan favorite just got the worst news possible in his first season in the NFL
A former Oklahoma great just received some tough news.
A disappointing 2025 season has officially come to an end for Atlanta Falcons rookie defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. after suffering a torn Achilles injury during practice last week. The former Oklahoma Sooner star had gotten off to a bit of a slower start in his first season while dealing with a nagging injury in October, but was beginning to make more of an impact in recent weeks. His rookie campaign ends with 26 total tackles, one interception, two pass breakups, and 1.5 sacks in six games played.
A part of a bit of a youth movement on the back end for the Falcons, along with fellow rookie safety Xavier Watts, a lot was expected of Bowman going into the 2025 season. A versatile player in the secondary, Bowman had experience in college playing everything from outside cornerback, safety, and nickel. The slot was supposed to be the home for Bowman, where his combination of short-area explosiveness and tenacity seemingly fit incredibly well.
This is far from the end of Bowman in Atlanta, but this is an unfortunate detour that will require a long road back to recovery. Achilles injuries can be very tricky, but the good news for Bowman is that he is still just 22 years old, so he should be able to bounce back quickly in theory. The 5-10, 194-pound defender was known as a tremendous leader during his time in Norman, so you can bet he is going to work his tail off to get back. Betting against Billy Bowman is not something I would personally recommend.
Billy Bowman’s Oklahoma days
Originally a four-star player and Top-50 recruit back in the 2021 recruiting class for Oklahoma, he would eventually develop into one of the very best defenders the Sooners have had in recent memory. In his four years with the team, Bowman played in 47 total games for the team. During that stretch, he recorded 199 total tackles, 11 interceptions, 14 pass breakups, and nine tackles for loss. Bowman was selected as an All-Conference performer in each of his last three seasons between the Big 12 and SEC.
Due to his tremendous production, Bowman ended up being selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Falcons. Along with fellow rookie defenders such as Watts, James Pearce Jr., and Jalon Walker, it appears that Atlanta has a tremendous young defensive core to build with. Bowman is very much a part of those future plans when he gets back healthy.
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