The Football Brainiacs

Football Time in Oklahoma

Football Time in Oklahoma is only 23 days away. We’re counting down the days with a look at each number on the roster; today, we’ll spotlight Eli Bowen.

Noteworthy Numbers

2018-2022 – DaShaun White

2005-2007 – Allen Patrick

2002-2004 – Brodney Pool

1989-1992 – Dewell Brewer

Player Profile

Position: Defensive Back

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 185

Class: Junior

Seasons at OU: 2

Hometown: Corinth, Texas

Previous School: Guyer HS

The Path to Norman

The Bowen name is a familiar one to Sooner fans. The younger brother of Peyton, Eli Bowen received an OU offer in April 2022, almost two years before his eventual signing. LSU, Texas, and Notre Dame were among the teams to offer the defensive back from Texas. The family ties and Coach Valai were enough to bring Bowen to Oklahoma.

Career so Far

2024 looked likely to be a quiet season for Bowen – he had other plans. After not playing in the first two games, Bowen played in every game after that, starting in eight of them. His improvement throughout the season was startling, as he was one of the Sooners’ best defenders by year’s end. Bowen earned SEC Fall Academic and First-Year honor rolls and was named to the ESPN Freshman All-American team.

Bowen missed the first four games of 2025 with an injury before starting the final nine. He was once again a consistent defender, with a highlight performance against Alabama that included an 87-yard pick six, and earned third-team All-SEC honors.

Stats

Years: 2025 | 2024 | Career

Games Played: 9 | 11 | 20

Tackles: 24 | 30 | 54

INT: 2 | 1 | 3

Stats via Soonersports.com

Highlights

This Season

Bowen enters 2026 as both an established starter opposite Courtland Guillory and as one of the leaders of Oklahoma’s secondary. Now with two years of experience under his belt, the junior will look to garner national recognition.and help make OU’s defensive backs one of the best groups in the SEC.