Peyton Bowen's Big Spring Ball Performance Could Lead to Postseason Hardware

Sooners on SI will spotlight ten players who need a big spring to solidify their place on the depth chart, improve and/or help Oklahoma build off its 2025 College Football Playoff momentum. Each day, we’ll break down one player’s background, progress, and what’s on the line as Brent Venables’ team takes shape during spring football.

The light bulb appeared to come on for Peyton Bowen last season in one of the more hostile environments the Sooner football program has ever played in.

The third-year safety read the eyes of Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar, who was looking to help his Volunteer offense regain the lead in the first half. Life a center fielder, Bowen correctly sensed a deep slant towards the end zone was on its way before intercepting the ball and returning it near midfield.

Bowen, who has shown flashes for making the big plays customary of 5-star recruits since he arrived as a freshman in 2023, rose his level of play in 2025. Oklahoma's November run to the playoff was saturated with impactful plays from Bowen.

Now, Bowen stands to finish off his Sooner career not just as a multi-year starter, but as a player who could factor into some all-conference lists or some postseason awards. With a strong spring, these lofty goals could become a reality.

Oklahoma Sooners, Peyton Bowen — Oklahoma safety Peyton Bowen | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

With 47 combined tackles and two interceptions, Bowen annouced himself as a sort of do-it-all force at safety.

Following an inconsistent but exciting freshman season and a sophomore year campaign hampered by injuries, Bowen's junior year truly showed what Oklahoma fans envisioned when he signed with the Sooners out of high school.

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For Bowen, the first box to check this spring will be health and availability. In 2024, Bowen began the first two games as a starter before a collection of injuries like turf toe and sprained ankles denied him consistent starting and playing time.

2025 saw a fully healthy and capable Bowen as one of the Sooners' last line of defense in the secondary. He started all 13 games and routinely graded out in the high-70s according to Pro Football Focus.

The next box to check in spring will be that light bulb becoming brighter — being able to harness his special athleticism into playmaking on the field.

“The game has slowed down tremendously for Peyton,” Venables said last September. “And he’s more and more comfortable from a leadership and a communication standpoint, and he’s able to see things just from a different lens just by going on year three.”

Bowen has the ability to be among some of the SEC's best safeties. Georgia's KJ Bolden already found his name on an early preseason All-American list and he has fairly similar numbers to Bowen.

Can Bowen win the Jim Thorpe Award? Will he find his name among the many all-conference lists? Based on his athleticism and what he began to show on the field last November, absolutely. These spring practices can go a long way in making those goals a reality.