‘Eager to learn and work’: Peyton Bowen becoming integral part of Oklahoma Sooners defense

Every single week, Peyton Bowen continues to flash the talent that made him a five-star prospect and one of the more highly sought-after talents in the 2023 class.

The buzz has been building since the spring, and there’s no reason to expect it will slow down anytime soon. In the Oklahoma Sooners win over Tulsa, Bown showed off his range and reaction time on multiple occasions as he nearly picked off two passes on a day when the Sooners collected five interceptions.

On a defense that is collectively better than it was a year ago, Bowen continues to stand out week-to-week. When asked about how difficult the transition for a true freshman can be, Brent Venables highlighted Bowen’s willingness to learn and work to go along with his natural talent.

“It’s not easy,” Venables said about his star freshman’s performance thus far. “There’s nothing easy about it. But he was here at mid-year. A really smart guy. Football comes easy for him. He’s highly skilled, very instinctual, confident, but eager to learn and work. So he’s, again, created opportunity for himself, and he’ll just continue to get better the more he plays.”

And it’s that last part that is so intriguing. He’s far from a finished product and is already one of the better players on Oklahoma’s defense. For a Sooners defense that has better depth than it did a year ago, Peyton Bowen is sixth in snaps and third among safeties with 112 snaps this season. That’s behind veteran players Billy Bowman and Reggie Pearson.

Of course, the nature of Oklahoma’s victories over Arkansas State and Tulsa provided an opportunity to get younger players on the field. At the same time, Bowen’s earning every snap the coaching staff throws his way with his performance on the field.

Bowen played just 24 snaps in the win over Arkansas State, according to Pro Football Focus. In a game that was more closely contested vs. SMU, the five-star safety received 40 snaps for the Sooners’ defense. And then, against Tulsa, he saw his highest snap count of the season, playing 48 plays in the win.

With Justin Harrington out due to a knee injury and Dasan McCullough still working his way back, Bowen played primarily at Cheetah on Saturday. In the first couple of weeks, he was playing more traditional safety roles.

Saturday was the first start of his career, and surely it won’t be his last. Defensive coordinator Ted Roof was pleased with his true freshman’s performance.

“I was pleased with Peyton,” Roof said on Monday. “Thought he tackled well. I thought we tackled well as a defense. But I was impressed with him. His ball skills. His instincts. You know, again, we can make it whatever. But that was his first (extended action), you know, action in college football. And there’s something to what goes with that first time. You know, passed getting through it. And then where it just becomes football again, as opposed to, ‘oh my gosh, this is the first time.’ But the moment’s not too big for him. And, again, he’s got such a bright future.”

As impressive as the performance on the field, his ability to play in several spots this early on is equally incredible.

Though the Sooners may want him to play primarily at safety this season, Peyton Bowen’s ability to be deployed at several spots makes him an invaluable part of the defense.

There will be bigger challenges for Bowen and the Oklahoma Sooners. But for the true freshman and for the defense, it’s so far so good and trending in a really good direction.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their first true road trip of the season, they need Bowen to continue to grow into his role and continue to rise to the occasion.

Based on early returns, there’s little doubt he will.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire