Newcomer Profile: Oklahoma DB Eli Bowen Is Striving To Be 'Part Of The Best 11'

Oklahoma's newest Bowen is looking to follow in his brother's footsteps as he makes a name for himself in Norman.

Eli Bowen / Eli Bowen via Twitter/X

Eli Bowen’s commitment wasn’t nearly as dramatic as his older brother’s, but it could end up being just as impactful.

The freshman defensive back didn’t have the 5-star rating, but was still a highly sought after prospect that turned into a big win for the Sooners on the recruiting trail.

He committed to Oklahoma over Texas and Arkansas with a pool of 23 other offers. Once he committed to playing for Brent Venables, he never wavered and enrolled early. Now, he’s hoping to have an immediate impact for the Sooners. It’ll be a difficult task, but not out of the question — his older brother proved it was possible.

Peyton Bowen ended up in Norman after many twists and turns during his recruiting journey, but turned in a freshman season that has the staff over the moon excited. He totaled 36 tackles, 1.0 quarterback sacks, five pass deflections and a forced fumble. He also recorded two blocked punts. He was a weekly asset for the Sooners in his first season.

Now, he’s ready to see his younger brother have that same success.

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“It’s been good,” Peyton Bowen said. “Just having someone from back home. It’s been really good just having that familiar face again. It’s been really good. He’s been doing really good as well, too, out on the field so it’s been good seeing him succeed. He’s doing really well. He’s getting a lot of time playing a lot of different positions. Just seeing where he fits in best. He’s doing really well.”

Despite Eli's recruiting process being a relatively quiet one after he chose the Sooners, it wasn’t because of a lack of interest. He had offers from many top schools around the country and was an underrated star on the recruiting trail. According to 247 Sports, Bowen reeled in offers from LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon and Florida State before choosing Oklahoma over Texas.

Having a brother on the team likely helped sway Bowen’s decision, but Peyton never once pushed the envelope. It would be easy to assume the older brother would put in a good word and do a little bit of recruiting on the home turf. That wasn’t the case at all, though. Eli chose Oklahoma to pave his own legacy.

WATCH: Eli Bowen Interview

“Obviously, he’d like for me to come to OU, but he was never in my ear like ‘Come to OU’ and all that,” Bowen said. “He respects me as a person and was letting me do my own thing, visit other places, and it was a fun experience.”

Now, the two brothers are teammates, but that doesn’t stop Eli from looking up to his older sibling. He has seen Peyton have success at the highest level and emerge onto the scene as a true freshman at Oklahoma. The bar is set high, but Peyton has been a walking example for his younger brother, and a bar set high. Eli wants to find a way to do even more in his first season at Oklahoma.

“Yeah, most definitely,” Bowen said when asked if his older brother motivates him. “He’s definitely top on that list. Because watching him have success everywhere he goes and anything he does, it really motivates me to be better and be a better person, and catch him and surpass him in a way.”

Despite not having 5-star status, Bowen turned in a strong senior season at Denton Guyer. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound cornerback tallied 34 tackles, 2.0 for loss, three interceptions and six broken-up passes. He’s a lockdown corner on the outside but is versatile just like his brother. He can play nearly any position in the secondary.

Bowen mentioned the staff hasn’t decided on a specific position for him just yet, but he’s willing to move around if that means he gets to play.

“I have not picked a position yet,” he told reporters. “It’s just wherever they put me, honestly. They said the best 11 are going to play, and I just want to be part of that best 11.”

So far, so good for Bowen. He’s fitting into the defense, receiving rave reviews from teammates, and making strong connections with his head coach. Like his older brother, he seems at home in Norman. His connection with Venables could go a long ways, too.

“It definitely has,” he said about his relationship with Venables continuing. “If I see him in the facility, he’ll stop by and say what’s up and have a conversation with me. It’s been great. I don’t know if every head coach is like that, but I wouldn’t think they are. It’s been an amazing experience.”

Whether Bowen has a chance to make an impact as a freshman like his brother did remains to be seen. But it appears the Sooners found a diamond in the rough, and the secondary will be locked down by Bowens for a few more years to come.