Fourth-round pick Billy Bowman listed among Day 3 picks who could start in 2025
For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons were the talk of the NFL on Day 1 of the draft. The team received mixed reviews for its first-round selections of Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., but most analysts praised the Falcons for landing safety Xavier Watts in the third round.
All three players have a chance to start for the team as rookies, however, we haven’t heard as much about Atlanta’s fourth-round selection. Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman had a wildly productive college career but has become the forgotten member of the team’s 2025 NFL draft class.
Despite spending most of his time at safety, the Falcons have said they envision Bowman playing at the nickel. The team re-signed starting nickel Dee Alford, but Bowman could be a long-term option.
NFL.com released a new feature highlighting 16 Day 3 selections who could fight for starting jobs as rookies. Bowman was listed as one of the 16 potential Day 3 starters.
Dee Alford could lock down the Falcons’ nickel spot, but don’t count Bowman out in that competition. His quickness and physicality in the slot will make him effective in coverage, and he’s not afraid to get after ball-carriers in the run game. Bowman didn’t make a ton of plays in the backfield in college, but I suspect you’ll see him attacking the line more often in the NFL. — Chad Reuter, NFL.com
Since the Falcons didn’t have much money to work with in free agency, they had to settle for affordable options at cornerback and safety. Even with the team adding Mike Ford, Jordan Fuller and Keith Taylor, none of these players have the upside of Bowman or Watts.
While we wouldn’t expect to see Bowman overtake Alford in the slot anytime soon, it’s definitely a good long-term option for the Falcons to have in their back pocket.
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