Longhorns strike gold again, land commit from R100 ATH Billy Bowman
The Longhorns have struck recruiting gold once again.
Billy Bowman, one of the top players in the entire country for the 2021 class, has given Texas a commitment, continuing an impressive run for the Longhorns that doesn’t appear it will be slowing down anytime soon. Bowman announced his decision on Twitter moments ago.
The 5-11, 175-pound Bowman ranks as a Rivals100 member and is one of the more versatile players in the 2021 class. He’s a standout on offense, defense and special teams for Denton Ryan and Texas has talked to him about helping in a number of different ways once he gets into the Longhorn program.
“Bowman is ranked as a top-100 prospect at athlete, and that is also the way Texas is recruiting him. That means that he could eventually be a prolific slot receiver for the Longhorns or a ball-hawking defensive back,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman. “Likely, he'll have a chance to compete for a spot returning kicks and punts as well.
“At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Bowman has a put-together frame to go along with 4.47 speed. He also clocked a 10.78-second 100-meters. He's a special athlete with fantastic vision and instincts, which shows on both sides of the ball and in the return game. He's elusive and slippery, but also keeps his legs moving and is difficult to corral in the open field. Bowman is always a threat to return it to the house.”
Ranked No. 88 on the 2021 Rivals100, Bowman actually camped at Texas on Friday night and came out of that visit saying his relationship with the UT staff grows stronger each time he sees them. The Longhorns were labeled by Bowman as one of his top schools, and he said Texas has talked to him about helping out on either side of the ball.
“To be honest, it’s really the best fit for me. Whatever fits me best,” Bowman said. “But I’m an athlete so I’m willing to play whatever I need to play.”
On offense, Bowman is a crafty, athletic receiver who has the ability to make people miss in space, find open running lanes and take it to the house from anywhere on the field. On defense, he lined up at corner last year but will most likely transition to safety this year, where his awareness, instincts and feel for the game make him one of the best defensive backs in the state.
“Offensively, Bowman projects as a slot receiver for the Longhorns. He's both fast and quick and should be able to get good releases off the ball and separate from defensive backs,” Spiegelman said. “At Ryan, the staff finds creative ways to get Bowman in space and let him go to work. He can stretch the field and turn short routes into big gains. He's effective on screens, end-arounds and dump-off passes in the flat. He effectively plants his foot and makes defenders miss and is a downhill runner who's able to big up chunk yardage with every touch.
“Bowman may have the brightest future on the defensive side of the ball. He's absurdly instinctual and has a ball-hawking nature, evident by five interceptions as a sophomore in 2018, including two pick-sixes. Bowman makes a habit out of jumping routes. He also has a knack for turnovers and looks to strip the ball in 1-on-1 situations. He's also disciplined in coverage with excellent anticipation of routes and outstanding coverage skills. He effectively reads the quarterback and can cover a ton of ground in a hurry to make plays on the ball while it's still in the air.”
A four-star prospect, Bowman had offers from about 25 schools at the time of his commitment. Along with Texas, schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oregon and TCU were giving chase.
Bowman becomes Texas’ sixth commitment in the 2021 class, joining quarterback Jalen Milroe, wide receiver Quay Davis, offensive lineman Hayden Conner, tight end Lake McRee and athlete Juan Davis. He’s UT’s fourth 2021 commitment in the last 10 days and the fifth this month.