A year ago, during one of the most tumultuous recruitments in recent history, Brent Venables had a message for five-star recruit Peyton Bowen.
“If you don’t come (here),” Venables said. “I’m still recruiting your brother.”
Peyton’s brother Eli starred alongside him at Denton Guyer High School and held offers from LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas and others. While Venables recruited Peyton down to the final minute of early signing day in 2022 and eventually flipped him from the Fighting Irish and the Ducks, he was also scouting Eli.
“Even if we don’t get your brother, I’m still coming after you,” Venables told him.
On Wednesday, almost a year to the day that Bowen’s saga ended, Oklahoma signed Eli to pair him with Peyton in the Sooners’ secondary. Eli, a three-star, is the No. 48-ranked cornerback in the country and the No. 80 overall player in Texas.
Bowen Brothers are taking over Norman! @EliBowen12 🤝 @PeytonBowen10 #OUDNA | #24K pic.twitter.com/fNFZxiXvn9
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) December 20, 2023
Rodney Webb, who coached the brothers at Guyer, raves about Eli and used to compare him to NFL All-Pro Tyrann Mathieu.
“Eli is one of the most instinctive players that I've ever had the privilege to coach,” Webb said. “I called him the honey badger sophomore year when he had like 11 interceptions and I think he ran four back for touchdowns. And he's just a very, very dynamic corner. He's a little bit undersized, but he's just got such a great instinct and just natural speed.”
In addition to Bowen, OU signed four-star safeties Reggie Powers and Jaydan Hardy, four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe and three-star cornerback Devon Jordan to bolster its secondary. With Billy Bowman and Peyton returning and former San Diego State cornerback Dezjhon Malone signing, Oklahoma’s secondary could be a strong suit in 2024.
Venables sees no reason Eli can’t step in and contribute and offered him high-praise during his signing day press conference.
“Eli Bowen is one of the best football players in America,” Venables said. “It'll be really cool to have him along with his brother here in the secondary.”
At around 5-foot-9, Bowen is known for his speed and instinct, more times than not making plays on the football like his brother. Entering bi-district playoffs, Bowen had recorded 30 total tackles, three interceptions, four pass breakups and two blocked field goals in 2023.
“He is a ball hawk on the field and he's a turnover machine and he’s a very dangerous returner, very dangerous with the ball in his hands,” Webb said. “I could honestly say a lot of the same things about his brother, they're both just the kind of players that are going to be very exciting players to watch on the defensive side of the ball.”
Oklahoma commit Eli Bowen making a physical play on the corner pic.twitter.com/qE8CSkAk3v
— Mike Roach (@MikeRoach247) September 2, 2023
“He’s probably had as many disruption plays the last few years of any defensive back that I've seen,” Venables said. “He’s just a great, great player.”
Playing with and being close to his brother played a part in Eli's recruitment. With the passing of their sister Camylle in March, it was important for Eli to be with Peyton and Hardy, one of his childhood best friends.
“That was a factor for sure in Eli's recruitment,” Webb said. “And I think also the proximity to their parents being close to them, I think that’s gonna be really important too.”
With Peyton coming off a freshman season that saw him collect 33 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, he showcased how Venables’ system allows young players to compete right away with the Sooners. For the Bowen brothers, there will be competition in practices, but it will be special to share the field with each other again.
Webb saw firsthand Venables’ recruitment of the Bowens and said it was his genuine nature that won them over.
“I think one thing about coach Venables is he's a genuine person,” Webb said. “And I think everybody can see that and I think it had an impact on (the Bowens) going to OU.
“He is a genuine person and I think kids are attracted to coaches that they genuinely believe care about them as people. And I think coach Venables certainly does a good job of making people understand how genuine he is and I think that means a lot to guys like that.”
