The Oklahoma Sooners may have a lot to prove as a team heading into the SEC, but there are a pair of Sooners defenders getting a ton of respect heading into their senior season.
Senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and senior safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] were selected to the All-SEC first team by the league’s coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. They were the only players voted to any of the three All-SEC teams.
Bowman showed out as one of the best safeties in the game in 2023. He recorded six interceptions, including three returns for touchdowns. Bowman also had 63 total tackles and four passes defended. He set program highs in interceptions, interception yardage, and interceptions returned for a touchdown.
Stutsman led the Sooners with 106 tackles and 16 tackles for loss in a breakout year of his own.
Billy Bowman Jr. and Danny Stutsman » Preseason Coaches All-SEC First Team
🏆 https://t.co/xd8WEhsgLb | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/IX9RCtneDK
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) August 22, 2024
Both players had the opportunity to go to the NFL and would have likely been taken in the top 100 of the 2024 NFL draft. However, the two defensive leaders opted for one more year of development and to make a run through the SEC before heading off to the NFL.
The Oklahoma Sooners defense is on a strong trajectory heading into the 2024 season, but nothing will be given to them. Getting Stutsman and Bowman back for one more year provides the Sooners with front-line talent to go along with what [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] have been building through the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.