24-year-old Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Alan Bowman announced Tuesday that he’ll be entering the 2025 NFL Draft following a seven-year college football career that took place at three different universities.
His draft declaration? A simple five-word response.
Alan Bowman Shuns Possible Eighth Season of College Football; Will Enter 2025 NFL Draft
Seven years is a long time. Eight years is even longer. For Oklahoma State quarterback Bowman, seven years was just enough time for his college football career to take place. He has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after responding to a post on X explaining that the veteran had won his appeal and could return to college football for an astonishing eighth season.
I think 7 was enough 😂 https://t.co/58clAy2JSL
— Alan Bowman (@alanbowman_) December 16, 2024
In addition to the “7 was enough” sentiment, Bowman posted a traditional letter from his own account in which he thanked his teammates and family while officially declaring for the NFL Draft. He finished it off by saying, “It is time to take the next step in my career and pursue a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.”
Bowman’s first season in college football was in 2018, as the three-star quarterback from Grapevine, Texas, committed to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He started 16 games for the Big 12 program, throwing 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
After three seasons in Lubbock, Bowman decided to transfer and join the Michigan Wolverines in 2021. However, he only made four game appearances across two seasons in Ann Arbor.
Finally, after five seasons of college football but holding a redshirt — due to a season of less than four appearances at Michigan — Covid-granted year, and a medical redshirt, Bowman relocated to join Oklahoma State.
His first season in Stillwater was a success — an appearance in the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game and a 10-4 overall record. Bowman contributed 17 touchdowns but further revealed his propensity for turning the ball over, throwing 14 interceptions including a streak of nine straight games throwing at least one.
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The 2024 campaign was rocky for Bowman, to say the least. He was first benched by head coach Mike Gundy in the fourth game of the season against the Utah Utes. Gundy’s explanation: “I just felt like we weren’t getting good play, and we needed a relief pitcher and get somebody else in there.”
That began a string of starts by sophomore Garrett Rangel, back to Bowman, and then freshman Maealiuaki Smith to finish the season. The results were ugly all around: a 3-9 overall record, including 0-9 and a last-place finish in the Big 12.
In his final college game, Bowman was inserted into the Cowboys’ season finale against the Colorado Buffaloes down 45-0. He completed one of five attempts for a mere seven yards, not quite the finish the seventh-year senior had envisioned when the season began.
Bowman’s career numbers aren’t bad at all. He finished with 69 total touchdowns, 44 interceptions, and 11,212 passing yards, good enough for 80th all-time — one spot ahead of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, how about that for a stat?
But as he looks towards the 2025 NFL Draft, he’ll start from the bottom.
It’s not a guarantee he will be drafted — potentially due to a lack of upside. The 24-year-old is older than 2023 Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. In fact, he’s only five months younger than Jacksonville Jaguars and former Clemson Tigers star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who’s finishing his fourth year in the NFL.
While he was racking up multiple Master’s degrees (according to his LinkedIn profile), younger quarterbacks than Bowman were throwing touchdown passes in the league.
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One thing is for sure: while the former Red Raiders, Wolverines, and Cowboys quarterback tries his hand at the NFL, he won’t go away easy. He’ll do everything he can to continue playing the game he loves, just not on the college football stage anymore.
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