Midseason review: Safeties

It's time for the final part of the midseason review, and this one focuses on a unique position group.

The safeties probably have the biggest mix of young and old players making an impact. Veterans like Billy Bowman, Reggie Pearson and Key Lawrence are the snap-count leaders, but young players like Peyton Bowen and Robert Spears-Jennings have made big contributions, too.

Other players like Dasan McCullough and Justin Harrington, while they technically play cheetah linebacker, are listed at safety on Pro Football Focus, so they'll be discussed here, as well.

Here's a look at the stats, data, takeaways and midseason grades for the safety position:

(Other midseason reviews: Cornerbacks, Linebackers, defensive end, defensive tackle, offensive line/tight ends, running backs, wide receivers)

1. Billy Bowman — 309

2. Key Lawrence — 233

3. Reggie Pearson — 199

4. Peyton Bowen — 191

5. Robert Spears-Jennings — 77

Billy Bowman – 23 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups

Peyton Bowen — 23 tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble

Key Lawrence — 22 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble

Reggie Pearson — 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss

Robert Spears-Jennings — 11 tackles

— The good news is that Bowman has stayed healthy, and as a result he is (unsurprisingly) fourth on the team in snaps. The expectations have been high for the junior, and he's delivered consistency and big plays. Look no further than the Texas game, when he delivered a nasty hit on TE Ja'Tavion Sanders that led to a first-quarter interception by Kendel Dolby. On the fourth-quarter goal-line stand, he helped keep Xavier Worthy out of the end zone on fourth down. The advanced stats haven't been particularly kind — he has a PFF season grade of 56.5 — but Bowman will continue to play a huge role as long as he stays healthy.

— One of the best stories of the season has been the Lawrence's resurgence. After a disappointing campaign in 2022, the veteran has bounced back and played a huge role in the Sooners' secondary. His biggest play came against Cincinnati, when he intercepted a pass in the end zone just before halftime. He's also responsible for three takeaways on the season. There's been some inconsistencies — he gave up five receptions against Texas and earned a single-game grade of 36.3 — but he's had plenty of big plays to make up for it.

— Through six games, it's clear the Sooners have a future star in Bowen. He's not just playing a bunch of snaps. He's proven his versatility and has made big plays in the process. He has the fifth-highest PFF season grade (79.8), the second-highest rush defense grade (81.8), the highest tackling grade (89.8) and the sixth-highest pass coverage grade (78.8). He's earned the trust of the coaching staff, whether that's by breaking up a critical fourth-down pass against SMU or playing 18 snaps against Texas, proving he can play in big games. He's also already blocked two punts, marking the first Sooner to block multiple punts in a season since 2004. Bowen might be slightly behind Bowman, Pearson and Lawrence in the pecking order, but make no mistake — he's going to continue playing a lot, and he will be unequivocally one of the most significant defensive players in the coming years.

— Pearson started the first three games but appears to have settled into a reserve role, playing 51 snaps off the bench against Texas. His season grade of 54.9 isn't anything to write home about, so it'll be interesting to see how the coaches handle his snaps moving forward.

— It should be interesting to see how much Spears-Jennings plays over the second half of the season. He played 22 snaps in Week 5 against Iowa State but then logged just one snap against Texas. Considering the injury he suffered in the spring, the coaches are likely bringing the redshirt freshman on slowly.

— Let's talk about the cheetah position, a hybrid of linebacker and defensive back. It was Harrington's spot in the first two games, but an unfortunate season-ending injury has him out of the lineup. Since Week 4, it's been McCullough manning that spot. The coaching staff has used him all over the field — 22 of his snaps have come on the defensive line, 43 in the box, four as a free safety and 60 in the slot. He's also recorded 60 snaps in pass coverage and 58 as a rush defender. He's not really playing anywhere enough to classify him at a specific position but instead has been used as a jack-of-all-trades player. The sophomore has been solid, earning a PFF season grade of 75.9. With Harrington out, McCullough is likely going to see the bulk of the reps there the rest of the way. Bowen, who's proven effective playing essentially any role on any given play, will see some reps there, too.

— The secondary as a whole has had some lapses in coverage this season. But Bowman, Lawrence and Bowman have made enough plays consistently to mostly offset those busts in coverage. The Sooners need to tighten up their pass defense a little — they rank 85th in passing yards allowed with 239.2 per game — but they rank 19th in opponent passing efficiency (113.9) and are allowing just 11.1 yards per completion, which ranks 31st. Factor in the interceptions (12), and this is a secondary that is much improved from a year ago.

MIDSEASON GRADE: B