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While it’s been a struggle for the Oklahoma Sooners defense for much of the last few weeks, that isn’t entirely reflective of the season that two Oklahoma Sooners are having individually.
Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey have been good for the most part. They’ve been disruptive pass rushers, and in the case of Bonitto, he’s continued to cause havoc in the running game.
With four games left in the 2021 regular season, Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey find themselves in the top 10 at their position on ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper’s big board (ESPN+ Subscription required).
Perrion Winfrey is the fifth-best defensive tackle for Kiper, who’s been analyzing the NFL draft for ESPN since the 80s. Kiper has Bonitto listed as an outside linebacker, and the Oklahoma edge defender is the eighth-best player, according to Kiper, at this stage of the 2022 NFL draft cycle.
Nik Bonitto leads the Sooners with five sacks, and Winfrey is right behind him with 4.5. Bonitto has nine tackles for loss and Winfrey six.
Bonitto will be an interesting case study for teams and the draft process. Though he’s listed as a “rush linebacker” on Oklahoma’s depth chart, and most analysts view him as a linebacker, he’s more of an edge player. Think a 3-4 outside linebacker like a T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bonitto can drop into coverage and make plays, but his real value comes as a pass rusher and setting the edge in the running game.
One of the issues Oklahoma’s rush linebackers have had at finding roles at the next level is, in some part, due to the inability of NFL coaching staffs and front offices to adequately define their role.
We’ve seen it with Obo Okoronkwo and now with Ronnie Perkins. Though the Oklahoma depth chart might have had linebacker next to their name, they’re more suited to play off the edge as a weakside defensive end in a 4-3 or an outside linebacker in a 3-4 whose primary responsibility is to rush off the edge.
It’s the same fate Bonitto might suffer as well, despite being an incredibly productive player for the Oklahoma Sooners in his career.
Pro Football Focus’ positional designations for players along the defensive front are the most accurate. They list guys as interior defensive linemen, which includes defensive tackles and 3-4 defensive ends. EDGE players are designated as 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers. This is because the responsibilities of a 4-3 defensive end and a 3-4 outside linebacker are generally the same. And the duties of a 4-3 defensive tackle and a 3-4 defensive end are essentially the same.
Only time will tell in this draft cycle if Nik Bonitto will be dinged because of how his position designation is viewed or if the smart teams will look past that and see an edge player capable of dominating at the point of attack.
If you’re wondering how draft analysts currently view Spencer Rattler, Kiper offers his thoughts on keeping him out of the top 10 quarterbacks eligible for the 2022 NFL draft.
You’ll notice that Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler has been removed. It’s tough to keep him in the top 10 when he’s not playing. I think he’s likely to transfer, play elsewhere in 2022 and enter the 2023 draft. – Kiper
It remains to be seen what Rattler will do with his playing future. He’s still a talented player that might require a fresh start to get his career back on track.