‘Ocho Out’: Sooners Defensive Tackle Perrion Winfrey declares for the 2022 NFL draft

After finishing the 2021 season with 5.5 sacks, defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey is declaring for the 2022 NFL draft.

The Oklahoma Sooners defense will have some new faces creating disruption in 2022. Yesterday, rush linebacker Nik Bonitto declared for the 2022 NFL draft, and today he’s joined by another member of the defensive front; interior defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey.

In a message via his Twitter account, Winfrey stated, “I would officially like to announce that I am declaring for the 2022 NFL draft! It has been a dream to play in the NFL ever since I can remember.”

Winfrey leaves the Oklahoma Sooners after just two seasons. He collected six sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss during his tenure with the Sooners. In 2021, he was second on the team in tackles for loss with 11.5 and third in sacks with 5.5.

He was a big part of the Oklahoma Sooners pass rush, providing an interior rush that kept quarterbacks off-balance. Winfrey’s blend of size and athleticism should translate well to the NFL as a one-gap penetrating defensive tackle.

Winfrey stated in his release, “Sooner Nation, I just want to thank you for showing a young JUCO kid how it’s done in Oklahoma. I will never forget all the love and genuine support you guys gave me from the beginning. You will always have a place in my heart, and I will never forget the memories we made on Saturday.”

The Oklahoma Sooners will undoubtedly miss his physicality at the point of attack and his ability to penetrate and rush the passer. With his size and athleticism, it’s probable that Winfrey goes somewhere in the top 100 of the 2022 NFL draft.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=49643]