Tag: David Stone

Sooners No. 7 in ESPN’s recruiting class rankings for 2025

The Oklahoma Sooners have several high-profile recruitments still underway, but they’re in a great spot already in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Recruiting is certainly a strong point for the Oklahoma Sooners under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. On both sides of the ball, OU has landed blue chip prospects, including five-star players [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] (2023), [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] (2023), [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] (2023), and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] (2024).

It’s set the stage for the Sooners to contend when they make their move into the SEC. In the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag], the Sooners are already off to a great start with the summer recruiting season approaching. With 15 commitments, the Sooners sit No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the SEC in 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

And the Sooners are well within the top 10 of ESPN’s top 25 recruiting classes (ESPN+) for the 2025 cycle.

The Sooners’ first official class as a member of the SEC already has a strong foundation. It’s anchored by offensive firepower, including a pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers in [autotag]Elijah Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Gracen Harris[/autotag]. Harris is quick and has good hands. Thomas, an in-state commit, is a precise route-runner and offers a wide catch radius. Running back [autotag]Tory Blaylock[/autotag] can be an electric playmaker with excellent speed — he has registered a max speed north of 21 mph in games.

The Sooners stayed in-state to land [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] at QB. He has a quick release and good accuracy and threw for over 2,500 yards and completed 68% of his passes as a junior. In-state defensive end [autotag]Alexander Shieldnight[/autotag] has first-step quickness and active hands and tallied 11 sacks as a junior. While much of their class hails from OU’s primary recruiting base, [autotag]Trent Wilson[/autotag] was a nice win out of Maryland. He’s a defensive lineman with good initial quickness as well as agility, and he can be an active presence in the trenches. – Craig Haubert, ESPN

It’s a class that’s equally impressive on defense as it is on offense. Sperry has the chance to be every bit as impactful as the quarterbacks that Oklahoma’s brought on board over the last few years under Venables. His low-key recruitment has been an asset for the Sooners. With their quarterback committed, and helping peer recruit, the Sooners have been able to focus their efforts on an offensive line class that is as elite as 2024’s defensive line class was.

Even though Oklahoma’s experienced coordinator changes on both sides of the ball, they’ve continued to recruit at an incredibly high level. And with high-profile recruitments still to be decided along the offensive line and with five-star safety [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag], the Sooners have a chance to add another impactful class to the depth chart in 2025.

There’s still a long way to go in the 2025 cycle, but the Sooners are in a great spot. Any concerns about Brent Venables and his staff’s ability to recruit at Oklahoma are long gone.

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Sooners with a top 5 spring transfer portal class per ESPN

ESPN believes the Oklahoma Sooners added one of the best spring transfer portal classes, ranking them inside the top 5.

Heading into the offseason, the Oklahoma Sooners had several needs. They did a nice job addressing the offensive line with the additions of Febechi Nwaiwu, Michael Tarquin, Geirean Hatchett, and Spencer Brown. But a spring ball injury to projected starting center Troy Everett created a need at center. Lack of experience along the defensive interior beyond Da’Jon Terry created another need at defensive tackle.

And the Oklahoma Sooners were able to address both issues with the addition of SMU transfer center Branson Hickman and TCU transfer defensive tackle Damonic Williams.

Jermayne Lole flipped to Texas after the Williams commitment, but Brent Venables and his staff made impact additions in the spring transfer window, earning ESPN’s No. 4 spring portal class (ESPN+).

The Sooners are arriving in the SEC with an upgraded defensive front. Landing five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] was huge considering he’s a young player with impact potential. OU also added experience through the portal. TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], the No. 4 prospect in the spring portal, was the most notable addition. The 320-pounder is a big body with good quickness and performed well for the Horned Frogs after arriving as a four-star recruit in the 2022 class. He’s a strong candidate to seize a starting role. Adding those two players helps Oklahoma offset the loss of several contributors.

The Sooners also added an experienced, sound interior offensive lineman in SMU transfer [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag]. He has more than 30 career starts and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him assume a starting role this fall.

Both players are likely to start for the Oklahoma Sooners and both bring a ton of experience to the roster. Williams started 26 games for TCU as a true freshman and sophomore, helping the Horned Frogs reach the national title game in 2022. Williams is a legit nose tackle that has strong production at a spot that doesn’t typically fill up the stat sheet. With improved talent around him and on the depth chart, he’ll have the opportunity to face fewer double teams, but even when he does, Williams has the power and quickness to beat the double. And just as important is Williams will keep Oklahoma’s fast and athletic linebacker group clean to run free and make plays in Brent Venables and Zac Alley’s downhill attacking defense.

Hickman has more than 2,400 snaps to his ledger as a three-year starter for the Mustangs. That experience will be huge for first-year starter Jackson Arnold, especially as the Sooners work for cohesion with five new starters along the offensive line. There’s a lot of talent there, but building chemistry is key for the offensive line to function at its highest capabilities. Hickman’s experience will help bring that together.

As Brent Venables and his coaching staff continue to recruit at a high level like they’ve done in the three years since arriving in Norman, they’ll be less reliant on the transfer portal. However, as they’ve done this spring, the Sooners will continue to make splashes when the opportunity arises.

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Oklahoma’s defensive line holds the keys to Sooners’ present and future

The Sooners went to work in recruiting and portaling the defensive line position this offseason. If it pays off, Oklahoma could begin to become a top-flight contender again.

It’s been about two-and-a-half years since [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] became the head football coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. In that time, he and his staff have diligently worked to build the program the right way after stripping it down to the studs in 2022.

A focus on toughness, discipline and complimentary football arrived in Norman on Dec. 5, 2021. Though there were growing pains in a 6-7 first year, the Sooners bounced back with a 10-3 mark in 2023. As the program enters the SEC, the challenge grows.

All of the preview magazines and national pundits will agree that one of the biggest keys to OU’s success in 2024 is the development of the offensive line. While that is absolutely the case in Year 1 in the SEC, it’s the guys on the other side of the ball that hold the keys to the future in Norman.

The Sooners have added some bona fide talent to the defensive line since the conclusion of last season via high school recruiting and the [autotag]transfer porta[/autotag]l. These are the players who will develop under Venables, [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] to form the future core of the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

Let’s start with high school recruiting and focus on the five defensive linemen that Venables and Co. brought in. The 2024 recruiting class on the D-line is quite simply the future of football in Norman, with five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] leading the way.

Stone hails from IMG Academy in Florida and was the linchpin of the ’24 class. His recruitment was a wild one, but the Sooners won in the end for the interior force. He was the highest ranked defensive tackle to sign with OU in the “star era,” and is maybe the best indication that Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch no longer reside in the state of Oklahoma.

[autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] is a four-star player from Melissa, Texas, who committed to the Sooners in September. He figures to play inside and on the edge, filling multiple roles on the defensive line. North Texas high school football is filled with all kinds of talent all over the field, and Smith more than held his own against excellent competition.

Also slotting in the interior defensive line will be [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], Stone’s teammate at IMG Academy. He has been locked in with OU since July and was perhaps the most impressive of the five in spring football, according to reports. Jackson took reps with the starters in the spring game.

Moving outside, [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] hails from Minnesota and was the first piece of the puzzle to fall into place with his June commitment. The four-star is still adding weight to his frame, but he plays with a high motor and intensity that will make him a favorite of Chavis.

More: Damonic Williams, Defense makes OU a contender

The final piece of that puzzle came in the form of four-star edge [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] from Tulsa. The edge-rusher committed a couple of weeks after Smith and should pair nicely with players such as [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] when it comes to pinning their ears back and rushing the passer.

While high school recruiting forms the base, the portal plugs holes. The staff was active in both the winter and spring windows.

[autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] comes in after transferring from Louisville to help on the interior of the defensive line. At 6-foot-3, 310, Lole already has the measurables of an SEC lineman, which the Sooners have to have present. He had elite production at Arizona State before injuries limited Lole over the previous few seasons. As a true sophomore in 2019, Lole recorded 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. If he can regain that form that put him on NFL draft radars, the Sooners have an elite presence in the middle of their defensive line.

Edge rusher [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag] arrives in Norman after a stint at Miami (Ohio), and was 247Sports’ fourth-ranked edge in the portal class. Last season for the Red Hawks, Woullard recorded 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

But perhaps the best indication that the Sooners are gaining traction is the transfer portal win that will bring [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] to Owen Field this fall.

Even with the Venables’ arrival, the Sooners had been left at the altar by some notable defensive line names like David Hicks and Williams Nwaneri. But, Oklahoma simply refused to be bullied by SEC dollars this go-around in the early May saga that was Williams’ recruitment. The Sooners wanted him, and the tandem of Venables and Bates did whatever it took to get that “all-in” poker chip.

This development speaks volumes. The Sooners are beginning to play with the big boys in the NIL world of college football. Additionally, the reputations of Venables, Bates, Chavis, and the rest of the staff will certainly help sway players to be developed in Norman.

If Oklahoma wants to play ball with programs like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, and Michigan (all teams with CFP championships), then the Sooners will need to continue this philosophy all over the roster. Along the defensive line is where it will be the most pivotal.

Defense win championships in college football, and that is doubly true in the SEC, where the trenches quite literally win or lose football games. Complimentary football is a must, as a great offense and subpar defense can only get you so far. A complete roster is the only way to capture a championship in this sport. The offense has to be lethal. The defense has to be suffocating.

Luckily, Oklahoma seems to have the right man at the wheel. If this new aggressive name, image and likeness licensing philosophy continues to emerge, Venables could be bringing all kinds of talented players to the Sooner State.

His 2024 defensive line acquisitions are a great way to start.

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Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners spring game

Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners spring game.

The Oklahoma Sooners had another fantastic showing inside the friendly confines of Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. With another strong attendance in front of around 100 recruits, the Sooners put on a show on Owen Field.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] got it started with a 64-yard touchdown pass. The two connected a little bit later for another 50-plus-yard scoring strike. But it wasn’t just Arnold and Burks that flashed during the spring game.

A number of defenders like [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] got after the quarterback, helping the defense battle a talented offense throughout.

The offensive line did a lot of good things in the game, showing that they’ll be more than capable of progressing and being a winning unit for the Sooners in their first season in the SEC.

With the offensive line playing well, the quarterbacks had enough time to throw for the most part, and the running game was able to pick up big yards on several occasions.

They’re far from a finished product, but there was a lot to like. As we continue to react to the Sooners spring game, here are the best photos from the action on the field.

More: 5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game

Davon Mitchell one of CBS Sports ‘freshmen to watch’ in Spring Game season

CBS Sports Shehan Jeyarajah includes Davon Mitchell among CBS Sports freshmen to watch during spring game season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have several freshmen who have created a lot of buzz in spring ball. [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], and [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] have turned heads with what they accomplished during winter workouts and on the defensive side of the practice field.

On offense, [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] has impressed. And so has his good friend and fellow freshman, [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag]. Though he may not be working as a starter right now, he’s shown out with his size and ability. With just under two weeks to the Oklahoma Sooners spring game, CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah pointed to Mitchell as a freshman to watch in spring game season.

The Sooners have several tight ends on the roster, but early returns of Mitchell have been off the charts. Originally a member of the Class of 2025, Mitchell reclassified down a year and has already made an impact. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he already boasts the requisite frame and strength to play in the SEC. While snaps may not come early, Mitchell is the future of the position at OU. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

Mitchell has created a lot of buzz in spring camp with his ready-for-college size and his ability in the passing game. At the moment, it sounds like he’s working in a rotational role at tight end, but because of his ability, he should see snaps in the passing game during the 2024 season.

The number of snaps is still to be determined. In addition, Bauer Sharp has been impressed with his play style and leadership qualities.

Mitchell has all of the traits to be really good at the collegiate level and his time is certainly coming. Like many of the signees in the 2024 recruiting class, he has the right mindset and demeanor to push for an impactful role as a true freshman. The Sooners spring game will be the first opportunity to see what the future of the position will look like.

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Oklahoma Sooners transfer target announces official visit date

Looking to add some more depth to the defensive tackle room, the Oklahoma Sooners will be hosting transfer target Philip Blidi on an official visit in April.

The [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] may have windows, but those windows seem to never truly close. The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to add to their defensive line depth this offseason with a pursuit of Indiana defensive tackle transfer Philip Blidi.

The former Hoosier announced he’d be visiting OU on an official visit the weekend of April 19-21. (UPDATED after Blidi corrected his tweet that stated April 12).

Blidi, who spent three years at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana in 2023, recorded 30 tackles and four tackles for loss for the Hoosiers last season.

In 2022 with the Red Raiders, Blidi had 18 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks. At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Blidi is a force in the middle.

The Oklahoma Sooners are light on experience at defensive tackle after Jacob Lacey was forced to medically retire. The only defensive tackle that played more than 100 snaps for the Sooners a year ago is [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag].

Oklahoma has some talented up-and-comers like [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. However, if the Sooners feel like they need more experience taking snaps next to Terry, Blidi would be a good option.

In 2023, Blidi played 444 snaps for Indiana’s defense and was the third highest-graded player on Indiana’s defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Best photos from latest Oklahoma Sooners spring practice

Spring ball is heating up and here are the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners latest spring practice.

Spring practice is in full throttle as the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for the 2024 college football season. There are a number of intriguing storylines to watch this spring with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] taking over at quarterback and the turnover along the offensive line.

The newcomers are making a strong impression on the media in attendance. [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] have stood out in the passing game as Arnold gets acclimated to life as the starting quarterback.

Defensively, true freshmen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag] have mixed in with the first-team defense and looked good in the early going.

There are a number of players that the team is taking precautions with on the injury front, so it’s hard to know who exactly is leading the way in the most high-profile position battles.

What we do know is that this is a deeper team than what the Sooners took into the spring a year ago, especially at wide receiver, defensive back, and linebacker. The competitive depth across the board is better this spring than in any year of the [autotag]Brent Venable[/autotag]s era at Oklahoma, which should serve the team well as they try to work out their depth chart.

Here’s a look at the best photos from the Sooners most recent spring practice.

Oklahoma Sooners defender primed for a breakout season per ESPN

Former five-star prospect expected to have a breakout season according to ESPN.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defense made positive strides in 2023, but they have work to do to turn [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s unit into an elite squad.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his coaching staff have done a great job on the recruiting trail to stockpile talent over the last three recruiting cycles. In the last two years, the Sooners have added 17 four- and five-star players to their defensive ranks. Three were five-star prospects [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag].

Bowen earned opportunities early in 2023 and was a productive playmaker on both defense and special teams. His production in a rotation role has ESPN’s David Hale believing Bowen will be the Sooners’ breakout star in 2024.

A year ago, safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] arrived as a five-star recruit, ranked No. 14 nationally, hoping he could help be the future of OU’s defense after a disappointing 2022 season. He was able to carve out a role, playing in all 13 games with two starts, 36 tackles (including a season-high 5 against Texas), a sack, 5 passes broken up and a forced fumble. He also showed off his game-breaking ability with two blocked punts, most in the Big 12. He is poised to play an aggressive style under new defensive coordinator Zac Alley, who worked as an assistant under Sooners coach Brent Venables at Clemson when he was the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. Last year, Allen’s defense at Jacksonville State allowed just 2.8 yards per carry (fourth nationally), and was in the top 10 in turnovers (25) and interceptions (16). — Dave Wilson, ESPN

Bowen played 363 snaps in 2023, fourth among safeties but first among true freshmen on the roster last year. And he proved to have a nose for the football, making plays in both the run and passing game.

With [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] (Ole Miss transfer) and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag] (eligibility) out the door, there’s an opportunity for Bowen to earn a starting role next to Billy Bowman. He’ll contend with [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] for snaps. Even if he doesn’t start for the Sooners in Year 2, we’ve seen Oklahoma rotate safeties, and he can help the Sooners at free safety, strong safety and nickel cheetah.

The breakout is coming for Peyton Bowen. He’s a big reason there’s optimism about Oklahoma’s defense improving yet again in 2024.

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‘Definitely handling my business’: David Stone knows what he needs to do to see the field early

With the loss of Jacob Lacey, it’s time for the younger guys to step up and David Stone knows what he needs to do.

The Oklahoma Sooners will return one of the more experienced defenses in all of college football in 2024. The one spot that doesn’t have a lot of snaps to its ledger is the interior defensive line.

They bring back [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], who played 306 snaps at defensive tackle last season. [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], who played a lot for Texas State prior to his arrival to Norman, didn’t play much for the Sooners in 2023. Neither did former four-star [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] or 2023 signees [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] or [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag].

Outside of Terry, no other Sooners defensive tackle played more than 100 snaps last season

There are some talented players with potential, but not much in the way of experience.

That’s why it was such a big loss when Jacob Lacey stepped away from the game due to a medical issue. Lacey led the defensive tackle position in snaps last season and was expected to start in 2024. With experienced depth lacking on the roster, the younger guys will have every opportunity to get on the field and make plays.

Someone who has an opportunity to fill that void is [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. Last week the newcomers did a round of interviews and Stone spoke about what he needs to do to get on the field.

“Definitely handling my business,” Stone said. “Limiting the amount of errors that I make. As a freshman, that’s something that people tend to do is make mistakes but if I want to see the field, I know that’s something I’ve got to limit. I have very small room for error when it comes to technique so I just have to make sure I stay on top of things like that and learning the playbook.”

Defensive tackle is one of the positions that be difficult to make an impact early. They level of talent and physicality takes a significant step up from high school to college and from college to the NFL.

While the physical side is always tough, the mental side can be just as tough, if not more so, for incoming freshmen, especially in a complicated Brent Venables defense. But if Stone can figure things out and get the mental side down, he could be in for a big year.

Stone is no stranger to transition after moving from Del City to IMG Academy to play out his final two years of high school ball. He’s also no stranger to playing against the best as IMG attempted to schedule as difficult a slate of games as possible to highlight their athlete.

Every step of the way, David Stone has risen to the occasion. With his ability and mentality, there’s no reason to doubt he can’t come in and be an impact player in year one.

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‘It’s a really tough group of guys’: Brent Venables impressed by the early enrollees

Brent Venables has been impressed by the class of 2024 early enrollees.

Spring football is finally here in Oklahoma. Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] kicked things off with a media session on Wednesday along with all of the newcomers both from the portal and the 2024 recruiting class.

Spring practice starts on Monday with the spring game coming in April 20, 2024.

Still, there is a lot of work to be done from now until the start of the season. Whether that’s getting some guys back who were injured last season like [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag] or [autotag]Justin Harrington[/autotag] or if it’s replacing someone who had to call it a career in Jacob Lacey. There are also a ton of position battles still to go through as well.

Venables talked about how impressed he’s been with the 22 early enrollees. “It’s a really tough group of guys,” Venables said. “The mental toughness that I watched the last eight weeks is exemplary. It’s fantastic. Nobody shied away. These guys were prepared for the challenge that this entails. It was never easy for any of them but these guys were fearless.”

This class is arguably the best in the Venables era with the elite defensive players they were able to sign along with some stellar offensive guys as well. This only adds to that belief.

Now, the question is how many of those guys will be ready to make an impact in Year 1? Only time will tell.

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