Tag: Derrick Strait

Oklahoma Sooners safety named to Jim Thorpe Award watch list

One of the best defensive backs in the nation were added to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list.

One of the best defensive backs in college football is taking the stage once again in 2024 as [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] opted to return to the Oklahoma Sooners for his senior season.

In 2023, Bowman erupted for six interceptions, returning three of them for interceptions. He became a highlight reel waiting to happen, making quarterbacks pay for trying him in the passing game.

In addition to his six interceptions, Bowman had three passes defended and three tackles for loss.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Bowman was named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List. The Thorpe Award is given to the best defensive back in the nation.

Bowman is expected to take another step in his development after his breakout 2023 season. In addition to his performance on the field, his leadership of the next generation of Sooners safeties is paramount, not only to what the defense can do in 2024 but beyond.

Young safeties like [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] are expected to step in for [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], who left the team after 2023.

[autotag]Rickey Dixon[/autotag] won the award in 1987, the second year of the Thorpe. [autotag]Roy Williams[/autotag] took home the trophy after a dominant 2001 campaign. [autotag]Derrick Strait[/autotag] is the last Sooner to take home the Thorpe back in 2004.

Only one other program in college football history has earned three Thorpe Awards, the LSU Tigers.

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Notre Dame players named to preseason award watch lists

Will anyone win this year?

It’s the time of year when we start seeing award watch lists come out in anticipation of the college football season. With Notre Dame expected to be highly ranked once again, there are plenty of players who are ripe for watching. Whether or not any of them actually take home any of this hardware is anyone’s guess right now, but they’re at least on the radar of those who know college football best.

In some cases, more than one Notre Dame player is on the watch list for the same award. Also, as different award watch lists come on different days, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Rest assured, we will be doing just that as these lists continue to come out.

At season’s end, we’ll find out if any of them or maybe somebody different becomes the first national award winner for the Irish since [autotag]Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah[/autotag] won the Butkus Award in 2020:

Sooners LB Danny Stutsman named to Nagurski Award watch list

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman was named to the Nagurski Award watch list.

As fall camp gets ready to ramp up, watch list season begins in the world of college football awards.

This morning, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman was named to the Nagurski Award watch list. Named after hall of famer Bronco Nagurski, the award is given to the best defensive player in the country.

After leading the Big 12 in tackles in 2022, the expectations are high for Stutsman in year two under Venables. He’s taken on a bigger leadership role and is looking to take his game to the next level in 2023.

Two Oklahoma Sooners have taken home the Nagurski, which has been in existence since 1993. [autotag]Roy Williams[/autotag] won it in 2001, and [autotag]Derrick Strait[/autotag] in 2003. Williams was the last safety to win the award, and Strait the last cornerback to take home the trophy. The only other defensive backs to win the Nagurski were Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey back in 1997 and 1998.

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What round Oklahoma Football stars have been drafted since 2000

A look back at where each former Oklahoma Sooner was drafted since 2000.

The Oklahoma Sooners had five players selected in the 2023 NFL draft. Led by Anton Harrison’s selection in the first round of the draft, the Sooners had a player in each of the first three rounds of the draft.

Oklahoma’s history of success has led to a rich history of draft picks over the years. Since the year 2000, the Sooners have had 19 players selected in the first round, including three first-overall picks and eight top-10 picks.

The last non-quarterback to be taken in the top 10 of the draft was Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson also represented the last offensive lineman taken in the first round of the draft until Harrison was selected on Thursday night.

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Here’s a look at each Oklahoma Sooners draft pick since the year 2000 and what round each player was taken.

Oklahoma football all-time roster: Defensive starters and backups

See which legends of defense made the cut in our all-time Oklahoma Sooners football roster.

The Oklahoma Sooners have put together some of the more vaunted defenses in college football history. In addition to having some of the best units in the nation, the Sooners had some of the more iconic players in the sport run roughshod over their opponents.

From Lee Roy Selmon to Roy Williams, Oklahoma’s been a terror on the gridiron throughout the years.

As it was choosing the Oklahoma Sooners’ all-time offense, narrowing down defensive linemen and linebackers was a challenge as the Sooners have produced some incredibly talented players in the front seven.

For more coverage on the Oklahoma Sooners, check out SoonersWire.com. Many of the historical stats can be found at SoonerSports.com.

Check out our other College Wire all-time defenses: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Ohio State / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC

Draft Wire mock draft has three Oklahoma defenders going in the first 100 picks

Three Oklahoma Sooners’ defenders were selected in the post-Senior Bowl mock draft by The Draft Wire.

While the NFL draft won’t come until April 28th, that hasn’t stopped the Draft Wire from popping out mock drafts to water the yearlong football fan’s appetite. There’s just one more NFL game to be played, and it’s the biggest one of the year; the Super Bowl. The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will cap off another NFL season, and both teams feature Sooners that they drafted.

While those teams duke it out, the other 30 teams will be chipping away with film studies, interviews, and putting their draft board as they look to land their next wave of contributors. With Senior Bowl week wrapped up a few days ago, our friends at Draft Wire posted a new three-round mock that features three Oklahoma defenders in the top 100.

53. Perrion Winfrey – Las Vegas Raiders

At pick 53 comes the Senior Bowl MVP, Perrion Winfrey. The violent and disruptive defensive tackle undoubtedly made himself quite a bit of money at the Senior Bowl, dominating practice after practice. He followed that up by dominating the game with five tackles, three for loss, and two sacks to earn the MVP honor.

In the second round of the mock draft, Winfrey was sent to the Las Vegas Raiders, pairing with Utah star LB Devin Lloyd who was their pick in the first round.

The Raiders need a lot of defensive talent infused into a defense that will now be led by Patrick Graham, former DC of the New York Giants. Winfrey could compete for starting snaps immediately.

75. Nik Bonitto – Denver Broncos

The second Sooner off the board was another defender along the defensive line, and that man is Nik Bonitto. Bonitto lands in Denver at pick 75 and would look to be the Broncos’ first option to replace some of the pass-rushing ability lost with Von Miller’s trade to LA as the Broncos began to rebuild their defense.

Bonitto is considered a tweener in NFL circles, meaning he isn’t big enough to be a traditional defensive end in the NFL, but he’s not quite fluid enough to be an off-the-ball linebacker either. One thing is for sure, and watchers of Oklahoma Football will agree: Bonitto is a monster off the edge, and his production as a full-time starter doesn’t give OU fans much hesitation about his ability to rush the passer at the professional level. His athleticism and the first step may make up the difference in strength and size.

96. Brian Asamoah – Denver Broncos

The last Sooner featured in this three-round mock also lands in Denver to play behind his long-time brother in Nik Bonitto. Brian Asamoah went to the Broncos as they continued their defensive rebuild.

There’s no mistaking what Asamoah is. He’s a heat-seeking missile, sideline to sideline looking to make plays.

At the Senior Bowl, Asamoah continued to raise his stock after ending the 2021 season with excellent momentum. He made quite the impression at the Senior Bowl last week, earning top LB honors from the National team in a vote from the offensive line, tight end, and running back groups in practice player-of-the-week awards in Mobile. This is the first time Asamoah was taken in a Draft Wire three-round mock draft.

Asamoah could see his star rise even higher as he still has the combine and pro day to impress anyone willing to take a peek at him. Pairing him with Bonitto gives the Denver defense an athletic edge rusher and a steady, violent linebacker who can run the defense and run sideline to sideline to make plays.

There’s still a long way to go, but with the way things are trending, there’s a real chance the Sooners have three defensive players selected in the top 100 picks for the first time since 2004 when Tommie Harris, Teddy Lehman, and Derrick Strait all went within the first 80 selections.

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Oklahoma Sooners on Bleacher Report’s All-Big 12 Team of the 21st century

The Sooners have provided some of the best talent in the history of the Big 12. Which of them make this 21st-century All-Big 12 team?

Since the turn of the century, the Oklahoma Sooners have had some of the best players in college football on both sides of the ball. Quarterbacks Jason White, Sam Bradford, Landry Jones, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts have been some of the best at the position in the last 20 years.

The star-studded Sooners have found success between the lines and at awards ceremonies. In the Big 12, no team has come close to their sustained level of excellence over the last 20 years. Though it’s been 21 years since their last national championship, their dominance of the Big 12 can’t be understated.

They’ve been as talented as anyone in the country, even if that hasn’t always translated to national championship success.

It’s no surprise then that when Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller put together the All-Big 12 Team of the 21st century, Sooners of the past were quite prevalent on the team.

Here were the guidelines he put in place to define the 21st century.

The 21st century began on January 1, 2001. That means the 2000 season does not count. Only seasons in which the program was part of the Big 12 counted. That means players from Nebraska and Colorado from 2001-10, Missouri and Texas A&M from 2001-11 and West Virginia and TCU from 2012-Present were eligible for consideration, but not for the years outside of those ranges. – Miller

Let’s take a look at the Sooners that made Bleacher Report’s All-Big 12 team of the 21st century. Unfortunately, not every spot could be filled with a player from Oklahoma. However, several Sooners could make an argument for inclusion on this list.