2023 NFL Combine Winners Day 1: Blazing-fast DTs give the Bears plenty to consider

DL Bryan Bresee looking so smooth headlines our highlights from Day 1 of the Combine.

With questions out of the way, Thursday was put up or shut-up time at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Day 1 of workouts featured the big boys on the front seven — defensive linemen and linebackers.

Hoo boy did it ever transcend past our initial expectations.

We had an EDGE player running faster than current star professional running backs. A defensive tackle surpassed Aaron Donald (yes, that Aaron Donald) on the 40-yard dash. Oh, and a potential first-round pick went all-in on his “toughness” rating — he tested and passed with flying colors just two days after a sky-high fever.

And that’s just the start.

All of this had to be music to the ears of teams looking for front-seven help near the top of the 2023 NFL Draft. The most noteworthy might be the Chicago Bears, who own the No. 1 overall pick, but likely won’t stay there for too long.

The league-worst Bears could use an infusion of talent essentially everywhere but quarterback. They’re, how do we put this: good with Justin Fields.

But for a team with the 29th-ranked defense by yardage and the 32nd-ranked unit by Football Outsiders’ DVOA — Chicago had to be salivating watching these larger defenders put on a show. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus know they can act as kingmakers of sorts this offseason. And whatever ransom of draft picks they get for the top pick could potentially be used on one of the names from our Day 1 winners of the 2023 Combine.

How do Oklahoma and the Big 12 stack up in ESPN’s returning production for 2023?

Taking a look at how the Big 12 stacks up in ESPN’s returning production for the 2023 season.

Winter workouts are underway, and spring ball is right around the corner. It’s that time of the football schedule when teams are figuring out how to deal with the turnover they endured with NFL draft declarations and transfer portal departures.

Turnover is the name of the game in college football. The teams that consistently win are the teams that have had the best recruiting classes, which has allowed them to withstand that turnover.

Each offseason, ESPN’s Bill Connelly takes a look at the roster overhauls to determine which teams have the greatest amount of returning production (ESPN+). Returning production has had an impact in his SP+ ratings.

On average, teams returning at least 80% of production improve by about 5.8 adjusted points per game in the following season’s SP+ ratings. That’s a pretty significant bump! For a team ranked 25th in SP+ last year, adding 5.8 points to its rating would have bumped it to 10th. And in the past two seasons that weren’t majorly impacted by a pandemic (2019 and 2022), the average improvement for teams at 80% or higher is 6.8 points. – Connelly, ESPN

Not all programs are alike, however. Alabama, which ranked 125 in returning production, will be able to withstand losses a bit easier because they’ve recruited better than other teams in the bottom 33. We’ll have to wait and see if teams like TCU and Cincinnati are able to overcome their lack of returning production. Interestingly, those two schools each appeared in the College Football Playoff in the last two seasons.

Here’s how Connelly weighs the offense:

Broken out by position/player, you’re looking at roughly 29% for the quarterback, 6% for the running back and each of four wide receivers and/or tight ends and 9% for each offensive lineman. With each year of data, offensive line snaps become a heavier piece of the equation, which I find interesting. – Connelly, ESPN

So based on his equation, the Sooners lost 27% along the offensive line with the departures of [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], and [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag]. Toss in another 18% for the losses of [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], and [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag], and the Sooners have lost roughly 45% of their offensive production from a year ago.

Now the Sooners did welcome transfer additions [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Shaffer[/autotag] to replace two of their three departing offensive line starters, but given that Shaffer is coming from the Group of Five, his snaps don’t count as much as [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag]’s.

Conversely, here’s how he evaluates the defensive side of the ball.

Perhaps surprisingly, turnover in the back of the defense causes far more of a shift in a team’s SP+ rating from year to year than turnover up front. By position, defensive backs make up about 46% of the defensive formula, while linebackers are at 40% and the defensive line is at 14%. – Connelly, ESPN

The Sooners’ biggest departures were at the linebacker level with [autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag] (transfer portal) and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag] (NFL) moving on. They also lost [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag], but according to Connelly’s metrics, those snaps don’t weigh as heavily.

Oklahoma added some pieces along the defensive front to help bolster its pass rush and mitigate the losses. However, they are hoping for their young linebacker corp to take a step forward in 2023 to replace their veteran backers.

Here’s a look at how the Big 12 stacks up in terms of ESPN’s

2023 Senior Bowl Preview: Interior Defensive Line

We continue our 2023 Senior Bowl preview with the interior defensive line

One of the most important events on the National Football League calendar is the Senior Bowl. Held the week after the conference championship games, it is the true beginning of the NFL draft cycle.

Not only do scouts and analysts like us get to see over 100 draft prospects in one place competing against each other, but it’s also an opportunity for analysts and personnel alike to get together and have discussions about a number of topics.

As we look forward to this year’s Senior Bowl, both managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Matt Anderson will be there in person to break everything down.

We will be breaking down each position group and what to look for throughout the week. Here is the interior defensive line position.

Previous:

Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Interior offensive line

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer defensive lineman Davon Sears

Looking to fortify their defensive interior, the Oklahoma Sooners added Texas State transfer Davon Sears.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to fortify their defensive front through the transfer portal. One day after adding Wake Forest defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd, the Sooners earned a commitment from Texas State defensive lineman [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag]. He chose the Oklahoma Sooners over Penn State and Tennessee.

Sears played one season with the Bobcats after spending time at Ellsworth Community College in the junior college ranks. Texas State in 2022, Sears recorded 15 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He was the eighth-highest-graded player for Texas state in 2022 despite receiving just 355 snaps last season.

With the departures of [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] and with [autotag]Josh Ellison[/autotag] in the transfer portal, Oklahoma needed to fortify its defensive interior. Sears is the second defensive tackle they’ve added in the [autotag]2022-2023 transfer portal[/autotag] after bringing in Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey.

According to Pro Football Focus, Sears was fourth in total pressures for the Bobcats last season with 15. He played at least 20 snaps in every game in 2022 and looks to earn an expanded role with the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023.

The Sooners got good news with the return of[autotag] Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and are awaiting news on [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag]. But with the additions of Lacey, Sears, and 2023 signee [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag], Oklahoma’s defensive interior looks retooled for next season.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Sooners DT Jeffery Johnson declares for the 2023 NFL Draft

Another interior defensive lineman heading to the league, Jeffery Johnson, declares for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Defensive tackle is a position the Sooners have already addressed through the transfer portal with the addition of [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag]. They’re looking to add Texas State transfer [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] as well. They’ll need the defensive tackle depth after [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] declared for the 2023 NFL draft. Now the Sooners are losing another one to the NFL.

After graduating, defensive tackle [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] declared for the NFL draft.

Arriving from Tulane in the 2022 transfer portal, Johnson was integral to the Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive tackle rotation. He was third among interior defensive linemen in snaps for the Sooners and recorded 23 tackles and four tackles for loss in 13 games.

From a statistical standpoint, he had his best game of the season against Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl, recording five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Playing nose tackle for Brent Venables and Ted Roof, racking up big statistical numbers wasn’t going to be easy, but Johnson was an effective interior player taking up space.

After four seasons with the Green Wave and a fifth in Norman, Johnson is taking his talents to the NFL.

Following Redmond, Johnson is the second defensive tackle to declare for the draft. Josh Ellison opted to enter the transfer portal but played in the Cheez-It Bowl with the Sooners. It’s possible he returns.

With another interior player out the door, the Sooners will have [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Kelvin Gilliam[/autotag], [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], and Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey as the next men up on the defensive tackle depth chart. The Sooners await word on [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], who could return for one more season and are in the running for Texas State transfer Davon Sears.

Because of the position he plays, Johnson may not hear his name called early in the draft. Nose tackles aren’t as highly-valued as some in the league, but he will catch on with someone at the next level.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Sooners DT Isaiah Coe returning to Oklahoma for 2023

Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Isaiah Coe to return for 2023.

With the season over, there are a lot of decisions to be made for many of Oklahoma’s players. It’s a period of self-reflection which lines up perfectly with the start of the new calendar year. As they consider their future, several players have decisions to make.

Oklahoma’s seen plenty of defections to the transfer portal, with a number of them coming before the Sooners departed for Orlando to play in the Cheez-It Bowl. On top of the additions to the portal, the Sooners also lost five (and counting) starters to the NFL Draft.

Needless to say, some gaps need to be filled for Oklahoma if they truly hope to improve on their 2022 record of 6-7.

Receiving confirmation that one of their more impactful interior defensive linemen is returning is huge news for the Sooners.

Isaiah Coe announced via social media that he is returning for the 2023 season. With the departure of [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] to graduation and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] early to the NFL draft, Coe’s return gives Oklahoma some veteran stability in the interior.

Coe and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag] become the elder statesman of the defensive tackle room. They look to be front runners to start at defensive tackle in 2023.

In 2022, Coe only recorded two sacks 2022. Still, his ability to take on double teams, get penetration and disrupt plays, especially in the run game, was especially evident in the latter parts of the season. He finished fourth on the team in tackles for loss with eight behind Ethan Downs, Danny Stutsman, and Jalen Redmond. All while playing 80 fewer snaps on the season than Redmond and finishing tied for third among interior defensive linemen in snaps.

With Jeffery Johnson and Jalen Redmond moving on, look for Coe to be a crucial part of the defense and a leader in the defensive tackle rotation in 2023.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Report Card: Young linemen, running backs stood out for the Sooners

With the final report card of the year, the Sooners’ young offensive linemen and running backs offer hope for the future.

Just like that, season 128 of Oklahoma football is done. By record, they were the worst Oklahoma team since 1998, finishing under .500 (6-7) on the season. However, after the Sooners’ performance against the No. 13 Seminoles, it’s hard to suggest they were as bad as that 1998 team.

Their performance against a good Florida State team offered hope. It provided encouraging signs as we head into the offseason.

Before doing so, we take a look at each position group and grade Oklahoma’s performance from the 35-32 loss to the Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Anton Harrison, Marvin Mims top 60 selections in The Draft Network’s latest 2023 mock draft

Anton Harrison and Marvin Mims both come off the board in the top 60 in The Draft Network’s two-round mock draft.

As the college football season winds down, the influx of mock drafts is about to increase exponentially. The Oklahoma Sooners have several players that should hear their names called in the 2023 NFL draft. A couple of them could go in the top 60.

Two of the Sooners’ more high-profile draft prospects, [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], continue to receive buzz after a summer that saw them projected as top 100 picks in mock drafts. It should come as no surprise that in the latest mock by The Draft Network, each player is taken in the top 60.

Harrison lands with the Kansas City Chiefs in this particular scenario. This is not the first time a mock draft has him joining the Chiefs.

Two former Sooners occupy spots on the offensive line in Kansas City. [autotag]Creed Humphrey[/autotag] and [autotag]Orlando Brown Jr.[/autotag] have done excellent jobs keeping Patrick Mahomes upright this year.

They earned Pro Bowl nods for their efforts this season. Brown is in the last year of his contract. While he has done well, the Chiefs could opt to let him walk in free agency, draft an offensive tackle and allocate those financial resources elsewhere. The Draft Network staff had this to say about their selection:

Whether the Chiefs decide to franchise-tag Orlando Brown Jr. or not, they must figure out their long-term plan at LT. Anton Harrison will not be a perfect prospect on day one, but his mix of length, movement skills, and balance are the foundation for a player who could be developed into a mainstay on the left side of Kansas City’s offensive line. – Jamie Eisner, The Draft Network

A round later, Marvin Mims comes off the board and gets to play for his hometown team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Mims hails from Frisco, Texas, where the Cowboys’ indoor practice facility is located. Landing with the Cowboys at pick No. 58 fills a need for Dallas. It has received inconsistent production from wideouts not named [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag]. While Lamb is having a career year, he’s doing it without much help on the other side of the field, and the Cowboys lack a speed element to their passing game. Lamb’s job would be even easier with a vertical threat that teams have to respect.

The Cowboys are currently panicking at the receiver position by adding T.Y. Hilton and continuing to flirt with Odell Beckham Jr. Drafting Marvin Mims in the second round of this NFL mock draft would address that need. – Justin Melo, The Draft Network

Mims has some juice and has shown proficiency over his three years at Oklahoma to take the tops off collegiate defenses. He’s led the Sooners in receiving each of the last three seasons and had his first 1,000-yard season in 2022.

If Mims declares for the draft, he’ll undoubtedly hear from the Cowboys front office, who hasn’t been shy about scouting Oklahoma players. Being from the Dallas area and playing high school games at The Star in Frisco, the Cowboys brass is no doubt familiar with the Sooners’ star wide receiver.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s Cheez-It Bowl depth chart

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners Cheez-It Bowl depth chart.

Oklahoma will look different when it takes the field against the 13th-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Thursday evening in the Cheez-It Bowl. The Sooners will have some fresh faces in new spots as they look to avoid finishing below .500 for the first time since 1998.

Starters [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] have opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. That leaves voids on both sides of the ball the Sooners have had three weeks to plan for. What were the results of that planning? Well, we have the answers, as Oklahoma released its depth chart for the game.

With that info out, here are five takeaways from the depth chart below.

5 Oklahoma Sooners to watch on defense vs. Florida State

Oklahoma takes on Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Here are five Sooners to watch come game time.

Oklahoma has arrived in Orlando and has been preparing for its matchup with the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles represent one of the toughest teams Oklahoma will have faced this season and that’s only magnified by the fact that the Sooners will play without three starters on offense and one of their best defenders.

Starting tackles Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris will be out alongside star running back Eric Gray. The loss of defensive tackle Jalen Redmond is where we turn our focus.

Redmond, despite all the inconsistent performances by this defense, was one of the more disruptive forces throughout the season. Oklahoma takes on a very good Florida State offense that is led by dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis and flanked by running back Trey Benson and wide receivers Johnny Wilson, Mycah Pittman, and Ontaria Wilson.

With no Redmond and a few other depth guys missing thanks to the transfer portal, Oklahoma will have its hands full. However, this opens the door for playmakers to step up on defense, which may provide a glimpse of Oklahoma’s defense in 2023 and beyond. Here are five defenders to watch as the Sooners take on the Seminoles.