Where did Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class land in ESPN’s re-rank of the cycle?
The Oklahoma Sooners went through quite a transition to start the 2022 offseason. Lincoln Riley abruptly left for USC, and the [autotag]2022 recruiting class[/autotag] fell apart, dropping as low as 28 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.
But after OU hired Brent Venables, the new head coach, and his staff rebuilt the class, helping it land at No. 8 in the team recruiting rankings for the cycle.
It’s a group that’s developed some good players but has faced a lot of adversity.
Defensive stars [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], Kip Lewis, and Gracen Halton were key additions to the class. Thomas and Halton flipped to Oklahoma after Venables’ arrival. Jennings stayed locked in despite the coaching change. All four of those were instrumental in Oklahoma’s defensive success in 2024.
Injuries have limited four-star prospects Gentry Williams, Gavin Sawchuk, Jovantae Barnes, Jacob Sexton, Kaden Helms, Jake Taylor, [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], and even Nic Anderson (now at LSU). Williams, Sawchuk, Barnes, and Gibson will all be back for the Sooners in 2025. They’ve flashed star potential, but haven’t been able to stay on the field consistently.
The top-rated player in the class, [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], has had some good moments. He started for the Sooners back in 2023 but was relegated to a rotational role the last couple of seasons. There’s some buzz that he might be switching to the offensive side of the ball to play H-Back, tight end for the Sooners in 2025.
The other four-star linebacker prospects, Lewis and Kobie McKinzie, will likely start for the Sooners defense this season. Lewis has made a number of game-changing plays, and McKinzie will have some big shoes to fill with the departure of the NFL-bound Danny Stutsman.
Going into 2025, the Sooners will be relying on a number of players from the 2022 recruiting class to play significant roles. If OU wants to contend for a playoff spot this year, they’ll need the guys on the offensive side to stay healthy and produce for the Sooners next year.
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Oklahoma Sooners with just one player included on ESPN’s top 100 for the 2024 season. Who was snubbed?
The Oklahoma Sooners enter 2025 without one of the key leaders during the Brent Venables era. Linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] is off to the NFL after leading the Sooners defense over the last three seasons. He finished his career with three seasons of at least 100 tackles as the face of the program and leader of OU’s defensive resurgence.
Oklahoma’s recruited well on the defensive side of the ball, but after a 6-7 season, that talent isn’t getting a lot of respect as Stutsman was the only Sooner included in ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season.
54. Danny Stutsman, LB
Stutsman was the leader of an Oklahoma defense that was much improved this past season, climbing from 79th in total defense (389.4 yards) in the FBS in 2023 to 19th (318.2). The senior from Windermere, Florida, ranked fourth in the SEC with 9.1 tackles per game and sixth with 110 stops overall. In three seasons, Stutsman had 376 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 8 sacks and 3 interceptions. In 2024, Stutsman had 16 stops in a 35-9 loss to South Carolina and a career-high 19 tackles in a 30-23 loss at Missouri. – Mark Schlabach, ESPN
Notable
38. John Mateer, QB (at Washington State)
Oklahoma Sooners are hoping the FBS leader in touchdowns will make a huge impact on Oklahoma’s offense. [autotag]John Mateer[/autotag] has the ability to win with his legs and his arm and brings a leadership and a confidence with him to Norman. His understanding of Ben Arbuckle’s offense should make for a smoother transition for the Sooners.
9. Dillon Gabriel, QB (at Oregon)
The most notable transfer departure last offseason was [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]. Gabriel found an opportunity to compete for a national title with the Ducks and had a great season, going to New York as a Heisman finalist. But that season came to an abrupt halt as the Ducks were steamrolled by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.
Offensive Ineptitude
When was the last time the Oklahoma Sooners failed to have one offensive player in the top 100 players in college football?
Snubbed
R Mason Thomas, DE
R Mason Thomas led the Oklahoma Sooners with nine sacks in 2024. He provided the explosive pass rush the Sooners have been searching for since Nik Bonitto left for the NFL. At the same time, on a team that went just 6-7 in 2024, it’s hard to argue there should be more inclusion. But if Thomas is able to recreate his 2024 season in 2025 and the Sooners have more team success, he’ll be included on this list this time next year.
Billy Bowman, S
Billy Bowman’s playmaking ability dropped off some in 2024. Teams certainly didn’t throw his was as much and as Oklahoma struggled offensively, didn’t have to take a lot of chances against the Sooners defense. Still, Bowman is a good player that will have a productive career at the NFL level.
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Oklahoma Sooners depth chart projection 1.0 as winter workouts get underway.
The Oklahoma Sooners are undergoing significant turnover. On offense, there will be a lot of new faces at quarterback and wide receiver. On defense, the Sooners are replacing key players and leadership on the depth chart but still have a ton of talent.
Oklahoma’s coaching staff will be tasked with developing players to take over starting jobs and integrating key transfer portal additions this offseason. So here’s a look at our first depth chart projection for the 2025 Oklahoma Sooners.
Offense
Starter
Backup
Quarterback
John Mateer
Michael Hawkins
Running Back
Xavier Robinson
Jovantae Barnes
Wide Receiver (X)
Ivan Carreon
Zion Kearney
Wide Receiver (Y)
Deion Burks
Isaiah Sategna
Wide Receiver (Z)
Javonnie Gibson
Keontez Lewis
Tight End
Kaden Helms
Davon Mitchell
Left Tackle
Logan Howland
Michael Fasusi
Left Guard
Jacob Sexton
Heath Ozaeta
Center
Troy Everett
Branson Hickman
Right Guard
Febechi Nwaiwu
Eddy Pierre-Louis
Right Tackle
Derek Simmons
Luke Baklenko
There will be position battles galore on the offensive side of the ball. At running back, the Sooners return each of their top five running backs from the 2024 season. Jovantae Barnes and Xavier Robinson proved the best of the bunch last year and will get the first shot to lead the Sooners running back rotation.
At wide receiver, it’s Deion Burks and a bunch of guys that will be competing for roles this offseason. If Jayden Gibson were healthy, he’d be starting opposite Javonnie Gibson. But until there’s some clarity as to his timetable, after what happened in 2024, we’re going to show some patience before we put Jayden Gibson back in the starting lineup.
At tight end, the Sooners have a number of promising players like Kaden Helms, Davon Mitchell, and Kade McIntyre. Oklahoma needs them to take a huge step in their development. Sure, they added guys via the transfer portal, but if the Sooners want a threat in the passing game, Helms, Mitchell, or McIntyre need to develop into the guy.
Along the offensive line, Troy Everett seems to be the most secure after his play down the stretch. The addition of the highly-regarded Derek Simmons likely solves your right tackle spot, but for the most part, jobs along the offensive line appear up for grabs this offseason.
Defense
Starter
Backup
Defensive End
R Mason Thomas
Danny Okoye
Defensive Tackle
Gracen Halton
David Stone
Nose Tackle
Jayden Jackson
Damonic Williams
Defensive End
Marvin Jones Jr.
Adepoju Adebawore
Middle Linebacker
Kobie McKinzie
Owen Heinecke
Weakside Linebacker
Kip Lewis
Samuel Omosigho
Cheetah Backer
Kendal Dolby
Kendal Daniels
Cornerback
Eli Bowen
Jeremiah Newcombe
Strong Safety
Robert Spears-Jennings
Michael Boganowski
Free Safety
Peyton Bowen
Jaydan Hardy
Cornerback
Gentry Williams
Jacobe Johnson
Once again, the Oklahoma Sooners will feel good about their defense entering the season. There’s a mix of veterans and up and comers that provide promise at all three levels of the defense.
The defensive line remains a strength for the unit, and with the addition of Marvin Jones Jr., Oklahoma may have found another pass-rushing weapon to deploy opposite of R Mason Thomas. Beyond the starters, Oklahoma needs their young, athletic defensive ends to take a step. There’s not a lot of experience but those guys have the traits to be elite players for the Sooners defense.
Defensive tackle is stacked with the four-man rotation that Todd Bates has put together. Jayden Jackson started a lot of games as a true freshman and will play a ton in 2025. He and Damonic Williams will man the nose tackle spots while breakout start Gracen Halton and former five-star prospect David Stone take on the three-technique or defensive tackle position. The Sooners will be stout up the middle in 2025.
At linebacker, Kip Lewis returns to start for the Sooners once again, and he’ll be flanked by Kobie McKinzie, who takes over for the NFL-bound Danny Stutsman. At cheetah, Kendal Dolby and Kendal Daniels feel like the natural fits there. Their versatility and disruptive ability will help the Sooners make splash plays all over the defense. Jaren Kanak will be an interesting case. There’s talk that he’ll move to H-Back/tight end for the Sooners, but is that like Jacobe Johnson moving to wide receiver during the season, and he was going to play both ways? Or is it a full-time move?
If there’s one spot where competition will be ongoing, it’s at cornerback. The Sooners found a starter in Eli Bowen. Gentry Williams will return from injury and factor into the cornerback competition this offseason. But he’ll have to win the job from Bowen or Jacobe Johnson, who saw a lot of snaps at the end of the season.
Like defensive tackle, safety remains a strength for the Sooners with the return of Robert Spears-Jennings and the development of Peyton Bowen.
Special Teams
Starter
Backup
Kicker
Austin Welch
Liam Evans
Punter
Jacob Ulrich
—
Kick Returner
Sam Franklin
Isaiah Sategna
Punt Returner
Isaiah Sategna
Peyton Bowen
Long Snapper
Ben Anderson
Seth Freeman
Oklahoma brought in several players via the transfer portal to compete for key special teams spots. Austin Welch vs. Liam Evans will be quite the kicking battle. Right now, we’ll lean to the veteran Welch to lead the way, but don’t sleep on Evans, the former Kohl’s Kicking five-star prospect.
The defense will be good once again for the Sooners, but Oklahoma’s offense will determine how successful OU will be in 2025. If they improve significantly, the Sooners could be in a spot to contend for a playoff spot.
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Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Gracen Halton returning for 2025 season.
The Oklahoma Sooners lost plenty of key contributors on defense from their 2024 team. That defense was the best the program had seen in years, finding good footing under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and former defensive coordinator Zac Alley.
Players like [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], Da’Jon Terry, Woodi Washington, Trace Ford, Caiden Woullard and Dez Malone ran out of eligibility.
Contributors such as Dasan McCullough, Lewis Carter, and Kani Walker left via the NCAA winter [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].
However, the cupboard is far from bare as OU heads into 2025. That’s primarily due to some of the big names that Venables and his staff have convinced to hold off on going pro to stay in school for one more year.
[autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] all had the opportunity to go to the NFL and all made announcements that they will instead stay in Norman. Now, another key veteran piece is joining them.
Defensive tackle [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] was expected to be back, but it’s now official, as he took to social media to announce that his return to the Sooners on Thursday.
Halton had a breakout season as a member of a ferocious group of defensive tackles for Oklahoma in 2024, a group that brings almost everyone back. Halton finished second on the team with five sacks and in total pressures per Pro Football Focus. He made a number of splash plays throughout the season. One of the bigger ones was the safety against Houston to preserve a home win in Week 2. Halton also had a sack and a half against South Carolina and a sack against LSU.
Prior to 2024, Halton had played fewer than 100 snaps in each of his two seasons with the Sooners. He earned a big jump in playing time seeing the field for 403 snaps on defense for OU.
Halton and the other veteran returners join Kobie McKinzie, Peyton Bowen, Eli Bowen, Samuel Omosigho, and Jayden Jackson to make up the core of Oklahoma’s defense in 2025.
Heading into 2025, the Oklahoma Sooners will once again be dynamic on defense.
Oklahoma Sooners get great news as their electric defensive end is returning for the 2025 season.
The Oklahoma Sooners received more good news on Monday afternoon as a big piece of their defense is returning for 2025. Oklahoma’s best pass rusher, [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], announced his decision on social media.
Thomas led the Sooners with nine sacks in 2024, including six during SEC play. He came up with key plays in Oklahoma’s big wins over Auburn and Alabama.
He also had a sack against Missouri that set up at second-and-16 late in the game. However, the Sooners couldn’t get off the field as Missouri made their comeback.
It was a breakout season for the former three-star prospect. He finished with 23 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 2024. He also led the Sooners with 36 total pressures and had two forced fumbles on the season.
Thomas battled injuries each of his first two years in Norman, which kept him from seeing the field much. But when he was on the field, you could see the potential. Finally healthy in 2024, he was a nightmare for opposing offensive lines.
Thomas is another key piece to the defense that will be back next season after [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], Kip Lewis, [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] and [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] announced they were coming back.
The Sooners defense was the bright spot during the 2024 season. It kept Oklahoma in a lot of games when the offense struggled to find much consistency. With Thomas back for his senior season, the Sooners have an opportunity to continue to develop their pass rush.
Oklahoma added a pair of players to the defense to help it take another step: former five-star edge rusher Marvin Jones Jr. and former Oklahoma State defender Kendal Daniels.
The Sooners defensive end room lost Ethan Downs, Trace Ford and Caiden Woullard to graduation but get a boost with Thomas’ return and the addition of Jones. With Adepoju Adebawore, Taylor Wein, Danny Okoye, Wyatt Gilmore, Nigel Smith, C.J. Nickson and Alexander Shieldnight on the defensive end depth chart, the Sooners have returning production and a promising group for defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis to work with.
Although Oklahoma hasn’t hired a replacement for Zac Alley, the players are buying into the vision Brent Venables has for the Sooners’ defense. With Venables at the helm, there’s no reason to expect Oklahoma will not have another great defense in 2025. But getting R Mason Thomas back to build off of his incredible 2024 season gives the Sooners a chance to be one of the best in the nation next year.
Oklahoma #Sooners defensive end R Mason Thomas would be a good addition for the Kansas City #Chiefs in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs must find an electric playmaker to bolster their defensive line. The team’s current depth chart features some reliable starters and role players but lacks a sparkplug capable of generating immediate pressure off the edge. Several prospects in the 2025 NFL draft could fill that role.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive end R Mason Thomas is an undersized edge rusher at 6’2″, 243 lbs., but that shouldn’t prevent Kansas City from taking a shot on the true junior. Denver Broncos star Nik Bonitto (6’3″, 240 lbs.) and Minnesota Vikings key free agent addition Andrew Van Ginkel (6’4″, 242 lbs.) are productive pass rushers with similar height and weight profiles.
Thomas explodes off the line of scrimmage with the burst to produce instantaneous wins. Even LSU left tackle Will Campbell couldn’t stick with Thomas around the corner. Thomas’ bend at the top of the rush arc isn’t quite elite but meets the league’s requirements. His bend and naturally low pad level make it hard for offensive tackles to contain him.
Thomas’ pass rush plan needs development. He primarily wins with chops, rips, swims, two-handed swipes, and by converting speed to power for bull rushes. Thomas also counters inside with speed to shoot the B-gap. His lack of counters and limited move set reflects his inexperience as a first-year starter.
Nobody wants Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas (#32) to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft more than the Alabama offensive line. That group never wants to see him again. pic.twitter.com/iO8ZPtuIw9
Thomas’ size puts him at a disadvantage at the point of attack in the run game. He’s better in run defense as a pursuit-style player than a true edge-setting defensive end. Thomas’ motor and pursuit speed make him a threat to track down ball carriers all over the field.
Thomas is a raw prospect but possesses rare athleticism and explosiveness. He projects as a third-round selection who could bump into the second round if he blows away the testing portion of the pre-draft process.
Three Oklahoma defenders that will be key to an Oklahoma Sooners win over Navy.
The Oklahoma Sooners have a unique matchup ahead of them this Friday as they take on the Navy Midshipmen. They’ll face a full-fledged option team in Fort Worth.
The Sooners have been really good against the run this season but haven’t faced a team like Navy. The Midshipmen will run it on just about every down and the misdirection created by the option game can make it difficult to contain.
Given the losses the Sooners have suffered on defense to the NFL draft and the transfer portal, it’s critical the OU defense puts together a good team effort. But there are a few players who will need to step their game up to help Oklahoma contain Navy’s option attack.
1. Kobie McKinzie, LB
Danny Stutsman won’t play in the bowl game, so Kobie McKinzie will get the start alongside Kip Lewis at linebacker. McKinzie has had a really good season taking on a bigger role in year two with the Sooners and will be asked to take on a bigger role against Navy.
The Midshipmen will run the ball nearly every play. It will be imperative for McKinzie and the linebacker crew to stay disciplined with their keys throughout the game.
He’s a big, physical linebacker that has the athleticism to run sideline to sideline. In 2024, McKinzie has 28 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack and a half. The most tackles he’s ever had in a game was seven, back in 2023 against Oklahoma State. He could easily set a career-high in tackles this week.
2. R Mason Thomas, DE
There won’t be a lot of opportunities to rush the passer in this game, but the defensive end group will have to be assignment-sound against the Navy run game. R Mason Thomas has had a fantastic season, breaking out with nine sacks in 2024, but his work as a run defender shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s been really good against the run, helping set the edge to force things back inside for the Sooners’ defensive tackles.
When Navy tries to run the option to the perimeter, Thomas and the rest of the defensive ends can keep it in check by getting upfield and forcing them back toward the middle of the field.
3. Jayden Jackson, DT
The Oklahoma Sooners boast an incredible front seven led by a defensive tackle group that might be one of the best in the nation. Jayden Jackson emerged in fall camp to earn a starting role in the middle of the Sooners defense.
Jackson has shown the ability to not only hold up at the point of attack, but be able to get into the backfield and make plays. On the season, he’s recorded 28 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks.
If the defensive tackle group can limit what Navy can do up the middle, it will make things a lot easier for the defensive ends and the back seven to stay true to their keys on the perimeter.
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from the Oklahoma Sooners 37-17 loss to the LSU Tigers to close the regular season.
There wasn’t a lot to like about Oklahoma’s performance in their 37-17 loss to the LSU Tigers. It was a letdown after what they did to the Alabama Crimson Tide the week before. It was an unfortunate way to end the season and now the Sooners will hope to find the answer at offensive coordinator and get some guys healthy ahead of the 2025 season.
As we await Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator decision and ahead of the opening of the early signing period and the transfer portal, here’s the final edition of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Oklahoma’s loss to LSU.
The Good: Defensive Line
The Oklahoma Sooners got their first score of the game when the defensive line created pressure, Gracen Halton forced a fumble, and then R Mason Thomas picked it up and ran into the end zone for the touchdown. The Sooners tied the game up at seven, and it looked like they would have a chance against the Tigers.
Later in the first half, Thomas registered his ninth sack of the season, when he cleanly beat the left tackle blasted Garrett Nussmeier and forced a fumble. LSU recovered the ball, and remarkably, Nussmeier returned to the game later in the second quarter and had a great game.
But the defensive line had a good game. Was it the best game they’ve had this season? No, but it was far from the biggest issue on the defensive side of the ball on Saturday night. The defensive front held LSU to 3.8 yards per carry and 110 rushing yards.
Brent Venables, Todd Bates, and Miguel Chavis have been working over the last few years to turn the Sooners defensive front into a unit that could create havoc in the SEC and they’re doing just that.
If the Sooners are able to talk Thomas into coming back for one more year that would be huge for a defense that will lose Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, and Ethan Downs this offseason.
There were a number of standout performances on the evening, including what Febechi Nwaiwu and Xavier Robinson did in the run game to earn SEC Weekly Honors.
On the defensive side of the ball it was R Mason Thomas making his presence felt, holding one of the best offenses in the nation to three points. For his efforts, Thomas earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Thomas earned his eighth sack of the season in the win and had Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe under pressure for a lot of the night. He recorded two quarterback hurries, one of which came on fourth down where he hit Milroe’s arm leading to Woodi Washington’s interception.
Thomas has experienced a breakout season after injuries kept him from seeing the field much in his two years in Norman. Now, he has a chance to finish the year with double-digit sacks.
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It took a team effort to earn a comeback win on the road against the Auburn Tigers, but three Sooners earned this weeks 3 stars of the game.
Oklahoma showed tremendous grit on Saturday. It’s safe to say the win against Auburn will probably go down as one of the best wins of the Brent Venables era to this point.
Oklahoma looked dead in the water when Auburn extended its lead to 21-10 early in the fourth quarter. The Sooners appeared well on their way to back-to-back losses and an 0-2 start in its foray into the SEC. However, Venables’ team never stopped competing and did whatever was possible to make it a game. It eventually completed the comeback, and the Sooners returned to Norman for a much-needed bye week with their first SEC win.
As one would expect, the game had peaks and valleys. There was a long stretch in which Oklahoma’s offense looked lifeless or drives were killed by penalties. Auburn just imposed its will on a few defensive possessions by running the ball straight at Oklahoma’s strength in the front seven. Pair that with big plays allowed in the passing game, and the Sooners were ripe for defeat until several big plays in the fourth quarter turned the tide on the Tigers.
It took a team effort to pull out the win, but a few players stood out with their game-changing performances. Here are this week’s three stars from the win.
R Mason Thomas, Edge
R Mason Thomas is undoubtedly a star on the Oklahoma Sooners defense. He has filled a pass-rushing void that dates back to the departure of Nik Bonitto after the 2021 season. Brent Venables has a go-to pass rusher this team can rely upon come crunch time to end a drive or end a game.
His two sacks in the fourth were vital. Auburn was down three late in the game when it faced third-and-5 just after the two-minute timeout. There was plenty of time to mount a comeback. Oklahoma’s defense was worn out, but it was running on pure adrenaline and a will to win.
Off the snap, Thomas ducked around the left tackle and was on quarterback Payton Thorne in a hurry, recording the sack and setting up a fourth-and-11. On the next play, coming off the left side of the defense, Thomas brought the pressure to Thorne once again. The Auburn quarterback eluded the initial pressure, but Thomas hustled like crazy and circled back. With assistance from Gracen Halton, who kept Thorne in the pocket, Thomas brought the thunder for the sack and forced the turnover on downs.
Oklahoma killed some clock and kicked a field goal to extend its lead to six. But the game could have been far more stressful in the final two minutes without Thomas’ late-game heroics. For the second time in three weeks Thomas was the closer for the Sooners.
