Tag: Rondell Bothroyd

Two Sooners among PFF’s Big 12 highest-graded returning edge defenders for 2023

PFF listed the top 10 grades for returning edge defenders in the Big 12 and two Sooners made the list.

If the Oklahoma Sooners are going to be better on defense, they’re going to have to be better at rushing the passer and playing the run. The good news is, they have a pair of edge rushers that were among the highest-graded returning players in the Big 12.

According to Pro Football Focus, Rondell Bothroyd and Ethan Downs were two of the highest-graded EDGE players in 2022 returning for the 2023 season.

Wake Forest transfer Rondell Bothroyd came in at No. 1, and Ethan Downs came in at No. 6.

They were joined by Cincinnati’s Daniel Grzesiak and Justin Wodtly, Houston’s Nelson Ceaser, BYU’s Tyler Batty, Oklahoma State’s Anthony Goodlow, Baylor’s Byron Vaughns, UCF’s Tre’Mon Morris-Brash and West Virginia’s Sean Martin.

Oklahoma and Cincinnati were the only programs to feature multiple players in the top 10.

There’s a reason why Oklahoma’s staff is excited about the addition of Bothroyd. He’s coming off two seasons in which he totaled 93 tackles, 24.5 for loss, and 13 sacks.

Downs had 38 tackles, 13.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2022. It was an up and down start to the season, but Downs really came on strong in the second half of the year.

PFF named Downs to the All Big-12 third team last year and Sooners Wire managing editor John Williams had this to say about Downs’ 2022 season.

Ethan Downs finished the season tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Though he was just 10th in the Big 12 in pressures among edge rushers, he finished fourth in the conference in stops at the position. He had a fantastic finish to the season, picking up seven tackles for loss and two sacks in the Sooners final three games. – Williams, Sooners Wire

The Sooners are going to need Downs and Bothroyd to take another step along with the others on the defensive line if they hope to take a big step as a defense and more importantly, in the win column.

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Oklahoma Sooners No. 7 in ESPN’s impact transfer, recruiting class rankings

All of the work the Oklahoma staff has done has garnered them a top 10 ranking in ESPN’s impact transfer, recruiting class rankings.

After a disappointing 2022 season, Brent Venables and his staff have gone to work to fill the holes in last year’s team.

All of the work they’ve done has garnered them a top 10 ranking in ESPN’s impact transfer, recruiting class rankings (subscription required).

Some of the key newcomers ESPN lists are [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Walker Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag].

(Peyton) Bowen is one of three five-star signings. While the experienced [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] returns and is likely to be QB1 to start the season, he’s no lock to finish it. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], the No. 3 recruit in the 2023 class, made a strong push for the No. 1 ranking as a well-rounded player with a nice blend of arm strength, release and mobility. Whether or not he plays this season, he has the “it” factor, according to his coach, and gives the Sooners an elite talent in the wings to take over for 2024 with Heisman Trophy potential. On defense, perhaps no one has more upside than edge defender [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], who has excellent length and agility. He has so much ability that he could still make a Year 1 impact as a pass-rusher. – Craig Haubert, ESPN

The Sooners are behind USC, Miami, Florida State, LSU, Colorado and Oregon.

McCullough and Bothroyd are the two most highly thought of. McCullough was a freshman All-American last season. He racked up 49 tackles, six and a half tackles for loss, and four sacks.

Bothroyd brings significant experience. He is a five-year player with Wake Forest. He has 136 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks in his career, including 14 sacks over the last two seasons. He hopes to bolster a defensive line that really struggled in Venables’ first season as head coach.

The article also mentions Texas Tech transfer Reggie Pearson Jr., who brings experience and toughness to the secondary.

Michigan transfer Andrel Anthony is also mentioned as he comes with limited production but brings a lot of speed and good route-running ability to the squad.

While five-star QB Jackson Arnold gets the headlines, the most potential of any newcomer might be edge defender Adebawore who is a long, athletic player who showed flashes of his elite ability during the spring game.

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Led by a pair of defenders, 11 Sooners named to Athlon Sports preseason All-Big 12 teams

Led by Ethan Downs and Danny Stutsman, 11 Oklahoma Sooners featured in Athlon Sports 2023 preseason All-Big 12 teams.

The Oklahoma Sooners are due for a bounce-back season after their 6-7 campaign in 2022. While there are question marks, the Sooners look like a team with improved talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Some of that improvement is simply due to progression and more time spent in the system. The other part is Brent Venables and his staff hit the transfer portal to add players that can make a significant impact in 2023.

Still a few months away from the start of the 2023 college football season, Athlon Sports Steve Lassan released his All-Big 12 preseason teams, and 11 Oklahoma Sooners were featured. Six were from the offensive side of the ball, and five were on defense, including two newcomers. One player earned a pair of distinctions. Here’s a look at the Sooners who were named to Athlon’ Sports’ preseason All-Big 12 team.

5 Sooners with the best chance to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft

Taking a look at five Sooners that have a chance to be NFL draft picks in 2024.

Another year and another NFL draft has come and gone. For Oklahoma, this draft saw the Sooners have five players selected. The Sooners had picks on all three days of the draft, with Anton Harrison’s leading the way. Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Harrison became Oklahoma’s the first round one selection since CeeDee Lamb was taken 17th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.

With this draft behind us, NFL and college football have already turned their attention to next year’s class. It’s a group that will be headlined by standout quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.

Oklahoma lost five players to the NFL Draft despite having their worst season in over 20 years. What can another year of development and better results on the field bring next year’s NFL Draft picks?

Only time will tell, but Oklahoma is well-positioned to have multiple draft picks next year as well. We take a look at a few of the names below. Several names will have legibility after 2023, but big-time seasons this year could lead them to declare early.

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 Spring Game

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners spring game!

Oklahoma football is back. Well, sort of. The Oklahoma football team took the field in public for the first time since the Cheez-It Bowl in December. Team 129 stepped out and participated in its 2023 spring game in front of a raucous home crowd and a list of more than 60 recruits across four classes.

As many fans and former players descended upon Norman, the energy felt unmatched from the beginning. Brent Venables spoke before the game, and the red and white teams got underway. It was a competitive atmosphere and a competitive game all told.

The target score for points was 84, and the two sides entered the fourth quarter well within reach.  The defense won a thriller as the game came down to a two-point conversion after Jackson Arnold linked up with sophomore wide receiver Gavin Freeman to tie the game. The defense got the stop and the points after Jayden Gibson dropped what would have been a game-winner.

We saw strong efforts from returning players on both sides of the ball and encouraging performances from new faces, whether it be freshmen or transfers.

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Here are our five takeaways from the 2023 spring game.

USA TODAY Sports believes the Oklahoma Sooners could have TCU type run to playoff in 2023

After a down year in 2022, Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports believes the Sooners have a chance to make a TCU-like run to the College Football Playoff in 2023.

The 2023 season about Oklahoma is all about improving upon what was a disappointing 2022 season. Their spring game provides the first glimpse of what could be this season. Though it’s hard to fully grasp what Oklahoma is going to be until we see them against Big 12 competition in the fall, the spring game will give us an idea of who will be significant players for the Sooners this season.

Though Oklahoma’s defense struggled last season, there’s no reason they can’t have a bounce-back year in 2023. Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports believes the Sooners could go on a TCU-like run and return to the playoff.

The program’s first losing finish since 1998 should yield a noticeable rebound in Brent Venables’ second season. But how high can the Sooners climb? Venables has flipped the roster with a top-five recruiting class and another dozen transfers, including huge pickups such as offensive tackle Walter Rouse (Stanford), hybrid linebacker Dasan McCullough (Indiana) and edge rusher Trace Ford (Oklahoma State). But Oklahoma needs to beef up an average pass rush, develop a go-to receiver for quarterback Dillon Gabriel and sort out a rotation at running back and in the secondary. If Venables has things pointed in the right direction, the Sooners will benefit from a schedule has just four games outside of Oklahoma, one the neutral-site rivalry in Dallas against Texas. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

The transfer portal class will have to be big-time for the Sooners. There’s a lot riding on players like [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Caleb Shaffer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], and [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] to help raise the talent on the roster.

The Sooners have done an excellent job over the last couple of years on the recruiting trail, but most of the 2023 class won’t be ready to contribute in a significant way this year, and the 2022 class is still working to get on the field.

With the schedule the Sooners have, there’s a chance they could put themselves in a position to contend for the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag]. But they won’t have a lot of room for error. Also, because of the schedule they have. THere aren’t a lot of “statement games” on the schedule in 2023, so they won’t be able to afford multiple losses. Given the depth of the Big 12 and that Oklahoma hasn’t had a season with one loss or fewer since 2019, a playoff berth is possible, but a tough road.

If the Sooners can make significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball while maintaining their scoring level from a season ago, they’ll have as good a shot as any to make a run at a playoff berth. But until we see the defense take that step forward, it’s difficult to project Oklahoma as a playoff team.

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5 things we’re watching for at Oklahoma’s spring game

Oklahoma has its spring game this weekend, and we’ve got five things we’ll be looking at for Oklahoma’s spring debut of team 129.

Team 129 in Oklahoma’s illustrious football history takes the field publically for the first time on Saturday afternoon. It’s a game and weekend that means a lot to the team, staff, fanbase, and recruits.

Oklahoma comes into this spring off the heels of its worst season in over 20 years. The Sooners were a rough watch at times. Despite that, they still found themselves in a bowl game against a talented Florida State team.

Oklahoma lost the likes of [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag], [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag], and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag] to the NFL Draft process.

The Sooners saw players transfer out but also welcomed in a number of players from their top-five recruiting class. The Sooners attacked the portal with some serious intensity bringing in impact transfers on both sides of the ball.

It’s now time for the world to at least get a glimpse of some of these new Sooners while getting a chance to see how the returning players improved from last year.

Here are our top five storylines heading into the spring game.

2023 Player Profile: Can Ethan Downs build on strong finish to 2022?

Ethan Downs finished the 2022 season strong in his first year as a starter. What will he have in store for 2023?

Evaluating the current roster, Sooners Wire profiles the current players, with defensive end, [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] up next.

Continue reading “2023 Player Profile: Can Ethan Downs build on strong finish to 2022?”

Can transfer portal additions fix the Oklahoma Sooners’ defense?

The Sooners were aggressive in the defensive transfer portal market, but will that be enough to right the ship of Oklahoma’s defense?

Year one in Norman of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era didn’t go the way many expected. Particularly on the defensive side of the football.

It was a team that looked really good in nonconference wins over UTEP, Kent State, and Nebraska, only to flounder when they got to Big 12 play. The Sooners allowed an average of 34.7 points per game against Big 12 opponents and Florida State over their final 10 games.

Over at CBS Sports, Shehan Jeyarajah asked asked one question for each of the Big 12 schools, and for the Sooners, everything comes back to the defense. Jeyarajayh asks, “can the transfer portal fix the defense?”

Sooners coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] leaned heavily on the transfer portal in his first season, ultimately flipping 40% of the roster. Results were decidedly disastrous as Oklahoma went 6-7, its worst record since 1998, the year before Bob Stoops took over. The defense was perhaps the worst of Venables’ career, too, finishing No. 122 in total defense behind FIU, Louisiana-Monroe and Hawaii.

Oklahoma brought in an elite defensive recruiting class, finishing No. 4 in the high school composite rankings, but it will once again rely on transfers to fill major holes. Two defenders — safety Reggie Pearson and defensive lineman [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] — come from Big 12 opponents (Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, respectively). Defensive lineman [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] moves up from Texas State, while linebacker [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] ranked as one of the best players in the portal. Oklahoma finished bottom-30 nationally in both rushing and passing defense despite ranking among the league leaders in both interceptions and sacks. Havoc plays won’t save Oklahoma; the Sooners need a full-scale upgrade. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

In addition to McCullough, Pearson, Ford, and Sears, the Sooners added [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] to their defensive front. Veteran players that will factor into the defensive line rotation immediately. Bothroyd comes over from Wake Forest with great production over the last two seasons.

In 2021 and 2022, Bothroyd had 93 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. He’s a player that can play defensive end in multiple fronts and can play defensive tackle in pass-rushing situations as well. With his production, Bothroyd could have gone to the NFL and been drafted in the top 100-150 players in 2023.

But it isn’t just the transfer portal additions that will make this team better in 2023. Many of the guys returning were playing significant roles or starting for the first time in 2022. Guys like [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] were all first-time starters last season.

It was also a new system for those guys last year. Heading into year two of the Brent Venables era, they have an opportunity to build on their experiences from the 2022 season. Everything that happened in 2022, the good and the bad, were valuable experiences for a defense that isn’t simply looking to be good but to be great.

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Predicting the Oklahoma Sooners two-deep depth chart ahead of Spring Ball

Projecting the Oklahoma Sooners’ two-deep depth chart for spring ball.

The Oklahoma Sooners hold their first practice of spring ball on Monday. The journey to improving from their 6-7 season begins now.

Oklahoma welcomes a plethora of new players on both sides of the ball to Norman via the 2023 recruiting class and the transfer portal. A number of guys coming from the transfer portal will have an opportunity to compete for starting jobs, but at worst will be a part of the two-deep depth chart when Oklahoma lines up to play this fall.

Oklahoma experienced a number of departures on the offensive side of the ball departing for the NFL. The defense was one of the worst in college football in 2022. After a 6-7 season, there will be competitions across the board this spring and summer as the Sooners hope to get back into title contention.