Tag: tommie harris

Danny Stutsman named Lombardi Award semifinalist

Danny Stutsman named a semifinalist to a prestigious defensive award.

There is no question the Oklahoma Sooners defense is much improved from a season ago. A big reason is the step linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] has taken in Year 2 under Brent Venables.

Stutsman leads the team with 73 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss. He also has 2 sacks and an interception. He ranks 26th in the nation in tackles per game. He was in the top 10 for most of the season but fell out after leaving last week’s game early.

On Wednesday, his performance this season was honored as he was named one of 12 semifinalists for the [autotag]Lombardi Award[/autotag].

The Lombardi Award is given each year to the college football offensive or defensive lineman or linebacker who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi in addition to outstanding performance on the field.

To even be considered for the Lombardi Award, a player must be a down lineman on offense or defense, setting up no further than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball at the time of the snap, or a linebacker on defense setting up no more than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.

Former Sooners [autotag]Lee Roy Selmon[/autotag] (1975), [autotag]Tony Casillas[/autotag] (1985) and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] (2003) have been honored with the award.

The finalists for the Lombardi will be announced on Nov. 15, 2023. Oklahoma’s best defensive player can continue to take a step toward postseason honors with a big game in [autotag]Bedlam[/autotag].

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All-time look at every Oklahoma Sooners five-star player in the 247Sports database

Every five-star player for the Oklahoma Sooners in the modern recruiting era.

The Oklahoma Sooners just had arguably the best recruiting class since 2000. With three five-star signees, Oklahoma finished fourth in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings for the 2023 cycle.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] became the program’s fourth five-star quarterback signee in the modern era, following [autotag]Rhett Bomar[/autotag], [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag].

Arguably the most productive position group among the five-stars that have played for the Oklahoma Sooners has been running back. Though the defensive tackles could make a strong case, the work [autotag]Adrian Peterson[/autotag], [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Mixon[/autotag] did while in Norman puts them among the best Sooners backs of all time.

Defensive tackle is the other spot that could make a case for best five-star position group with [autotag]Gerald McCoy[/autotag] and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag].

Only one five-star rated player never played a snap for the Sooners, linebacker Chris Patterson. Patterson went the junior college route before playing a season with Kansas State.

Here’s a look at every five-star player to play for the Oklahoma Sooners in the 247Sports database.

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

Several Oklahoma Sooners featured in ESPN’s 50 greatest true freshmen of all-time

Several Oklahoma Sooners were featured inside ESPN’s top 50 Oklahoma Sooners of all time.

On a roster that endured as much turnover as the Oklahoma Sooners did this offseason, one would think there’d be a clearer path to a starting role for a true freshman. With fall camp getting underway, there are certainly freshmen who could emerge and find a role as a rotational player, or even starter, but they’d have to overcome some talented veterans to take on a feature role.

At running back, many believe Jovantae Barnes or Gavin Sawchuk could take over at running back, but with the glowing remarks about Eric Gray from offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, that seems unlikely. At least through the first few weeks of the season. Additionally, Marcus Major and Bentavious Thompson provide a hill the true freshmen have to climb.

Gentry Williams could factor in at safety, and Kaden Helms or Jason Llewellyn could be featured in the passing game, but there isn’t a clearly defined role for them as fall camp gets underway.

Looking back, the Oklahoma Sooners have had some true freshmen emerge to have fantastic seasons for the Sooners. In recent history, CeeDee Lamb comes to mind. Lamb caught 46 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns in his true freshman season in 2017.

Ahead of the 2022 college football season, ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the top 50 true freshmen of all time (ESPN+), and several Oklahoma Sooners were included on the list.

247Sports ‘betting on’ Oklahoma 2023 5-star target David Hicks being a first-round NFL draft pick

247Sports is betting on Oklahoma #Cho23n target David Hicks going in the first round of the NFL draft.

The 2022 NFL draft has come and gone and with the start of college football still four months away, attention turns to the recruiting scene for the Oklahoma Sooners and the rest of the country. Coaches are out on the trail visiting schools and building relationships with coaching staffs as they check out players they’d like to add to their program.

Over the next few months, the Sooners will be working to secure commitments of 2023 prospects prior to those players going into their senior season. Many players don’t want the decision lingering over them as they look to put their best foot forward for their teams in their final season in high school ball.

One target that the Oklahoma Sooners are working to get a commitment from is 2023 five-star defensive lineman [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag] out of Katy, Texas. Hicks is the No. 4 overall player on the 247Sports Composite rankings and the No. 6 player on their Top247.

247Sports recently released a list of five prospects they’d bet on to be first-round picks in future NFL drafts, and the Oklahoma target was one of the players mentioned.

David Hicks looks like a college player right now. He’s a rocked out 6-4, 250 pounds with the versatility to play inside or outside at the next level. He’s a physical player with a motor and is a natural pass rusher coming off the edge or playing inside. He’s very quick off the ball, uses his hands well and has the athleticism to run down plays from behind. He’s strong at the point of attack and projects as an every down lineman who can play in any scheme. He has the multi-sport background that we like and he’s someone who should test extremely well at the NFL combine after playing three years of college ball. – Greg Biggins, 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst

247Sports currently gives the edge in the recruiting battle to Texas A&M, but according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Oklahoma is out in front with a narrow prediction percentage. The last crystal ball from 247Sports was issued in August of last year. A lot has likely changed since then. In particular the hiring of [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] as head coach and Todd Bates as defensive tackles coach.

Brent Venables has had as much success as anyone at getting his defensive line talents drafted in the first round. Whether it was [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] or [autotag]Gerald McCoy[/autotag] or [autotag]Christian Wilkins[/autotag] or [autotag]Dexter Lawrence[/autotag], Venables’ defense is gold for defensive linemen looking to make it to the next level.

If the Sooners are able to secure a commitment and signing for Hicks, it would be a huge win for their recruiting class that has just four players committed at the moment and zero five-star players.

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10 best Bears draft picks since 2000

Finding impactful players in the NFL draft isn’t always easy. But the Bears have had their share of success in the last 10 years.

The 2022 NFL draft is less than two weeks away and the Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles will set out to add impactful players to the roster.

This will be Poles’ first go around with the draft as a GM and he’s tasked with finding the next class of great Bears players. Of course, it will take years to determine how well those selections will pan out.

Finding impactful players in the NFL draft isn’t always easy and finding and developing stars can be challenging. However, the Bears have had their share of success since the turn of the century. Here are our top 10 Bears draft picks since 2000.

Where the Oklahoma Sooners stand with 2022 5-star DL Lebbeus Overton according to 247Sports

With an official visit on tap for April, 247Sports Steve Wiltfong breaks down where the Sooners stand for 2022 5-star DL Lebbeus Overton.

The Oklahoma Sooners currently hold the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2022 cycle. There are a couple of five-star prospects in play that the Sooners have offers out to that could raise that ranking; offensive tackle Josh Conerly and defensive tackle Lebbeus Overton.

Overton was originally a member of the 2023 class but reclassified to be eligible to step on campus in 2022. The Sooners are in his top five, with a visit scheduled for April. An Oklahoma legacy, his father Milton Overton played offensive line for the Oklahoma Sooners in the 90s. Then he told 247Sports Steve Wiltfong that the hiring of Brent Venables made a difference when the five-star defensive lineman trimmed his list of schools to five.

247Sports is working through a series titled “War Daddy” that looks at the top talent and which schools are in the mix for their commitment. For [autotag]Lebbeus Overton[/autotag], the Sooners are in the mix, but Director of Recruiting at 247Sports Steve Wiltfong believes the “Aggies are the team to beat.”

But with an official visit on the horizon with the Oklahoma Sooners, Brent Venables and staff will get their opportunity to show “L.T.” what Norman has to offer. Though not in the lead, Oklahoma still has a shot.

Initially, Overton’s interest in Oklahoma was rooted in going out to see where his father played. Overton made it to the ChampU BBQ last summer and returned for a game. Lincoln Riley’s energy similar to Day’s was exciting. When Brent Venables got the job at Oklahoma, that didn’t hurt things — his scheme at Clemson has always intrigued Overton and Overton knows the type of defensive lineman he can become playing under Venables. Overton is scheduled to get back to Norman for the Oklahoma spring game the week after Ohio State’s. – Wiltfong, 247Sports

Over the years, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has developed a track record for establishing great defensive play and providing opportunities for defensive linemen to win along the line of scrimmage. [autotag]Gerald McCoy[/autotag] and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] at Oklahoma and Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence at Clemson are just a few examples. That track record will keep the Sooners squarely in the sights of Overton until he makes his decision.

The Sooners have made a concerted effort to stockpile defensive line talent to bolster Oklahoma’s defensive front before the move to the SEC. Adding a player like Overton would put the Sooners in great shape with their future move on the horizon.

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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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What does Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy’s commitment mean for the Oklahoma Sooners?

What does the commitment of five-star defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy mean for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy is so similar to the most recent five-star defensive linemen that have come through Norman it’s kind of scary. The comparisons look the part on the field and off. For any long-time recruiting enthusiasts like myself, the Oklahoma Sooners closing on Brownlow-Dindy is a feat that’s been quite rare in Norman for the last decade or so. Just looking at 247Sports recruiting rankings history, Brownlow-Dindy is the first five-star defensive linemen since 2006.

Gerald McCoy, a legendary Sooner and the last five-star defensive tackle the Sooners landed, is the most natural comparison for him. Tommie Harris, another former five-star, also fits as a comparison. Both had stellar Oklahoma careers before being first-round NFL draft picks. And both grew up with families heavily involved in the church.

It remains to be seen what Brownlow-Dindy will do as a collegiate player, but the Sooners will be anxious to find out. They won’t have to wait long as Brownlow-Dindy plans to enroll early. His senior season was cut short after a torn ligament in his hand during a game.

The impact of landing Brownlow-Dindy is immense for Oklahoma’s defensive recruiting efforts. Yes, the Sooners had a leg up as Brownlow-Dindy is the son of Sooners alumni. However, their efforts should not be downplayed. They had to fight tooth and nail for his services while in a state dominated by SEC and ACC powerhouses.

The Sooners will have to land more defensive linemen of his caliber as they make their move to the SEC, where games are won and lost in large part due to the seismic gap in talent in the trenches.

Will the Sooners land every five-star defensive line prospect? No, but they need to show the ability to snag one when given the opportunity, and the same goes for getting close with other top 100 defensive line recruits. Brownlow-Dindy is a top 20 player across most recruiting rankings, including the USA TODAY High School Sports Composite Player Rankings, which averages the grades from the three biggest recruiting services: 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. Closing on Brownlow-Dindy was Oklahoma’s announcement to the college football world that they are legitimate competition for elite defensive talent.

Furthermore, this commitment may signal a significant development in the caliber of assistants on Oklahoma’s roster. Calvin Thibodeaux, defensive line coach at Oklahoma, has been the subject of a lot of chatter with his previous inability to bring in top 100 talent on the interior since he’s been at OU.

It reached such a point that people began to speculate if head coach Lincoln Riley would eventually let him go in favor of someone capable of landing four and five-star talent. After his two-year recruiting efforts on Brownlow-Dindy, culminating in a recruiting win over Texas A&M, it’s probably safe to assume unless a better opportunity comes knocking, Thibodeaux will not be leaving Oklahoma.

In the immediate future, Brownlow-Dindy looks to be a day one contributor for Oklahoma next year, with the likelihood of at least three Sooners on the defensive line heading to the NFL in the spring. Brownlow-Dindy has 4.7 speed, and his background as a state champ in the discus while training using mixed martial arts all but likely point to him being a perfect fit as a defensive end with the ability and versatility to slot inside ala Isaiah Thomas and Jalen Redmond. He and Kelvin Gilliam are the foundational pieces of this defensive line for years to come.

Position U: Where Oklahoma ranks on ESPN’s All-Time Positional Rankings

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners fall in the battle to claim superiority at the positional level? ESPN released their “Position U” Rankings.

One of the bigger topics of debate around college football is which school has had the best positional success. LSU, Texas, and Ohio State all claim to be “DBU” or defensive back university. How a team recruits and develops players at that position can have a lasting effect in the recruiting battles. Schools love to point to the players they helped develop into NFL-caliber talents.

That’s why the Oklahoma Sooners will put as many Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts highlights into a video package because of their recent college success and their current status in the NFL. Schools will highlight team success, but often when it comes to landing four and five-star recruits it can come down to how much success players at their position had in college and at the next level.

Before we get to 2021 in earnest, let’s take a look back at ESPN’s “Position U” rankings.

How did ESPN come to their rankings?

It’s a combination of college success, draft stock and NFL success. Our formula awards points for all-conference and All-America selections, rewarding the best college performers. It awards points on a sliding scale based on where a player is drafted, rewarding impressive NFL evaluations. Then, using data from Pro Football Reference, we add more points for production through the first five years of the player’s NFL career — beyond that, credit belongs to the NFL trainers and coaches — so that the draft busts and the late bloomers all get credit, too. – David M. Hale