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.
Highest graded returning Big 12 Edge Rushers🔥 pic.twitter.com/GRRrAzvic0
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 11, 2023
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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