Venables: Defensive Line Breakouts Key for Sooners

Oklahoma's defensive line depth will be tested in the upcoming fall season following the departure of several key players. R Mason Thomas, Marvin Jones Jr., Gracen Halton, and Damonic Williams concluded their college careers after the Sooners' College Football Playoff game on December 19. Despite these losses, the projected starting defensive tackles, David Stone and Jayden Jackson, along with edge starters Taylor Wein and either Danny Okoye or Adepoju Adebawore, are expected to form one of the SEC's top units.

The reserve defensive linemen, including Nigel Smith II, Trent Wilson, Bishop Thomas, Kenny Ozowalu, and Wyatt Gilmore, possess limited experience. Coach Brent Venables, speaking at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida, on Monday, emphasized a recurring theme in his coaching tenure: the emergence of defensive linemen. He pointed to David Stone and Taylor Wein as prime examples from the 2025 season.

Stone, a former five-star recruit, significantly improved his performance in 2025 with 42 total tackles after a modest freshman year. He is now recognized as a preseason All-American and is anticipated to be a dominant force in 2026. Wein, initially having few tackles in his first two seasons, led the team with 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2025, demonstrating a remarkable breakout.

Venables stressed that the margins in the SEC are incredibly small and that controlling the line of scrimmage is paramount to winning games. He underscored the importance of consistent defensive line breakouts, a trend he expects to continue despite the team's current depth situation.