Can the Oklahoma Sooners defensive line be as good as it was in 2024?

If there was one position group that was a clear strength of the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024, it was the defensive line. Led by breakout seasons from R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, and true freshman Jayden Jackson, the Sooners’ defensive line was a game-changer to Oklahoma’s fortunes last year.

The addition of Damonic Williams via the transfer portal, along with the steady performance of Ethan Downs at the defensive end spot opposite of Thomas, made Oklahoma’s defensive front difficult to run the football against. The Sooners allowed just 3.1 yards per carry and less than a touchdown rushing per game on the season. Though Oklahoma lost Downs and senior defensive tackle Da’Jon Terry, the Sooners are still among the best defensive lines in college football, according to Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick. Chadwick included the Sooners among his top 10 DL units for 2025, coming in at No. 9, just one spot ahead of Texas.

The Sooners have plenty of experienced players on their defensive line, returning four contributors who played at least 300 snaps last year. Gracen Halton is my No. 10 interior defender in the country. His 13.6% pressure rate since 2023 leads all returning FBS defensive tackles, while his 12.5% pass-rush win rate is the best among returning Power Four ones. R Mason Thomas is also a terrific pass-rusher, placing second among FBS edge defenders with a 93.2 pass-rush grade on true pass sets last season. – Chadwick, PFF

The Sooners have a chance to be even better this year with another year of development for Thomas, Halton, Jackson, Williams, and former five-star defensive tackle David Stone. The addition of Marvin Jones Jr. at defensive end gives the unit potentially more pass-rush off the edge. If they can be as good along the interior as they were in their debut year in the SEC, the sky is the limit for…

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Publish date : 2025-07-01 00:00:00

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