Former Oklahoma Stars Set to Compete in Divisional Round of NFL Playoffs

Several key players from the remaining eight teams in the NFL playoffs once wore crimson and cream for the Sooners.

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after a sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Of the NFL’s 32 teams, 18 didn’t reach the playoffs. Another six were eliminated in the Wild Card Round last week.

Still, with only eight teams still standing, there are plenty of former Sooners alive and vying for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Here are some former Oklahoma stars to watch out for in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs:

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

Jan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) acknowledges the crowd after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who spent two seasons in Norman, has been an integral part of the New England Patriots’ resurgence.

The Pats, the No. 2 seed in the AFC, defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in the Wild Card Round. Stevenson led New England with 75 receiving yards on three catches in the win, and he also rushed 10 times for 53 yards.

New England finished the regular season 14-3 to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Stevenson rushed for 603 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season while also logging 345 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

The Patriots will battle the Houston Texans on Sunday with an AFC Championship berth on the line.

Stevenson is playing his fifth season with the Patriots. His most notable professional campaign came in 2022, when Stevenson rushed for 1,040 yards on 210 carries.

Stevenson came to Oklahoma after starting his college career at the junior college level. He totaled 1,180 yards and 13 touchdowns over the 2019 and 2020 seasons and took home Cotton Bowl Classic MVP honors for his performance in the Sooners’ 55-20 win over Florida.

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Trent Williams, OL, San Francisco 49ers

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) celebrates win against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Veteran offensive lineman Trent Williams had to miss the San Francisco 49ers’ regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks, but he’ll be ready to go on Saturday when the NFC West rivals battle in the Divisional Round.

Williams appeared on 59 snaps in the 49ers’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round after a hamstring injury kept him out against Seattle in Week 18 of the regular season. The Seahawks beat the 49ers in that game to clinch both home-field advantage in the NFC and the NFC West title.

Williams is now off the injury report just one day ahead of Saturday’s playoff clash, and that is massive for the 49ers.

Williams has played in the NFL since 2010 and has been selected to the Pro Bowl 12 times. He earned First Team All-Pro honors three years in a row from 2021 to 2023 and has been a Second Team pick two other times.

Before becoming one of the NFL’s best linemen in recent memory, Williams played four seasons at Oklahoma. He was a consensus All-American in 2009, his last season at OU, and was a two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection.

Nik Bonitto, LB, Denver Broncos; Marvin Mims Jr., WR/KR, Denver Broncos

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) reacts after a punt return against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter of the game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Former Sooners Nik Bonitto and Marvin Mims Jr. had the luxury of a week off to begin the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos finished the regular season 14-3 and held the tiebreaker over the Patriots to get the AFC’s only first-round bye. They will now face the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round on Saturday.

Bonitto, an edge rusher, has been one of the NFL’s best defensive players this year. In 17 games, Bonitto logged 46 tackles, 14 sacks, 4.5 stuffs, two forced fumbles and a pass deflection.

Mims, who is both a receiver and a return specialist, caught 37 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown while also combining for more than 1,000 yards on punt and kick returns.

Bonitto and Mims overlapped for two seasons at OU, where both of them were stars. Bonitto was a two-time Second Team All-Big 12 pick, while Mims took home First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2022.

Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) looks downfield against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Caleb Williams’ time in Norman was brief, but the one-year Sooner quarterback has become one of the NFL’s biggest young stars.

Williams led the Chicago Bears to a 31-27 comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round. The Bears will battle the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, looking to advance to the NFC Championship.

Williams finished his second NFL regular season with 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 58.1 percent passing. He led the Bears to their first NFC North title since 2018.

The quarterback enrolled at Oklahoma in 2021 and took the starting job from Spencer Rattler that season. After just one year at OU, he transferred to USC, following former Sooners coach Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles. Williams won the Heisman Trophy with the Trojans in 2022 before being selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.