Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke Headlined Oklahoma's Stellar Linebacker Group in 2025

The Sooners' linebackers were another position group on the defensive side of the ball that held things together for OU in 2025.

Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis celebrates in the CFP against Alabama. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

With Oklahoma’s 2025 season fully in the rearview, Sooners on SI is handing out position-by-position grades for every area of the team, continuing today with the linebackers.

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Unshockingly, Brent Venables’ best defense since he returned to Oklahoma as head coach sported difference-makers at linebacker. 

Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie entered the year as the known quantities, and the depth only grew throughout 2025.

Lewis was spectacular again, leading the team with 76 total tackles and he also added 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and a forced fumble while stepping into the role as one of the emotional leaders of the defense after Danny Stutsman graduated to the NFL. 

But Lewis didn’t pace the unit in tackles for loss. That distinction fell upon Owen Heinecke, who came out of nowhere to play a massive role in 2025.

Heinecke ended the year second on the team with 74 total tackles, and his 12.0 tackles for loss on trailed defensive end Taylor Wein. He announced himself early by leading the team in tackles against Michigan, and if he could win his eligibility appeal with the NCAA, Heinecke would play a massive role again for OU in 2026.

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Heinecke was so good he ended up taking McKinzie’s job after he suffered a groin injury against Ole Miss, though McKinzie did finish the year with 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and a sack. 

Sammy Omosigho was the other rotational piece inside for the OU defense. 

In his first year as an inside linebacker, Omosigo totaled 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three passes defended and he also recovered a fumble. 

As good as the depth was on the inside, two guys emerged as playmakers at Venables’ outside linebacker/cheetah spot. 

Oklahoma State transfer Kendal Daniels proved to be Venables’ do-everything man in his only year in Norman. 

He perfectly blended his past lives as both a safety and linebacker at Oklahoma State to deliver 53 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three passes defended and plenty of bone-crunching tackles for the Sooners. 

OU never had to take him off the field, as he effortlessly did everything that was asked of him, but the emergence of Reggie Powers III meant that the Sooners had the luxury of rotating because they wanted to get Powers playing time as opposed to pulling Daniels off the field sparingly to catch his breath. 

Powers finished the year with 31 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack as well as getting credited with a pass breakup and a forced fumble. 

Though Daniels only got to work with Venables for a year, excitement is only growing for what Powers can do next year, stepping up into a larger role as Daniels himself heads to the NFL. 

The excellent play of the linebackers, paired with outstanding performances from OU’s defensive tackles, meant the spine of Venables’ defense was always solid, which ensured the defensive performances had a high floor all year long.