Nik Bonitto earns All-America honors
Oklahoma linebacker Nik Bonitto on Monday was named first-team All-American at edge defender by Pro Football Focus.
Bonitto, a 6-foot-3, 238-pound rush linebacker from Fort Lauderdale, FL, has been noted all season by PFF as one of its highest-graded defensive players.
Nik Bonitto
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Bonitto, a third-year sophomore, ranks second on the Sooners with 10.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 quarterback sacks. He also leads the team with 10 QB hurries and has 29 total tackles.
“Bonitto was a true hybrid backer in 2019, [playing almost as many coverage snaps (171) as pass-rush snaps,” PFF writes. “However, Bonitto saw more pass-rush opportunities in 2020, and the transition paid dividends. The Oklahoma edge rusher was a force in every single game this season, finishing first among qualifying FBS edge defenders in pass-rush grade win rate and pressure rate generated.”
In just nine games, Bonitto ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference in sacks per game (0.83) and eighth in tackles for loss per game (1.11).
OU defensive end Ronnie Perkins was awarded honorable mention All-American accolades as an edge defender. Perkins only played five games but finished the season with 21 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks to go with six QB hurries.
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