Oklahoma Has Come a Long Way on Defense Over the Last Decade

A peak back at the starting lineup heading into the 2016 season gives perspective on the job Brent Venables has done.

Oklahoma Sooners take the field against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Houston Cougars won 33 to 23. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

College football moves quickly. Looking back 10 years at any random game may make you think you're watching a slightly different sport.

That's especially the case when it comes to Oklahoma's defense heading into the 2016 season compared to the unit Brent Venables is rolling with in 2026.

Starters and depth chart for Week 1 vs. Houston.

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— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) August 29, 2016

The team in the final season of Bob Stoops had a different identity. The defense had not yet begun to slide into the abyss, but the signs were there. Offensively, they were a machine — which balances out this comparison considering the amount of questions the 2026 offense has.

The improvements in athlete on defense are subtle. It goes to show that as the program's defense began to slide in the late 2010s, they were not that far off from having better outcomes. Venables' recruiting, development and ability to stockpile talented depth in the era of the transfer portal have become valuable commodities.

Oklahoma Sooners safety Steven Parker (10) and defensive tackle Charles Walker (97) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners defeated the Cowboys 58-23. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive Line

2016 Player	Height/Weight	2026 Player	Height/Weight
Charles Walker	6-2, 299 pounds	Jayden Jackson	6-2, 310 pounds
Jordan Wade	6-3, 311 pounds	David Stone	6-3, 315 poounds
Matt Dimon	6-2, 275 pounds	Taylor Wein	6-4, 266 pounds
Matt Romar	6-0, 304 pounds	Nigel Smith II	6-4, 295 pounds
DJ Ward	6-2, 265 pounds	Trent Wilson	6-3, 310 pounds
Amani Bledsoe	6-5, 270 pounds	PJ Adebawore	6-4, 260 pounds
Obo Okoronkwo	6-2, 245 pounds	Danny Okoye	6-3, 258 pounds

Oklahoma's defensive schemes were much different under Mike Stoops. Obo Okoronkwo, arguably the best player on the defenses of that era, was the standing defensive end in the 3-4 attack.

On average, the 2026 front line is roughly one inch taller and 6.5 pounds heavier.

The caveat is that 2016's defensive line was also older, resulting in more phyiscally mature body types: All but Amani Bledsoe (a freshman) were redshirt juniors or seniors. 2026 has a redshirt freshman, a redshirt sophomore and only one senior.

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The defenses of the late-2010s had fine talent in the starting ranks. It was the depth where the program struggled. 2026's defense has front-end talent, depth and some realistic expectations for incoming freshman to see the field early.

Linebacker

Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

2016 Player	Height/Weight	2026 Player	Height/Weight
Jordan Evans	6-2, 235 pounds	Kip Lewis	6-1, 226 pounds
Tay Evans	6-2, 242 pounds	Owen Heinecke	6-1, 230 pounds
Curtis Bolton	6-0, 235 pounds	Cole Sullivan	6-4, 230 pounds
Emmanuel Beal	6-0, 211 pounds	James Nesta	6-3, 235 pounds
Ruben Hunter	6-2, 225 pounds	Marcus James	6-3, 235 pounds

Linebacker depth is where the 2016's collection truly struggled. With Owen Heinecke's return in 2026, linebacker depth is leaning more towards a strength than its previous decade counterpart.

2026 edges 2016 in physical makeup — not a surprising trend — but one of the biggest red flags happened to be one of the better players from 2016 in Emmanuel Beal.

Beal played a lot in 2016 and logged 81 total tackles (46 solo) and three tackles for loss. But at only 6-0, 211 pounds (for added context, that's the same size as Bowe Bentley), his lack of size played into the Sooners' slide on defense in the late-2010's.

Whether you compare Beal's body type with any of the three "starters" in 2026, you get a clear picture of the job Venables has done. Even James Nesta or Marcus James — players who have yet to see serious time on the field yet, but may very well be called upon in 2026 — give you more confidence with their superior size.

Cornerbacks

2016 Player	Height/Weight	2026 Player	Height/Weight
Jordan Thomas	6-0, 190 pounds	Eli Bowen	5-9, 185 pounds
Dakota Austin	5-10, 163 pounds	Courtland Guillory	6-0, 187 pounds
Parnell Motley	6-0, 180 pounds	Jacobe Johnson	6-2, 206 pounds

Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory (4) and Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) reach for the ball during a NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This comparison is interesting because it shows that measurables don't always gurantee if you're a good football player or not.

There won't be many who argue that Eli Bowen isn't great at his job — in fact, he's been excellent at corner since he stepped onto the field as a true freshman in 2024. Even at 5-9, 185 pounds, Bowen is rarely outplayed due to his size.

Courtland Guillory was the first true freshman corner to start the season opener since 2015. His play in 2025 suggests that the present and future is bright for the firey corner.

2016's crop of corners suffered from a lack of size and inconsistency. That may have had more to do with coaching schemes more than anything. Regardless, 2016-2019 saw a revolving door of corners every other week.

Safeties

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Steven Parker (10) reacts during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2016 Player	Height/Weight	2026 Player	Height/Weight
Ahmad Thomas	6-0, 215 pounds	Michael Boganowski	6-2, 210 pounds
Steven Parker	6-1, 204 pounds	Peyton Bowen	6-0, 203 pounds
Will Sunderland	6-2, 201 pounds	Omarion Robinson	5-11, 212 pounds

The safeties are the only spot where 2016 has a measurables edge on average.

Because Okoronkwo was placed on the defensive line, this list doesn't include cheetah backs Reggie Powers III or Jeremiah Newcombe, both of whom bolster the size of the 2026 Oklahoma defensive backfield.

Along with Okoronkwo, Steven Parker may be one of the few players from 2016 that could crack the two-deep, if not start, in Venables' 2026 defense.

But the playmaking ability and the physical play of 2026's safeties are one of the many reasons that people are excited about the defense this season.