Oklahoma Position Battles: Defensive End
Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas left a couple of holes in Oklahoma’s defensive line.
The pass rushing duo are in the midst of their first NFL training camp experiences, meaning Brent Venables and Miguel Chavis will have to find a pair of replacements this year.
Reggie Grimes and Ethan Downs are poised to step into much larger roles this year, and the Sooners landed Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu out of the portal.
The names who will try to fill Thomas and Bonitto’s shoes are known, but the snap counts and starters are still to be determined.
With all the different looks Venables’ defense will employ, there will be plenty of snaps to go around.
But how those snaps get divvied up could be decided in fall camp.
Read More Camp Battles:
Despite being a true sophomore, Downs was picked to represent the Sooners at Big 12 Media Days last month, which may be an early indication of how the coaching staff feels about the Weatherford product.
This wouldn’t be the only coaching staff Downs has impressed either.
Ethan Downs shined in his role as Sooner spokesman at Big 12 Media Days
Jerome Miron / USA TODAY Sports
Last year, Downs was called upon in all 13 games, and he delivered. Downs finished the year with 14 tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 quarterback sacks and a forced fumble in limited action.
And now under the watchful eye of returning strength coach Jerry Schmidt, Downs is preparing to bring even more physicality on the edge this year playing at 263 pounds.
Grimes is another guy who is poised to take on a bigger role in 2022.
After Thomas and Bonitto opted out of the Alamo Bowl, the then-sophomore was rolled out as one of the vocal leaders of OU’s defense.
The Antioch, TN, native backed it up on the field against the Ducks by finishing the contest with three tackles and 0.5 sacks.
His performance in San Antonio was the cherry on top of a productive year where Grimes often found himself in the backfield.
Now, Chavis will have the pair of experienced Sooners to lean on at defensive end before he ever had to dip into the portal.
Laulu brings a different body type to the fold, however.
Jonah Laulu adds more size to Oklahoma's defensive line after arriving from Hawaii via the transfer portal
Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports
At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Chavis described the Hawaii transfer as a “dancing bear” during spring practice, something which was on full display during the Spring Game.
The Sooners rolled out plenty of unique looks defensively, including lining Laulu up across from the tight end on one occasion.
With eight career sacks to his name, Laulu is hoping to thrive under the tutelage of the best coaching staff he’s ever played for.
A wild card at the position could also be redshirt freshman Kelvin Gilliam.
Perhaps no player underwent a larger physical change this offseason, as the Richmond product enters the year at 293 pounds.
A former 4-star recruit, Gilliam only saw action in four games last year.
Gilliam’s senior year of high school featured a spring football season due to COVID, so the highly-touted lineman enjoyed his first true offseason of his collegiate career following the Alamo Bowl.
New faces will take over Chavis’ defensive end room in 2022, but the Sooners have more than enough talent to still get production on the edge this season.
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