Oklahoma’s Trent Wilson Using Winter Work For Spring Opportunity, Eyes Fall Play

NORMAN — Brent Venables said Oklahoma’s reserves need to close the gap with the starters if the Sooners want to build on last season’s success, putting the backup players on notice.

But even before Venables shared those offseason mission objectives in early March, the next wave of defensive line talent was already demanding the attention of their teammates.

"Me and (Gracen Halton) came back and watched one of their mat drills," Damonic Williams said at OU Pro Day on March 11. "You see that the sky is just the limit to them. Coming back from mat drills, it was just a huge difference. I’m like, 'Bro, y’all mindset changed."

Nigel Smith and Trent Wilson represent that next wave of defensive line talent. With stars David Stone and Jayden Jackson recovering from offseason procedures and taking on mentorship roles this spring, Smith and Wilson have kept the upward momentum that Williams saw during winter workouts.

"The vets definitely poured a lot into me," Wilson said on Tuesday. "Gracen helped me with my get off. I had a great get off at first but he helped me with being consistent with it. And with Dom, we talked a lot about the runs and the correct stance and the hand placement. So both of them definitely passed things down to me."

Wilson, a four-star recruit and Rivals top-100 player from Washington, D.C., redshirted in 2025 after only playing 30 total snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He, along with Smith, are making the most of their extended opportunities this spring — and each is pushing the other to get better.

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"He been making me a better player," Wilson said of Smith. "We compete a lot. So we on the same line so each play is a competition. We getting each other better without even knowing."

Smith echoed the importance of friendly competition two weeks ago.

"As much as it is important for me, it is important for him," Smith said on March 26. "We both been grinding, the same. He has been taking a huge step. Just watching film, both up in that film room with (Todd) Bates all the time. That is us taking a big jump that I didn’t see us doing last year. It is more fun for both of us because we are both now really in this.

"Me and Trent just have to get right," he added.

As with many young players pushing to see the field for the first time, Wilson found that patience was a key lesson to learn. While opportunities were few and far between in 2025, spring 2026 is primetime for the budding defensive lineman.

"I waited until my opportunity which is this year to show what I really can do. Just blessed to be in this opportunity right now," he said.

Venables has been quick to praise his young defensive linemen for their efforts this spring, mentioning that both Wilson and Smith are well beyond where they were at the end of last season. As the stars sit, Wilson is already thinking about how this spring prepares him for fall.

"With them being out it’s getting me in game shape," Wilson said. "Last year I didn’t play a lot so this is my opportunity to get in game shape and just experience football so when the season comes, I’m ready to go."