Oklahoma Spring Game Preview: 5 Defensive Players to Watch
After a first year far off from what Brent Venables and fans had hoped for defensively, Saturday’s Spring Game provides the first chance for all to see the revamped Oklahoma defense.
The Sooners made a number of notable additions to the defensive side of the ball this offseason both through the transfer portal as well as in their recruiting class with a pair of 5-stars headlining.
Adding to all the new faces is the hopeful development of a bevy of exciting second-year players, thus giving Oklahoma fans a great sense of optimism heading into 2023.
Here are five defensive players to watch for in Saturday’s scrimmage:
LB Dasan McCullough
Justin Harrington (left) and Dasan McCullough (right) working with defensive coordinator Ted Roof
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
Dasan McCullough transferred into Oklahoma from Indiana over the offseason and immediately sparked a lot of excitement and expectations in Norman. With two major pieces of OU’s linebacker room no longer with the team in DaShaun White and David Ugwoegbu, the expectation is McCullough will see a large role right away with the Sooners.
The 6-foot-5, 222-pounder is a former 4-star recruit and has a frame and size that stands out at practice, with a personality that seems to be a dream fit in Venables’ defense.
As a freshman with the Hoosiers last season, McCullough racked up 49 total tackles in 12 games including 6.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.
DL P.J. Adebawore
P.J. Adebawore at the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, FL
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
P.J. Adebawore is one of Oklahoma’s most exciting defensive recruits in recent memory. The nation's 5-star, No. 2-rated edge rusher had his pick of the litter in college football, but ultimately decided to come play for Venables and Miguel Chavis in Norman.
Naturally, the amount of intrigue in seeing Adebawore put on the OU uniform for the very first time will be quite high. And officially at 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, he won’t be hard to miss.
The Kansas City native’s size and athleticism has the Sooners’ coaching staff licking their chops at his potential, with a glimpse to just how quickly of an impact player he can be possibly coming on Saturday.
While Oklahoma certainly did a nice job supplementing the defensive ends room in the offseason through the transfer portal, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Adebawore could become an impact player quicker than maybe some would expect.
DB Peyton Bowen
Peyton Bowen
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
For many reasons similar to Adebawore, Peyton Bowen is going to be someone that Oklahoma fans should squarely have their eyes on Saturday.
Like Adebawore, Bowen is a 5-star prospect and was rated the No. 2 safety in his recruiting class by 247Sports’ composite metric. Factor in his circus recruitment and close connection to star quarterback Jackson Arnold, and the interest to see him take the field for the first time will certainly be there.
Most think that Bowen is certainly capable of being an immediate contributor next season, but the OU safety room is among the most crowded on the roster. Meaning, if he is going to see a lot of snaps next year, he will have to earn it.
Some noteworthy plays on Saturday could certainly be a good way to make an impression heading into the summer.
LB Kobie McKinzie
Kobie McKinzie
Chris Landsberger / The Oklahoman-USA Today Network
As referenced earlier, the Oklahoma linebacker crew is undergoing a bit of a makeover this offseason with veterans like White and Ugwoegbu no longer with the team.
With Danny Stutsman and Dasan McCullough assuredly playing a large role, that leaves at least one starting spot up for grabs — and it would seem redshirt freshman Kobie McKinzie is squarely in the mix to fill that void.
Last year, the 4-star prospect appeared in the final four games of the season primarily on special teams. So, moving into the starting lineup would be quite the leap for him. But this spring, he has certainly looked the part of someone capable of doing so.
At 243 pounds, McKinzie weighs more than both Stutsman and McCullough and is as physically imposing as anyone on the Sooner defense. How he looks on Saturday could provide some hints toward just how close he is to being the high-impact player that fans are clamoring for him to be.
LB Jaren Kanak
Jaren Kanak rushing Nebraska QB Casey Thompson
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
In a similar vein as McKinzie, a bigger role for Jaren Kanak seems to be on the docket in 2023.
A player that has had OU fans extremely excited since his flip from Clemson to Oklahoma following the hiring of Venables, the Kansas native showed flashes in his true freshman season.
Kanak appeared in all 13 games a year ago, accumulating 24 total tackles and one tackle for loss along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
A seemingly perfect fit for the cheetah role after playing mostly safety in high school, Kanak looks to definitely be a potential option for Venables and the Sooner defense immediately in 2023. After an encouraging first season in Norman, a lot of eyes will be on him on Saturday to see if he looks noticeably different going into Year Two.
Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the AllSooners message board community today!
Sign up for your premium membership to AllSooners.com today, and get access to the entire Fan Nation premium network!
Follow AllSooners on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest OU news.
