Sooners in the NFL: Oklahoma's Rookies Make Preseason Debuts

Former Sooners Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman Jr. both turned heads with their first NFL preseason games.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Drake Stoops | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The preseason kicked off across the NFL this week, with all 32 teams playing games.

Dozens of Sooners have been competing for roster spots throughout training camp. This week, they had the chance to show their abilities in game action.

Here are how the former Sooners performed in Week 1 of the preseason:

Stutsman shines for Saints

New Orleans Saints linebacker Danny Stutsman | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Orleans Saints linebacker Danny Stutsman shined in his first NFL game action.

A rookie linebacker selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Stutsman finished his first preseason game with three tackles, two of which were solo, in the Saints’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Stutsman helped stuff a run on a Los Angeles two-point conversion attempt alongside fellow linebacker Chris Rumph II.

During his four years in Norman, Stutsman recorded 376 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He was a consensus All-American in 2024 and earned first-team All-Conference honors in each of his last two college seasons.

Murray opens game for Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t play long but did appear in the Arizona Cardinals’ preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Murray threw an interception on his first drive after completing two passes and rushing twice. He played one more drive, leading Arizona to a field goal after beginning the drive at its own 18-yard line.

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Murray finished the game with 96 passing yards and nine rushing yards.

After winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018, Murray has reached the Pro Bowl twice with the Cardinals. Most recently, Murray led the Cardinals to an 8-9 record in 2024, logging 3,851 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and 572 rushing yards.

Bowman impresses on special teams

Former Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Safety Billy Bowman Jr., like Stutsman, was picked in the fourth round by an NFC South squad.

In his first preseason game with the Atlanta Falcons, Bowman registered two tackles, both of which came on punt defense plays, against the Detroit Lions. On one of them, Bowman held Detroit’s return man to only two yards after fielding the punt.

Bowman started 25 games at safety in his final two seasons at OU, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2023.

Undrafted rookie Ford shines with Giants

New York Giants defensive end Trace Ford | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Trace Ford started only one game on OU’s defensive line in his two years at Norman, but he played well in his first NFL preseason game with the New York Giants.

Ford finished his debut with four tackles, a solo tackle and a quarterback hit as the Giants beat the Buffalo Bills 34-25.

The defensive lineman went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft after logging 22 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles as a redshirt senior last year. Ford spent four years at Oklahoma State before transferring to OU ahead of the 2023 season.

Stoops catches multiple passes for Rams

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Drake Stoops | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

After spending the 2024 season on the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad, wide receiver Drake Stoops played in the Rams’ first preseason game.

Stoops caught two passes for 28 yards as the Rams beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-21.

The son of longtime OU football coach Bob Stoops, Drake Stoops went for 962 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sixth-year senior in 2023. He signed with the Rams after going undrafted in 2024.

DNPs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

While plenty of former Sooners played, some of them opted to sit out of their teams’ first preseason games.

Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield — who won the Heisman in 2017 — didn’t play in the Buccaneers’ game against the Tennessee Titans. Mayfield, who was picked No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2018, has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons with the Buccaneers.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews also didn’t play in his preseason opener. Andrews has made the Pro Bowl three times with the Ravens.

Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb, a consensus All-American at OU in 2019, didn’t play either — but he still found a way to take damage.

While cheering on Cowboys teammate Jonathan Mingo, an official ran into Lamb on the sideline. 

Hardest hit that Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb took tonight was on the sidelines …. and from an official. pic.twitter.com/P2RoVUUyJU

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 10, 2025

Lamb, though, did not suffer any injuries as a result of the collision.