Three Sooners named Phil Steele All-American
Three Oklahoma Sooners were named to the Phil Steele All-America team on Wednesday.
Junior center and co-captain Creed Humphrey was named third-team All-American, while junior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas and sophomore linebacker Nik Bonitto were named fourth-team All-American.
Creed Humphrey
Ty Russell / OU Athletics
Humphrey, from Shawnee, OK, was behind Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum. Humphrey, who anchored Oklahoma’s record-setting offense each of the last three seasons, has declared for the NFL Draft and is widely projected as a first-round pick. Humphrey allowed zero sacks or hits on the quarterback in pass protection this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Thomas and Bonitto were bookend pass-rushers the first half of the season before defensive end Ronnie Perkins returned from NCAA suspension and allowed Thomas to play more inside.
Nik Bonitto
Photo: OU Athletics
Bonitto, from Fort Lauderdale, FL, ranked first among FBS defenders in pass-rush grade, pass-rush win rate and pressure rate generated, according to PFF, and ranked third in the Big 12 this season with 0.85 QB sacks per game (8.5 total) and 10th with 1.10 tackles for loss per game (11.0 total).
Isaiah Thomas
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas, from Tulsa, rose from a reserve role into one of the Big 12’s most disruptive defensive linemen in 2020. He ranked fifth among Big 12 defenders with 0.73 sacks per game (8.0 total) and eighth at 1.14 tackles for loss per game (12.5 total).
