Three Things That Could Raise Oklahoma's Defensive Ceiling in 2026

The Sooners already have one of the nation's top defenses, and if they can improve in a few areas, the unit could become even more formidable.

Oklahoma defensive back Reggie Powers and defensive back Michael Boganowski celebrate against Illinois State. | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defense was arguably college football’s best in 2025.

The Sooners led the SEC in total defense (272.5 yards allowed per game), scoring defense (15.2 points allowed per game) and sacks (45), and their defensive prowess helped them finish 10-3 and reach the College Football Playoff.

OU graduated several key players — like R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton and Kendal Daniels — after the 2025 season. But the Sooners have plenty of defensive stars back for the fall, including David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Courtland Guillory, Eli Bowen and Peyton Bowen.

Even with the losses, OU’s defense should still be considered one of the nation’s best heading into 2026.

Here are three factors that could affect the Sooners’ defensive ceiling:

More turnovers

As formidable as Oklahoma’s defense was last year, the Sooners finished the year with a negative turnover margin.

The Sooners committed 16 turnovers and forced 13, giving them a minus-three margin on the year.

Oklahoma’s 13 turnovers forced put them tied for 96th in that category nationally. In comparison, some schools created more than 25 takeaways, as Texas Tech (32), Arizona (31) and Indiana (29) finished the season atop the leaderboard.

Though OU started the season 4-0, the Sooners didn’t force a turnover until Week 5, when they beat Kent State 44-0. Oklahoma did create multiple takeaways in three of its final four games of the regular season, but with how daunting the schedule is in 2026, it’s imperative that the Sooners can force more early in the season.

Another breakout on the edge

In 2025, it was Taylor Wein who broke out at defensive end.

Wein finished his redshirt sophomore season with 39 total tackles, 22 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss, seven sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. He was named to the All-SEC Second Team after the regular season.

The one-two punch of Thomas and Wein on the edges created nightmares for opposing offenses. And with Thomas now in the NFL, it would greatly benefit the Sooners’ defense if one of their other edge rushers could experience a similar breakout.

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The first two candidates that come to mind are Danny Okoye and Adepoju Adebawore.

Okoye will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, and he notched two tackles for loss — both sacks — in 2025. Adebawore is heading into his senior year, and he is coming off his best college football season yet, as he logged 17 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in the fall.

Both of them have shown flashes of greatness in backup roles — now it’s time for one of them to emerge as an every-game starter on the opposite side of Wein.

Quick adjustment for Boganowski

Safety Michael Boganowski, now a junior, will likely be an every-game starter for the first time in 2026.

Boganowski backed up Robert Spears-Jennings — who was a senior last year — for two seasons and will now get the chance to show how disruptive he can be in a starting role. The safety was a key rotational piece in 2025, ending his sophomore year with 31 total tackles, 20 solo tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Boganowski has regularly been described as the team’s hardest hitter by OU’s coaches and players. His 83.2 Pro Football Focus tackling grade last year shows that those aren’t just empty complements, too.

The Sooners are largely proven in the secondary, with Guillory and the Bowen brothers establishing themselves as stars in the past couple of seasons. If Boganowski can replicate — or improve upon — Spears-Jennings’ production, OU’s defensive back group could be one of the nation’s best in 2026.