Who Will Step Up for Oklahoma with DE R Mason Thomas Out for First Half vs. Auburn?

NORMAN — For the first half of Saturday’s game against Auburn, Oklahoma’s defensive room will be forced to lean on the next man up.

Senior defensive end R Mason Thomas will miss the first 30 minutes against the Tigers after being ejected for a targeting call in the Sooners’ 42-3 win against Temple.

That means junior edge rusher Adepoju Adebawore will make his first-career start at right defensive end.

Adebawore believes that he and any other defensive ends asked to play at that spot in Thomas’ absence are up for the challenge.

“Whoever’s out there, we’re gonna play to our standard,” Adebawore said.

A native of Kansas City, Adebawore was a 5-star prospect and the No. 4 player in the Class of 2023, per On3. His production in his first two seasons in Norman, however, was minimal. Adebawore combined for 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 23 games between the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Adebawore’s role hasn’t been major so far in 2025, playing only 58 defensive snaps in OU’s first games. But the defensive end has improved in each game.

He logged a Pro Football Focus (PFF) overall defensive grade of 61.8 in the Sooners’ season-opener against Illinois State. Then, Adebawore’s grade improved to 65.1 against Michigan before he logged a season-best grade of 68.3 against Temple.

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Even for just a half, it will be near impossible to replace Thomas.

As a junior in 2024, Thomas logged 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.

But Adebawore believes that his development will allow the Sooners to be similarly strong on the edge with Thomas out for the first half against Auburn.

“I think I’ve been growing physically in how I strike and how I look, and I think the game slows down every single year for me,” Adebawore said. “That’s the number one thing. So, I think my growth is very proper.”

Adebawore likely won’t be the only defensive end to play on the right side against Auburn.

On this week’s depth chart, freshman Wyatt Gilmore is listed behind Thomas and Adebawore. Gilmore recorded his first-career sack in the Temple game.

OU defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis might also decide to get creative with how he gives players reps. It’s possible that Chavis could move players like Taylor Wein, Danny Okoye and Marvin Jones Jr. from the left side to the right side to give Auburn’s offense some different looks.

“I think we have a very good promising group, and we’ve shown that week by week,” Adebawore said. “As long as we practice well, prep well, practice to our standard and we execute, we should be OK.”

Thomas will almost certainly take his first-team reps back when he is allowed to play again in the third quarter on Saturday.

And Adebawore expects him to be the same playmaker that he always is for the Sooners.

“He's gonna come in and be the same person he would if he was playing the whole game,” Adebawore said.