Oklahoma State 2025 Position Preview: Defensive Line

The Cowboys will need a big year from the guys up front.

Oklahoma State Cowboys defensive end Jaleel Johnson (95) celebrates his sack with Iman Oates (99) in the first half the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Arizona State Sun Devils at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov., 2, 2024. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State’s defense will need to be strong up front to turn things around in 2025.

This offseason was full of changes for the Cowboys, but the defense might be the most notable, especially up front. As the Cowboys look to produce a solid defensive unit again this fall, their biggest players will need to be ready to battle.

Although Todd Grantham’s additions through the portal will have to build chemistry and adjust to playing in Stillwater, there is no shortage of talent on the defensive line for the Pokes going into the season.

Defensive linemen on roster

DE Kyran Duhon, So.
DE Michael Riles, Fr.
DE Rashod Bradley, Jr.
DE DeSean Brown, R-Jr.
DE Landon Dean, R-Jr.
DE Armstrong Nnodim, R-Fr.
DE Jaleel Johnson, R-Jr.
DT Sitiveni Havili Kaufusi, R-Sr.
DT Austin Young, R-Fr.
DT Aden Kelley, R-Sr.
DT Michael Diatta, R-Sr.
DT De’Marion Thomas, Jr.
DT Luke Webb, R-Fr.
DT Iman Oates, R-Sr.

With a healthy mix of newcomers and returners in the middle and on the edge, OSU’s defensive line could come together quite quickly in 2025. Although there’s no guarantee the fit will be seamless, there should be plenty of reason for optimism up front.

Stars on the edge

UTEP transfer Kyran Duhon highlights OSU’s defensive ends. Earning a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team as a freshman last season with 43 tackles and seven sacks, Duhon is arguably the best transfer OSU landed this offseason. Rashod Bradley, one of the nation’s top JUCO transfers, will also be looking to make an instant impact upon arrival in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State defensive end Kyran Duhon poses for a photograph during the Oklahoma State Cowboys football media days in Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Saturday, Aug., 2, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Add in returning Cowboys DeSean Brown and Jaleel Johnson, who are looking to improve on solid seasons in 2024, and OSU might have the perfect mix on the edge. Brown played in all but one game last season, making 14 tackles and a sack, while Johnson’s 21 tackles and two sacks in 10 games make him one of OSU’s most productive returning defenders.

Meanwhile, true freshman Michael Ryles might have a chance to make an instant impact in his first year of college ball. A four-star recruit, Ryles could be a star of OSU’s defense for years to come.

Experienced in the middle

Iman Oates returns for another season in Stillwater after racking up 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks last season. While the Cowboys have some other returners, the defensive line’s interior will mostly be dominated by some key transfer additions.

Vanderbilt defensive lineman De'Marion Thomas (98) sacks Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza (3) during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michael Diatta enters his senior year after making 31 tackles at Virginia in 2024. Vanderbilt transfer De’Marion Thomas is looking to build off his 34 tackles as a sophomore last season. Add in UCLA transfer Sitiveni Havili Kaufusi, who is entering his seventh season of college football, and the Cowboys have plenty of talent and time on the first line of defense.

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