Sooners' budding star now fully healthy and ready to make his mark as Oklahoma's next elite defensive playmaker
Last year, the Oklahoma Sooners were one of the most disruptive defensive lines in college football. However, defensive ends Ethan Downs and Trace Ford are now off to the NFL, taking away two key rotational players as part of the Sooners' pass rush. A new rising star is set to take the mantle, however, and […]
Last year, the Oklahoma Sooners were one of the most disruptive defensive lines in college football. However, defensive ends Ethan Downs and Trace Ford are now off to the NFL, taking away two key rotational players as part of the Sooners' pass rush.
A new rising star is set to take the mantle, however, and he's finally 100% healthy for the first time in his Sooners' career.
Entering his third season at Oklahoma, defensive end PJ Adebawore is ready and primed for a breakout season. A former five-star defensive end recruit, Adebawore has battled injuries in his freshman and sophomore seasons that have limited his reps and impact.
Adebawore has just over 300 snaps in his career with just ten career tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. However, he's finally healthy and ready to show the world what he can do with his elite athleticism.
“Anyone who goes through any type of injuries, it’s always going to be difficult. Going through it, and the aftermath of just trying to bounce back, but the good Lord has me, and I just try to believe in that every single day.”
The brother of Indianapolis Colt and former fourth-round pick in 2023, Adetomiwa Adebawore, PJ Adebawore has proven that athleticism runs in the family. As a recruit, Adebawore was a track and powerlifting star in high school and brings an elite NFL-ready frame at a chiseled 6'4, 261-pound frame with unbelievable length at an 84" wingspan.
He's made an impact when he does come in, with a solid 10% pass rush win rate in 2024 and 14.7% in 2023.
With Downs and Ford off to the NFL, Adebawore is in line to be the next man up and finally turn in a full season in Norman.
The Sooners have seen a similar trajectory in the same room. R Mason Thomas also struggled with injuries at the beginning of his career with Oklahoma, but the Sooners and this staff stuck with him through it all and remained committed to him. He responded in kind with a fully healthy 2024 season where he led the team in sacks and pressures as one of the best pass rushers in college football.
Back in 2023, Ethan Downs stated that Adebawore will be the most dominant football player to come out of Oklahoma in a very long time. He has the tools to do so, and I'm excited to see what he can do in the future.
