Danny Okoye kept it real with himself, which in return only helped set him up for a potential big 2026 season
The Oklahoma Sooners are expecting a big 2026 season from edge rusher Danny Okoye, who just laid out everything he’s improved in.
The Oklahoma Sooners have spent the last two years with a dominant defensive line. In the 2026 NFL Draft, they have four guys who could get drafted to prove that: R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, Domonick Williams, and Marvin Jones.
The 2027 NFL Draft could feature even more of those kinds of players. We know that David Stone, Jayden Jackson, and Taylor Wein are all going to get drafted. However, Danny Okoye could set himself up for a big 2026 season, potentially leading to a draft selection. Okoye has had the potential to be a game-wrecking type of player for some time now. However, we have yet to see that. His development has taken a while, but 2026 could be the year we see Okoye being unleashed.
“I feel like I have a night-and-day difference from where I was, especially last year or even the year before that,” Okoye said. “Going into my third spring ball, I’ve definitely seen a lot of changes and a lot of stuff in general. Guys I’ve learned from over the years, and people I’ve gleaned information and knowledge from have definitely helped pieces fall into place. The game is definitely slowing down. That’s really what I wanted from the start, and it’s actually starting to happen, which is a great thing to see.”
Okoye kept it real with himself during the process. He knew that he needed to fix some things if he wanted to start seeing the field. Not only that, but you have to commend his loyalty to the program. Okoye could have easily spent the last two years finding a situation that would have allowed him to be a starter at a smaller school.
Brent Venables has always loved Danny Okoye
Last off-season, Venables raved about the stribes Okoye had made. He even said that he couldn’t wait to unleash Okoye on the rest of the SEC. However, we hardly saw Okoye at all. He played very few snaps despite appearing in 13 games. Okoye only had two sacks last season.
After the spring game this past Saturday, Venables took a minute to let everyone in on how Okoye has developed. Of course, this came after Okoye had a huge spring game and disrupted a handful of plays. Venables emphasized that Okoye has been more consistent and focused than ever in his career.
And Okoye has done some amazing physical work. He’s jacked and built like a Greek god. However, none of that matters if he doesn’t have the tools needed to get to the passer and play the run. At 6’4, 245 pounds of pure muscle, Okoye can be unstoppable. However, Okoye has yet to prove anything. He has to go out there in the SEC and make things happen, or none of this means anything.
