Oklahoma's best player decides on his future and it should make Sooners fans hopeful for 2025

The Oklahoma Sooners have lost over 30 players to the transfer portal, but they have made tremendous strides in keeping their key players headed into the 2025 season and their second in the SEC. Kip Lewis, Damonic Williams, and Deion Burks have all announced their return to play in Norman next season. However, Sooners fans […]

AJ Schulte College Football Trending News Writer
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Dec 27, 2024; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32) tackles Navy Midshipmen fullback Alex Tecza (46) during the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
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The Oklahoma Sooners have lost over 30 players to the transfer portal, but they have made tremendous strides in keeping their key players headed into the 2025 season and their second in the SEC.

Kip Lewis, Damonic Williams, and Deion Burks have all announced their return to play in Norman next season. However, Sooners fans have been sweating out the announcement of defensive end R Mason Thomas. It was originally announced a few weeks ago that he would return, but the post was quickly taken down. 

Since then, there have been some cryptic messages about his stance that stirred up plenty of drama with Oklahoma fans, who were already looking for more miserable news after the way 2024 ended. 

However, the pall has been lifted with Thomas's announcement on Monday. 

R Mason Thomas announced he will return for 2025. This is a massive, massive win for the Sooners. Thomas was seriously considering declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, and he was in the running to be a top-100 selection. 

Thomas led the Sooners in sacks (9), pressures (36), and pass rush win rate last season (13.9%). Game after game, Thomas wracked up production and was a key cog in Oklahoma's defensive resurgence last season. I haven't seen an Oklahoma defender take over a game the way he did against Tulane in years, and he kept up his play throughout the season.

R Mason Thomas finished the year as PFF's sixth highest-graded edge rusher in the SEC. His 36 pressures tied likely first-round pick Landon Jackson and his nine sacks saw him finish fifth in the SEC last season. 

With the return of several key players like Thomas and the addition of more talent in their 2025 recruiting class and transfer portal haul, Oklahoma's defense feels poised to continue their elite level of play from the 2024 season.