Who are the top ten best players on the Oklahoma Sooners roster heading into the 2025 football season?
Ahead of the spring transfer portal window, I wanted to start priming articles about the state of the Oklahoma Sooners' roster, taking a look at the top players, players who I expect to take a step forward, breakout starters, and the like. For this article, I wanted to look at and rank the top ten […]
Ahead of the spring transfer portal window, I wanted to start priming articles about the state of the Oklahoma Sooners' roster, taking a look at the top players, players who I expect to take a step forward, breakout starters, and the like.
For this article, I wanted to look at and rank the top ten players on the Oklahoma Sooners roster (before any spring additions, of course). I used a combination of both film and data to rank my list of players. This is firmly my opinion.
Top ten players on the Oklahoma Sooners roster
10. CB Gentry Williams
This requires a lot of projection, but it's hard to forget how good Gentry Williams was in 2023 before suffering a shoulder injury in 2024 that saw him play just 17 snaps. Williams was a shutdown cornerback who played a key part in Oklahoma's 10-3 2023 season, including a pivotal interception against Texas that set the tone for Oklahoma's victory that year.
While we have no idea what he'll look like after surgery and away from football for a season, he deserves a spot on this list based on what he can be if he returns to form.
9. Cheetah Kendel Dolby
Kendel Dolby was terrific from a playmaking and leadership standpoint to start the season for the Sooners before suffering an injury in Week 4 against Tennessee that knocked him out for the season.
If he's back to full health, his presence in the secondary will bring some much-needed experience and playmaking to that unit.
8. SAF Robert Spears-Jennings
With Billy Bowman off to the NFL, the leadership of the secondary falls to Robert Spears-Jennings, who has already stepped up as a key playmaker for the Sooners' defense.
A terrific box safety and blitzer, Spears-Jennings provided several key stops and big plays for Oklahoma's resurgent defense in 2024.
7. DT Gracen Halton
I feel like people often overlooked Halton on the Sooners' defensive line, but he was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the country last season. Halton posted 29 pressures, four sacks, and an 11.3% pass rush win rate, higher than potential first-round pick Walter Nolen. His safety against Houston sealed the victory for the Sooners.
With another year of development under his belt, I'm excited to see what Halton can do in 2025.
6. DT Jayden Jackson
It was a surprise to many to see Jayden Jackson earn the starting nose tackle job as a true freshman, starting out the gate in Week 1. However, Jackson proved the coaching staff's faith in him was well-deserved, as Jackson was the anchor behind Oklahoma's elite run defense this season.
5. QB John Mateer
While the hype around John Mateer has been excellent in the spring, I'm only keeping him at five simply because we haven't seen him play for Oklahoma yet. I have no doubts he is a dramatic upgrade over what the Sooners had under center last season, however.
4. CB Eli Bowen
I've written extensively about the talent of Eli Bowen and just how good he was as a freshman. The fact that he is fourth on this list is more indicative of the talent of the rest of the roster than anything for Bowen.
Bowen routinely shut down opposing teams' top receivers against some of the best offenses in college football. He's one of the best cornerbacks in college football.
3. LB Kip Lewis
As good as Danny Stutsman was last season, I felt like Kip Lewis was better in 2024 while operating over as the Sooners' WILL linebacker. Now, Lewis returns to man the middle of Oklahoma's defense once again.
His two pick-sixes against Auburn and Alabama cemented the Sooners' two biggest wins of the 2024 season. Lewis has the ability to be Oklahoma's highest-drafted linebacker over the last decade.
2. WR Deion Burks
People forgot just how talented Deion Burks is coming off of some injuries in 2024, but we're a year removed from him being in first-round consideration. He's the unquestioned top playmaker on Oklahoma's roster and simply operates at a different speed than the rest of the room.
If he's 100% this season, it wouldn't surprise me if Burks re-cemented himself in the first round for 2026.
1. DE R Mason Thomas
While we could debate the rest of this list, the only name that truly stands at the top is R Mason Thomas. Thomas was one of the best pass rushers in the country last season, posting 35 pressures and nine sacks.
Thomas dominated competition and closed down games on his own. His performances against Tulane, Auburn, and Alabama clinched those games for the Sooners, and he slammed the door shut in each of those games.
He might be Oklahoma's first first-round pass rusher since Cedric Jones back in 1995.
Honorable Mentions/Projections
I believe there will be a few players on this list by the end of the year who didn't make the cut this season.
- DE PJ Adebawore
- DT David Stone
- WR Javonnie Gibson
- OT Michael Fasusi
- LB Samuel Omosigho
