Sooners No. 13 in Athlon Sports’ power rankings

Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto (11) celebrates after sacking Iowa State’s Brock Purdy (15) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. Oklahoma won 28-21. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

However, there are personnel voids to fill at every level. Isaiah Thomas, Perrion Winfrey, Nik Bonitto and Brian Asamoah top the list of losses up front, while Delarrin Turner-Yell and Patrick Fields depart the secondary. – Lassan, Athlon Sports

The Oklahoma Sooners lost a lot of pieces from their defense. That can’t be denied. However, they’ve got quite a few players with promise that were turning heads last year and will be in line for an increased role.

Marcus Stripling, Reggies Grimes, and Ethan Downs will be counted on to replace Bonitto and Thomas. If the spring game is any indication, then the Sooners won’t simply be fine, they’ll be great off the edge in 2022.

Jalen Redmond and Jeffery Johnson are a really nice defensive tackle duo. It might be the most underrated position group on the roster right now. Throw in Jonah Laulu who will flex inside along with Isaiah Coe and Jordan Kelley who both flashed in 2021, and the defensive line is going to be really good.

The Sooners have experience at linebacker that will help them replace Asamoah with DaShaun White and David Ugwoegbu, but also a guy like Danny Stutsman will be a key player for the Sooners in 2022.

Though the secondary lost Turner-Yell and Fields, they’ve got a guy in Key Lawrence who had some big moments for Oklahoma last year. Billy Bowman may be counted on to start at safety after an up and down 2021 season (his true freshman year), but the Sooners still have Woodi Washington, D.J. Graham, Jaden Davis, and Justin Broiles to play key roles in the secondary.

The defense will be improved.