Looking at the Oklahoma defensive line recruiting under Brent Venables

• Gracen Halton (4 stars)
• R Mason Thomas (4 stars)
• Kevonte Henry (4 stars)
• Cedric Roberts (3 stars)
• Alton Tarber (3 stars)

The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff put this group together on the fly. Each of those players committed to Oklahoma after Brent Venables arrived.

Henry left the team in his first spring with the Sooners and is now at Mississippi State. Roberts and Tarber entered the transfer window after one left Thomas and Halton still on the roster.

Thomas was going to have a breakout season in 2023, but fall camp injuries bled into the season and his contributions were moderate. Barring any unforeseen setbacks, the former four-star prospect will have a breakout year in 2024, providing much-needed speed from the sideline to the defensive end.

Halton put together two very strong springs in 2023 and 2024. Now it’s just a matter of carrying them into fall camp and the regular season. He will have a chance to make a significant impact this year.

General presentation

The 2022 class has yet to experience a breakout, but if Thomas and Halton put it together in 2024, the Sooners will reap what they’ve sown over the past three offseasons.