'The Oklahoman's' Sooners with breakout potential in 2025
So, Ryan Aber and Colton Sulley at The Oklahoman took a look at six potential candidates for breakout seasons as OU gets ready for fall camp this week in hopes of shedding the memories of last year's 6-7 season.
Kendal Daniels spent his first four years of college playing at Oklahoma State. The Beggs High School graduate as a regular in 2023 and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2024 as a safety. Last year, OSU used him more aggressively in the pass rush, and his tackles for loss totals and sack totals went up as his total tackles went down. Head coach Brent Venables, who will also call the team's defensive plays, anticipates a similar style this year with the Sooners.
"Kendal Daniels jumping into that linebacker group has made everybody better. He's got great versatility," Venables said.
Marvin Jones and Taylor Wein made the list as defensive ends.
Jones is penciled in as starter on the opposite side of Thomas, having played previously in the Southeastern Conference at Georgia and then last year in the Atlantic Coast Conference at at Florida State. Jones recorded four sacks with the Seminoles and, even if he doesn't start at Oklahoma, should see plenty of time.
Wein is a bit more unknown, having logged most of his time on special teams last year. But Venables and Thomas both praised him this summer.
'Taylor Wein wants it. You can tell,' Thomas said. 'So I'm not gonna be surprised when y'all are talking about him in the media and whenever he gets five sacks and it's like, going crazy, it won't be a surprise, obviously I see him every day.'
Derek Simmons, a transfer from Western Carolina, was selected on the offensive line. With the Catamounts, Simmons started 16 games over the last two seasons. And last year, he didn't allow a single sack while lining up at tackle. The experience came at the FCS level, but Oklahoma's offensive line needs all the help it can get after leading the nation in sacks allowed last year.
At skill positions, tight end Kaden Helms and wide receiver Isaiah Sategna, a transfer from Arkansas, made Aber and Sulley's list. Helms has spent most of the last two years injured, but was loaded with potential when Oklahoma signed him out of Nebraska in the Class of 2022. Sategna left his hometown of Fayetteville despite a strong season last year in which he caught 37 passes for 491 yards. Both players provide Mateer with even more weapons at his disposal.
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