Led by a pair of defenders, 11 Sooners named to Athlon Sports preseason All-Big 12 teams
The Oklahoma Sooners are due for a bounce-back season after their 6-7 campaign in 2022. While there are question marks, the Sooners look like a team with improved talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Some of that improvement is simply due to progression and more time spent in the system. The other part is Brent Venables and his staff hit the transfer portal to add players that can make a significant impact in 2023.
Still a few months away from the start of the 2023 college football season, Athlon Sports Steve Lassan released his All-Big 12 preseason teams, and 11 Oklahoma Sooners were featured. Six were from the offensive side of the ball, and five were on defense, including two newcomers. One player earned a pair of distinctions. Here’s a look at the Sooners who were named to Athlon’ Sports’ preseason All-Big 12 team.
Ethan Downs, Edge -- First Team
Ethan Downs had a strong end to the 2022 campaign, picking up 18 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in the final four Big 12 games. He was a disruptive part of the defense in his first season as a starter for the Sooners. If they’re going to take a step toward respectability as a unit, Downs will have to build on that late-season performance.
Danny Stutsman, LB -- First Team
Danny Stutsman had a strong 2022 season for the Oklahoma Sooners. He led the conference in tackles and the linebacker position in PFF’s stops metric. He was seventh among linebackers in pressure while playing nearly 1,000 snaps in his first year as a starter. There are high expectations for Stutsman going into his junior year. If he continues to progress, the Sooners will have one of the best linebackers in the country in 2023.
Dillon Gabriel, QB -- Second Team
One of the most trusted passers in the Big 12, Dillon Gabriel brings his passing prowess and experience back for 2023. Gabriel is a good quarterback and he had a good year in 2022, but he and the offense need to improve their third down and red zone efficiency to take the Sooners offense to another level.
Jovantae Barnes, RB -- Second Team
Jovantae Barnes had a fantastic true freshman campaign, rushing for more than 500 yards as the backup to Eric Gray. Barnes has a chance to have a big-time workload for the Sooners in 2023 and will likely share snaps with Gavin Sawchuk in the running back rotation.
Jalil Farooq, WR -- Second Team
The heir apparent to the WR1 target share, Jalil Farooq is a do-it-all wide receiver that can win at every level of the defense. His physical running style makes him a threat on screen passes, and he has the route-running prowess to win in the intermediate part of the passing game. The former four-star prospect is going to have a big season in 2023. The only question is how big?
Andrew Raym, C -- Second Team
Andrew Raym has been a good player for Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line. Raym earned the fourth-highest offensive grade from Pro Football Focus in 2022 and the third-highest run-blocking grade. In his fourth season with the Sooners, the hope is he can take his game to the next level.
Rondell Bothroyd, DL - Second Team
One of the big acquisitions from the Sooners transfer portal class, Rondell Bothroyd produced in a big way at Wake Forest. Over his last two seasons, Bothroyd recorded 93 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for the Demon Deacons. In 2022, he earned the second-highest defensive grade among edge players from Pro Football Focus.
Gavin Sawchuk, RB -- Third Team
That both Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes appear here speaks to the talent that the Oklahoma Sooners possess at running back heading into the 2023 season. Sawchuk showed his breakaway ability in the Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State and again in the spring game. It’s not inconceivable to see Barnes and Sawchuk combine for 2,000 total yards.
McKade Mettauer, G -- Third Team
In just over 800 snaps in 2022, McKade Mettauer didn’t allow a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. With the Sooners losing three offensive linemen to the NFL draft, Mettauer’s presence, like that of Andrew Raym, is incredibly valuable. Turnover is expected every offseason, but to lose three-fifths of your offensive line creates serious questions. At least at one guard spot, the Sooners are solid.
Billy Bowman, S -- Third Team
Like much of the defense, 2022 was an up-and-down year. A lot of the down can be attributed to the absence of Billy Bowman who missed all but five plays in the TCU game and all of games against Texas and Kansas, games in which the Sooners defense gave up 40-plus points. In his first season as a starter, Bowman recorded the third-highest coverage grade among Big 12 safeties.
Dasan McCullough, LB -- Fourth Team
If everything goes according to expectation, Dasan McCullough could be one of the best defenders in the conference this year. After a 2022 season that earned him true freshman All-American recognition from ESPN, McCullough is making the move from edge rusher to Brent Venables cheetah position. He showed off great athleticism and play-making ability in the spring game, providing further optimism that the Sooners can make drastic improvements defensively.
Jalil Farooq, KR -- Fourth Team
When Jalil Farooq took over as the kick returner in the wake of Billy Bowman’s injury, the Sooners’ return game found some juice. He had long returns of 47 and 36 yards and averaged 22.9 yards per return. His decisive running style and physicality in the open field gives Farooq the opportunity to break a big return with every opportunity.
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