Oklahoma Sooners defender one of the most feared in college football

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The Oklahoma Sooners defense became one of the best in college football in 2025, and the expectation is they will once again be in 2026. At the tip of the spear for the Sooners is a defensive line that should once again be the unit that leads the way for Brent Venables’ defense.

One defensive star that’s going to be heavily relied upon in 2026 is David Stone. There are first round projections for Stone in the 2027 NFL Draft, and CBS Sports believes he’s one of the most fearsome defensive players in college football for 2026.

Stone led all defensive linemen in snaps in 2025 and finished fourth on the team in total pressures and stops, according to Pro Football Focus. He was a disruptive force for OU and part of the ascension that took place for the defense last year.

This year, the Sooners will rely upon him even more with the departure of Gracen Halton, who was Oklahoma’s most disruptive interior player a season ago. Stone’s size, strength, quickness, and athleticism create fits for opposing offensive linemen, and when teams attempt to double-team him, it only opens up opportunities for others, like defensive tackle Jayden Jackson, defensive end Taylor Wein, and more.

Taylor Wein finished 2025 with more sacks than Dylan Stewart, who came in at No. 2 on the list, but wasn’t included among the top 26 most feared defensive players in college football. Wein was an All-SEC second team selection after a breakout season in 2025 and should be just as disruptive for the Sooners again in 2026.

Stone’s play in 2025 is generating a lot of offseason discussion about what he could do for the Sooners in 2026. While he’ll be a big reason why the Sooners succeed this year, Oklahoma’s defense has a bunch of talent at all three levels that will lead OU back to the College Football Playoff in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: David Stone among the most feared players in college football

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