Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive end Charles Tapper (91) in game action against the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Texas 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Line
Tackle Jordan Phillips was a second-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in last spring’s NFL draft, leaving big shoes to fill in the Sooners’ 2015 defensive line. A pair of sophomores, Charles Walker and Matt Romar, will get the call at the defensive tackle positions, and both have looked strong through the opening week of fall camp. Charles Tapper has been a three-year starter at defensive end and is as good as they get in the Big 12 at that position. His counterpart on the other side of the D-line when OU goes with a four-man front is probably going to be Matt Dimon.
The Sooners have some depth at defensive tackle this season, which is a big reason we are probably going to see quite a bit of four-man alignments up front. With a crop of outstanding linebackers at the second level of the defense, the better push the D-line can get on their counterparts across the line of scrimmage, the more it will free up the Sooner linebackers to make plays on the quarterback and the running backs. Backup tackles Jordan Wade and Neville Gallimore also should see plenty of action in the D-line rotation. Wade made several starts two seasons ago when Jordan Phillips went down with an injury, but he playing time was very limited last season.
OU has a new defensive line coach in 2015. Diron Reynolds joins the Sooner coaching staff from Stanford. He replaces Jerry Montgomery, who left after last season to take an assistant coaching job with Green Bay in the NFL. Reynolds spent 10 seasons as a defensive line coach in the NFL before going to Stanford in 2014. Grade: B+
Next: Linebackers