The first Oklahoma football player off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft is a familiar name for OU fans.
Nik Bonitto was chosen as the final pick of the second round (64th overall) on Friday by the Denver Broncos. Bonitto was projected by many as a third-round draft pick, but Denver, led by general manager George Paton and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett, nabbed him right at the end of Round 2.
Denver knows a thing or two about pass rushers, and that happens to be Bonitto’s best skill. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah raved about Bonitto’s ability to bend and use his balance to get to the quarterback. Bonitto was moved around the field a lot in his two years as a starter in Alex Grinch’s defense in 2020 and 2021. He totaled 19.5 sacks in his OU career and 33 tackles for loss.
Bonitto brings his 4.54 speed and 6-foot, 3-inch, 240-pound frame to a Broncos defense that needs to be better at rushing off the edge. The expectations in Denver are higher in 2022 than they have in a long time, due to the offseason trade made for Russell Wilson with the Seahawks. Wilson welcomed Bonitto to the squad on Friday night.
With the 64th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Broncos go 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 on @nikkkkbonitto! #OUDNA ➡️ #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/dJbcPrtjby
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) April 30, 2022
Denver also has a new head coach, Hackett, after firing Vic Fangio after the 2021 season. The Broncos gave Seattle multiple draft picks in order to acquire one of the game’s elite quarterbacks and pair him with a first-time head coach.
Bonitto is not the only former Sooner set move to the Mile High City, however, as Denver also drafted safety Delarrin Turner-Yell in Round 5 (152nd overall). Bonitto and Turner-Yell were two of the leaders for the Oklahoma defense over the past couple of years.
Bonitto and Turner-Yell join five other Sooners to be picked in the 2022 draft. Brian Asamoah was the second OU player selected in this year’s NFL Draft, going to the Minnesota Vikings. Perrion Winfrey, Michael Woods and Isaiah Thomas are all headed to Cleveland to join the Browns. And, finally, offensive tackle Marquis Hayes was the final Sooner off the board, chosen by the Arizona Cardinals.
OU’s 2021 season may be remembered for some untapped potential, but its 2022 NFL Draft class can all go write their own individual stories in the National Football League.