Ranking the top seven linebackers in school history

Oklahoma football: Ranking the top seven linebackers in school history

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 20: The Oklahoma Sooners flag is waved from the field after a touchdown against the Iowa State Cyclones in the first quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners won 28-21. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

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LUBBOCK, TX – NOVEMBER 17: Wide receiver Danny Amendola #20 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is tackled by Curtis Lofton #40 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first quarter at Jones AT&T Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

No. 2 — Curtis Lofton

Our runner-up is the fourth Brent Venables-coached linebacker on the list and also it’s youngest player.

Curtis Lofton’s magnificent 2007 season pushes him near the top of this list, as he was a game-wrecker for opposing coaches to deal with. Lofton was known for forcing turnovers and changing the momentum of games.

Like Shoate, Lofton also played his high school ball in Oklahoma and nearly ended up at Oklahoma State, before Venables convinced him to be a Sooner instead. He was a consensus All-American in ’07 and also was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Lofton provided so many great moments that year, and the Sooners took home the Big 12 title with redshirt-freshman Sam Bradford leading the offense and Lofton heading up a fiesty defense. That OU team took down the high-powered Missouri Tigers offense twice to win the conference, and Lofton’s defense was a big part of making that possible.

Lofton also leads all former Sooners in the NFL with nearly 1,000 tackles.

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