Adepoju Adebawore, DL
Adepoju Adebawore will soon live up to the hype as a former consensus five-star recruit from the 2023 class. Adebawore, now a junior, had the talent to immediately see the field as a freshman and also appeared in every game last season, but ankle injuries and veterans in front of him have kept Adebawore from really blossoming into what was expected from him out of high school.
Now healthy, Adebawore should see more playing time and could even crack the starting lineup with Ethan Downs gone to the NFL. Even if he gets off to a slow start, more experience alone will elevate Adebawore to a new level by the end of the season.
Troy Everett, C
There are little expectations for any player who was a part of the Sooners' abysmal offensive line last year, but the thing is, OU was so bad up front last season because guys like redshirt senior Troy Everett weren't truly involved.
Everett not only missed spring ball and fall camp last year, but also the first five games because of injury. It was never actually good, but the Sooners' offensive line did improve late in the season, and it's no coincidence it was after Everett was back at center.
After a full healthy offseason and not beginning his season halfway through, plus getting pushed by Stanford transfer Jake Maikkula, Everett will be a key reason why the Sooners' offensive line is tremendously better in 2025.
Kobie McKinzie, LB
Spending his first three years in the shadow of Danny Stutsman, Kobie McKinzie now gets the spotlight and will be the backbone of OU's defense as a redshirt junior in 2025.
McKinzie has improved every season, tallying career-highs with 30 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season in two starts. That was while sharing a position with tackling magnet Stutsman, though, so now as the starting middle linebacker, McKinzie has the ability to also end up being one of the best tacklers in college football with newfound opportunities.
Isaiah Sategna III, WR
Isaiah Sategna III should be the fastest and most explosive player on every football field.
Compared to how bad the position was last season, OU's wide receiver room is full of breakout candidates in 2025, but Sategna still has the most potential because of that speed after transferring from Arkansas. He can also be a weapon on special teams as a return man.
Taylor Wein, DE
When OU defensive end R Mason Thomas was asked about breakout candidates for 2025, he mentioned the guy who has been behind him on the depth chart, Taylor Wein.
Wein will still just be part of the rotation with the Sooners having so much talent on the edge, but depth pieces like Wein is why many believe OU will have the best defensive line in the country. Wein's contributions could sometimes go unnoticed throughout the season, but he'll still be a reason the Sooners won't pay when their starters need a breather.
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