Brent Venables expects Oklahoma's 2025 OL signees to play 'right away'

The Sooners added five offensive linemen from the 2025 signing class.

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma obviously needs help now on the offensive line, and that could be what the Sooners are getting from their 2025 signing class.

The Sooners on Wednesday added five offensive linemen from the 2025 class during Early National Signing Day. Those signees included Darius Afalava, Michael Fasusi, Ryan Fodje, Owen Hollenbeck and Sean Hutton.

Fasusi was the headliner of the 2025 class between a possible flip to a rival and because he's the top-rated recruit of the bunch. He's a consensus five-star offensive tackle from Lewisville, Texas, and at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, and with his skillset, Fasusi is probably good enough to start for OU in its bowl game if he was able to.

Afalava and Fodje both earned four stars from at least one major recruiting service. Hollenbeck was a consensus three-star recruit. Hutton signed as a preferred walk-on and played alongside Fasusi at Lewisville.

Between the five, they add needed size for SEC competition with an average weight of 305 pounds. Hutton, the walk-on, is the smallest of the group at 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds. Fodje, though, despite being 6-foot-5, is the lightest at 275 pounds. Hollenbeck is the heaviest at 340 pounds.

This season, the Sooners were the third-worst team in the country in sacks allowed while giving up 46, averaging 3.83 a game. Only Virginia and Florida State gave up more sacks than OU during the regular season.

Those numbers obviously show OU needs reinforcements on the O-line. Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh will certainly look to the portal for immediate help, however, that didn't do much this season. But, considering their talent and size, plus OU's desperate need for help up front, Brent Venables also expects the incoming freshmen to make an immediate impact.

"That group overall, just powerful, athletic, incredibly physical, incredibly physically tough," Venables said during his signing day press conference. "And this is a mature group of guys that really believe they're going to be able to come into a really good young group of offensive linemen and going to make an impact, going to make us better. No developmental, quote on quote, type of guys in that group. This is a group of guys that really can line up and play football for us right away once they understand the language and those type of things."

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