Brent Venables sounds like he already has the Sooners' starting defense figured out

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables was on SEC Network on Thursday morning, and although the Sooners are still about three months from kicking off the 2026 college football season against UTEP on Sept. 5, it seemed like Venables has already assembled his starting defense, even before fall camp.

Venables was mainly a guest on SEC Network to talk about the Sooners' schedule, but he was eventually asked to name "a couple of guys" on defense before, in true Venables fashion, proceeding to name at least one player at every position but cheetah, starting along the defensive line and going all the way back into the secondary.

"There's several other guys, but that's a group of guys that are incredibly invested in our program and have been here," Venables said. "None of those guys are portal guys. They're all homegrown, recruited out of high school. Guys that have helped us become an elite unit."

With nine players returning that started at least one game in 2025, it wasn't exactly rocket science to predict the Sooners' top guys on their defensive depth chart for next season, especially after linebacker Owen Heinecke was granted an extra year of eligibility. Even most of the holes to fill where a starter left that position had a solidified backup ready to take over.

Venables rattling names off the top of his head, though, somewhat solidified all those depth chart predictions after the Sooners finished spring camp. The toss-ups seem to be at defensive end opposite of Taylor Wein, cheetah and safety next to Peyton Bowen.

Read more: Sooners post-spring 2026 schedule prediction sets up Red River Rivalry revenge

There's still no real answer on the edge with Venables mentioning both Danny Okoye and Adepoju Adebawore. That does confirm we can expect a position battle there during fall camp, though. There's also obviously no news at cheetah with Venables skipping that position, but it tends to be a revolving door based on matchup.

However, it does sound like Michael Boganowski has solidified himself as a starter at safety to replace Robert Spears-Jennings.

"Mike Boganowski, another safety to line there with Peyton, that's a guy that will run right through your soul," Venables said.

What Venables says in June certainly doesn't mean anything is written in Sharpie, but this is what the Sooners' starting defense is expected to look like right now. And already having a top unit in place before fall camp is a massive benefit for OU to improve heading into the season.

Predicting Oklahoma's defensive starters

DE - Taylor Wein (R-JR)

DT - David Stone (JR)

DT - Jayden Jackson (JR)

DE - Danny Okoye (R-SO) -or- Adepoju Adebawore (SR)

MIKE - Owen Heinecke (R-SR)

SAM - Kip Lewis (R-SR)

Cheetah - TBA

SS - Peyton Bowen (SR)

FS - Michael Boganowski (JR)

CB - Courtland Guillory (SO)

CB - Eli Bowen (JR)

Watch full interview:

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