The 2026 NFL Draft just wrapped up on Saturday, but that just immediately shifts focus to next year's draft, which includes early hype for a Sooner to be a first-round pick this time next year.
Oklahoma defensive tackle David Stone, entering his junior season, has already been featured in multiple way-too-early mock drafts for 2027, including from Saturday Blitz and CBS Sports.
David Stone could end the Sooners' NFL Draft drought
Stone is a former five-star recruit from the 2024 class who immediately contributed as a freshman and has played in every game of his college football career so far with two starts in 2025. His playing time will only increase in 2026 as an expected full-time starter.
Last season as a sophomore, Stone tallied 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries and a pass breakup while constantly clogging up running lanes. Between Stone's early production and size, listed at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, it's obvious why he's already being considered a first-round prospect a year before the draft.
Read more: Grading every 2026 NFL Draft landing spot for Oklahoma players
Even before the 2026 NFL Draft was over, Saturday Blitz' Nicholas Rome had already released a mock draft for 2027 that had Stone going 21st overall to the Dallas Cowboys, thanks to a pick they got from the Green Bay Packers.
"The Cowboys made a splash in the 1st Round, landing Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence to help level up the defense. Next offseason, the Cowboys should continue to re-tool the unit as they try to push for a Super Bowl," Rome wrote. "David Stone is a monster on the interior who could help replace Kenny Clark or Quinnen Williams long-term."
After the draft ended, Cooper Petagna released CBS Sports' first mock draft looking ahead to 2027. That mock was even higher on Stone, with the New York Jets taking him at No. 15.
"Entering his third season, Stone's athleticism and versatility have quickly shown up along Brent Venables' defensive front. A former five-star out of IMG Academy, he uses cat-like quickness and the ability to displace blockers to create consistent backfield disruption," Petagna wrote.
Obviously exact destinations depend on how the upcoming NFL season plays out, but even a year ahead, the most revealing takeaway from these mocks is that Stone is clearly a first-round prospect and will likely leave OU a year early. That would end the Sooners' two-year drought without a first-round selection and make Stone the program's 50th first-round pick.
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