Considering he's a returning All-SEC Second-Team honoree, there hasn't been enough buzz about Oklahoma defensive end Tyler Wein leading up to the 2026 college football season, and ESPN agrees.
ESPN on Thursday used its way-too-early top 25 to list an under-the-radar player from each team in the rankings, and Wein was who ESPN's Eli Lederman chose for the Sooners.
Taylor Wein quietly emerging as Sooners' best player ahead of 2026
"A second-team All-SEC selection last fall, Wein still might not be the first face you think of within a defensive core that returns veterans like Peyton Bowen, Jayden Jackson and Kip Lewis," Lederman wrote. "But the redshirt junior is no secret around Norman after his breakout campaign on one of the nation's top defenses a year ago."
Wein somewhat quietly led the Sooners with seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss last season, while also posting 39 total tackles, a pass breakup, an interception and a forced fumble. It was a massive breakout redshirt-sophomore season for Wein after totalling just two tackles in 12 games in 2024.
Despite the impressive showing, though, Wein was still somewhat overshadowed by fellow edge rusher R Mason Thomas most of 2025. Thomas led OU in sacks almost all year until missing the last three games of the regular season with an injury, and Wein took the lead in the stat then.
Now with Thomas headed to the Kansas City Chiefs, Wein enters 2026 as the undisputed leader of the Sooners' pass rush that should still be lethal. Yet, a still loaded defensive unit that's been headlined by the sudden return of linebacker Owen Heinecke has still stolen some of Wein's thunder and has him considered under-the-radar.
Wein isn't go unnoticed by those who have paid attention, though. Former OU linebacker Teddy Lehman recently on his podcast, "The Oklahoma Breakdown," deemed Wein as the Sooners' best player for 2026. Lederman is also apparently taking notice.
If Wein is considered under-the-radar in April, he won't be by November.
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