First NFL preseason night shows how loaded Oklahoma’s defense was and can still be

It took just one full night of preseason NFL action for former Oklahoma Sooners to show just how elite Brent Venables’ defense was last college football season, and also how much better it can be in 2026.

We got our first taste of NFL preseason action last week with the Hall of Fame Game, but there was a full slate of six games on Thursday night, with multiple recent OU graduates making their pro debuts and stellar first impressions, especially the players who just came from what was one of the best defenses in college football a year ago. It was enough of a preview to make those paying attention realize just how loaded the Sooners were in 2025.

Gracen Halton and Robert Spears-Jennings impress in NFL debuts

For those on draft day who said defensive tackle Gracen Halton was a steal for the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round, he's already making them look like experts after standing out against the Tennessee Titans. Halton, even while being across from former first-round pick Peter Skoronski most of the night, turned heads with four total tackles (two solo) and a sack.

A sack already pops on the stat sheet, but actually seeing how Halton tallied it is really eye-opening, as he just powered his way through Skoronski, who just became the highest-paid offensive guard in the NFL. Just watch No. 93.

On the other sideline, tight end Jaren Kanak gave a glimpse of his defensive background for the Titans after spending most of his OU career as a linebacker before switching positions ahead of his senior campaign. The Sooners just had too much talent at linebacker for Kanak to really make an impact, and OU needed him at its thinnest position.

Kanak, in his first outing, recorded a solo tackle on special teams. His unique background makes him a perfect fit for special teams, which will also help him make the 53-man roster as a seventh-round pick. However, Kanak injured his pec on Thursday night, so hopefully he's not sidelined long enough to hinder his fight to make the Week 1 roster.

Like Halton, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Spears-Jennings also made a play that was worthy of fans posting all over social media. He had three solo tackles against the Green Bay Packers and also quickly sniffed out an outside run to wrangle in a TFL. OU fans knew as soon as Spears-Jennings was drafted that the Steelers would quickly fall in love with him because of the way he flies around the field.

Read more: Steelers stole a perfect throwback safety in Robert Spears-Jennings

Halton and Spears-Jennings were two of four OU defenders who were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Defensive end R Mason Thomas will make his Kansas City Chiefs debut on Saturday, and linebacker Kendal Daniels will play with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. The Sooners also had defensive linemen Damonic Williams (Arizona Cardinals) and Marvin Jones Jr. (Seattle Seahawks) sign as undrafted free agents.

Producing NFL talent is obviously something for the Sooners to be proud of, but the best part is that only four NFL-level players were lost from the defense. The 2026 defense might have even more future NFL draftees, with defensive tackle David Stone already getting first-round buzz.

One night of preseason NFL action might have been a reminder why the Sooners had such a stout defense in 2025, but with few players out there, it also shows it can be even better in 2026.

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