Several national experts have rated the Oklahoma Sooners' defensive line as the best in the SEC going into the 2025 season. The strength of that unit is further emphasized by a backup defensive end outside of the starting rotation who is primed to have a breakout season.
Adepoju "PJ" Adebawore came to Oklahoma as a consensus five-star prospect at defensive end and a member of the 2023 freshman class. Although he came to OU with high expectations and an elite rating, the Kansas City, Missouri, native has been patiently waiting for his time to shine. And the belief among Sooner coaches is that this could finally be the year.
Adepoju Adebawore primed for breakout season
Adebawore was rated as the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2023 class by 247Sports and the No. 9 player overall nationally when he signed with the Sooners. The 6-foot-4, 261-pound junior has played sparingly in his two seasons in Norman. He has seen action in 23 games, but recorded just 10 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss over that time.
The expectations were high for Adebawore when he arrived at Oklahoma because of his five-star rating, but as his position coach Miguel Chavis reminded reporters recently, not all five-stars come in and dominate the line of scrimmage and make an immediate impact. Development is also an important piece, and that generally takes some time.
At the OU Football Coaches Luncheon in late July just ahead of the start of fall camp, head coach Brent Venables disclosed that Adebawore struggled with turf toe throughout the 2024 season, which also would have slowed his development and progress.
Both Chavis and Venables believe this could be the year that Adebawore finally delivers on the expectations that brought him to Oklahoma now that he is over his medical issues and fully healthy. The junior defensive end has been one of the more impressive players in fall camp thus far.
"(I) expect him to finally jump into a comfort zone where he can play at a consistent level," Venables said.
"He's been just amazing," Chavis said about Adebawore's progess. "He's having a really good camp, and he's about 265, 7-1 wingspan. And, man, he's, you know, he's coming into his own, which I'm really excited to see."
And soon, Sooner Nation will be, as well.