247Sports news: Oklahoma Sooners Made the best and a Significant Choice at The Transfer Portal

Damonic Williams, the best defensive lineman still available in the On3 portal, committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday.

Williams began playing for the TCU Horned Frogs in 2022, thus for head coach Brent Venables’ Sooners, he will be a junior.

Fresh Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman The top remaining DL according to On3’s transfer site rankings was Damonic Williams.

Williams was rated as a three-star recruit by On3, but according to their transfer portal rankings, he is a four-star recruit out of high school.

In the On3 transfer site rankings, Williams was one of just three defensive linemen still rated as four stars. The other two are former Michigan State Spartans, Andrew Depaepe and Simeon Barrow Jr.

On3, Barrow Jr. has a 53.3% probability of joining the Miami Hurricanes, while Depaepe is still unsure. The remaining defensive lineman with an On3 aggregate rating of greater than 91 are these three four-star players.

Despite being rated as a three-star high school recruit, Williams was listed as a four-star defensive lineman in the transfer portal by both 247Sports and Rivals.com.

Damonic Williams contributed to TCU’s victory in a College Football Playoff match.

Damonic Williams, standing at 6 feet 2 inches and 320 pounds, is a formidable opponent on the inside. Even though his contributions aren’t always visible on the scoreboard, he leaves his mark on the field. This was the situation during his freshman season when he assisted the Horned Frogs in their College Football Playoff game against the Michigan Wolverines.

Williams made 60 total stops, 4.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in his two years at TCU. Williams’ ability to overcome blocks and double teams with strength and quickness will be a huge asset to the Oklahoma Sooners in their SEC debut.

Damonic Williams must assist the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners defense has not been among the best in the league despite employing a defensive-minded coach in Brent Venables. Despite facing Big 12 opponents, the Sooners’ defense is mediocre at best.

Now that they’re in the SEC and will have to play against some of the best college football players available, the Sooners will need to improve. If the Sooners are to contend for an SEC title and a berth in the College Football Playoff, ranking 80th in the country in terms of total offense allowed is not going to be good enough.

The Sooners’ running defense in 2023 was 44th in the country, giving up 138.6 rushing yards per game. Their ability to stop the run should be much enhanced by having a large player like Williams.

The Sooners’ new defensive coordinator may be yet another area of potential development. Ted Roof, the former defensive coordinator for the Sooners, was let go by Venables. Zac Alley, a former defensive coordinator for Jacksonville State, will take over as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator.

Alley worked under Venables at Clemson, and Venables expressed his excitement about Alley taking over the role going forward in a SoonerSports.com piece.

“Welcoming Zac to our coaching family at Oklahoma makes me extremely happy,” Venables stated. He’s going to blend right in in terms of chemistry, philosophy, and culture. Of course, there’s a comfort and familiarity from our shared Clemson experience. He is incredibly tough and hardworking, and by striking out on his own and making a name for himself, he has worked his way up the professional ladder. He is highly intelligent, creative, and driven.

“Our players will adore him.” He is incredibly self-assured and humble, and he never stops looking for methods to improve. He has experience working with the secondary, coaching linebackers and the defensive line, and winning awards as a special teams coordinator at Boise State. He has improved his units everywhere he has been, and he will continue to do so here. He’s a great fit with our staff.

If the Sooners hope to contend in the SEC, they have a great deal of work ahead of them. Williams and Alley’s additions will significantly contribute to ensuring that progress is made.