Depth Chart Thursday: Mapping the Sooners' Two-Deep After Spring Camp
With an overhauled front office and new pieces across the roster, Brent Venables' projected starters are taking shape for 2026.
As the Oklahoma Sooners navigate the crucial stretch of Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026, the roster is beginning to crystallize following their April 18 Spring Game return. Coming off a 10-3 campaign that ended in a hard-fought 34-24 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff First Round, head coach Brent Venables and new General Manager Jim Nagy have been constructing an NFL-style front office to ensure a deeper run next winter.
For this week's Depth Chart Thursday, we are breaking down the projected starters and key position battles taking shape in Norman.
Quarterback: Arbuckle's Clear Hierarchy
Second-year Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle enters the summer with absolute clarity under center. Veteran John Mateer is firmly entrenched as QB1. Behind him, the hierarchy has been established with true freshman Bowe Bentley securing the primary backup role. Whitt Newbauer and Jett Niu round out a quarterback room that was reshaped after Michael Hawkins Jr. exited via the transfer portal.
Offensive Weapons and the Witten Effect
The skill positions feature a compelling mix of returning production and portal acquisitions. Returning starters Isaiah Sategna and Xavier Robinson provide established stability, while incoming transfer wideouts like Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone are heavily engaged in battles for premium perimeter snaps. Perhaps the most intriguing position group is tight end, where newly hired coach and NFL legend Jason Witten has completely revamped the room. Expect incoming transfer additions like Hayden Hansen, Rocky Beers, and Jack Van Dorselaer to heavily feature in the offensive rotation as Witten builds his ideal depth chart.
Defense: Bates' Front Seven Reshuffle
Defensive Coordinator Todd Bates is tasked with replacing massive NFL departures, including Marvin Jones Jr., Kendal Daniels, Febechi Nwaiwu, Gracen Halton, and R Mason Thomas. Fortunately, the Sooners return foundational pieces to build the new-look defense around. Projected front-seven starters David Stone, Kip Lewis, and Danny Okoye bring tremendous physical presence and disruptive potential. Furthermore, portal additions like Cole Sullivan are already pushing the returning veterans, ensuring that positional battles will remain intensely competitive through the remainder of the offseason.
Published 5 months ago
Staff
Staff writer for SEC Saturday Wire covering college sports.
Process Notes & Methodology
The article maps out the projected Oklahoma depth chart following spring camp, directly answering the 'Depth Chart Thursday' theme. It focuses on the offensive and defensive hierarchy, leveraging the spring game and transfer portal outcomes.
The introduction hooks the reader by referencing the 10-3 season and CFP loss to Alabama, using the recent April 18 spring game to transition into roster evaluation.
The body relies on the verified QB depth (Mateer as QB1, Bentley as backup), skill position transfers (Harris, Livingstone, Hansen), returning defensive stars (Stone, Lewis, Okoye), and the impact of coordinators Arbuckle and Bates alongside new TE coach Jason Witten.
The conclusion pivots to the ongoing defensive competition fueled by portal additions, setting up the narrative for the rest of the Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026 season.
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