How Oklahoma DB Reggie Powers III Has Become Staple in Sooners' Secondary

The crowd at Williams-Brice Stadium took a collective gasp when Reggie Powers III leveled South Carolina wide receiver Jayden Sellers on Saturday.

Powers, a sophomore defensive back, met Sellers in the flat immediately after he caught a pass in the third quarter of OU’s 26-7 win over the Gamecocks. The defensive back hit Sellers squarely in the shoulder, knocking him on his back.

A flag for targeting quickly flew from the official, much to the disdain of Powers and his surrounding defensive teammates. But upon review, the referees decided that Powers wasn’t guilty of targeting.

Oklahoma led 24-7 at the time of the hit, and the Gamecocks’ drive stalled two plays later. 

The adrenaline and momentum from the Sooners’ winning effort alleviated any pain that Powers might have felt from such a brutal collision.

“I don’t really feel it when I hit people,” Powers said.

Powers, though, suspects that Sellers endured all of the effects.

“He definitely felt it,” Powers said.

The notable hit against the Gamecocks is just one example of Powers’ impact during the 2025 season.

Powers played in 12 of OU’s 13 games last year as a true freshman, but he only played on 21 defensive snaps, and all of those came in the Sooners’ lopsided wins against Temple and Maine.

This year, Powers has played 185 defensive snaps, the 12th most of any OU defender. Most of his reps — 94 snaps — have come at the cheetah position, which is a hybrid between defensive back and linebacker. He has also played free safety and box safety.

So far in 2025, Powers has registered 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack after finishing 2024 with only three tackles. Powers believes that his role at cheetah has elevated his game and made him a more impactful defender for the Sooners.

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“I feel like you’re not really limited to one thing,” Powers said. “That’s what I really like about the position I’m in, like, you’re kind of in the middle of it all, you talk to the corners, safeties, linebackers, so just being in that spotlight, you can just be a leader and play fast.”

Powers is one of three Sooners that have taken the brunt of the snaps at cheetah, along with Kendal Daniels and Kendel Dolby.

The cheetah position has long been a staple in Brent Venables-led defenses, and the Sooners’ head coach believes that trio has helped Oklahoma’s defense perform exceptionally at all three levels.

“They’re just a bunch of dogs,” Venables said. “These guys, man, they’re edgy, they’re tough, they’re excellent in their skill sets. Reggie can play multiple spots. Kendal Daniels can play multiple spots. Kendel Dolby could play in multiple spots. It’s the best group that we’ve had.”

The cheetah group — and Oklahoma’s other defensive backs, linebackers and defensive linemen — will face its toughest test yet on Saturday.

OU hosts No. 8 Ole Miss, which ranks third in the SEC in total offense (491.1 yards per game) and fourth in the league in scoring offense (37.4 points per game). The Rebels have shown their ability to be excellent both through the air and on the ground with players like quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receiver Harrison Wallace III.

Thus far, Powers, Daniels and Dolby have thrived, thanks to their versatility and strong chemistry with OU’s other defensive players. Those things must be on full display against the Rebels for the Sooners to neutralize their high-powered offense.

“It’s definitely all about communication, getting the signal and communicating to everybody around us,” Powers said. “It’s going to be a loud game, so we’re making sure we’re all on the same page, and communicating every play is gonna be a big part of that.”