Next Man Up: Oklahoma's Defensive Line Will Lean on Youth Without Ethan Downs

The emergence of R Mason Thomas last year paired nicely with the steady presence of Ethan Downs on the other end of Oklahoma’s defensive line. 

And while Thomas will be back in 2025 to terrorize SEC quarterbacks, the Sooners will have to replace Downs’ work, especially to set the edge and stop the run. 

Downs played 496 snaps lack year per Pro Football Focus, which ranked sixth on the defense and second amongst defensive lineman behind Thomas’ 529 snaps. 

The Weatherford, OK, product totaled 29 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and three sacks, and Downs also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and tipped a pair of passes. 

Downs started 37 games over the last three years, and he’s been a constant along the defensive line under Brent Venables and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. 

The Sooners have a pair of incredibly athletic options who studied under Downs last year waiting for a larger role, but for different reasons, they didn’t see too much of the field in 2024. 

Read More Next Man Up:

• Oklahoma is Leaning on Experience to Replace Danny Stutsman
• How Oklahoma Plans to Replace Billy Bowman in 2025

Adepoju Adebawore, a former 5-star recruit, had the start of his season derailed by a fluke ankle injury in 2024.

He sustained an injury during a walkthrough, which meant he had a slow start instead of building immediately on his freshman season. 

Adebawore logged three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries as a freshman in 2023, but he was only able to follow that up with 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack last year, and he played just 119 snaps. 

He was able to enter winter workouts feeling much more like himself, and Adebawore said he had gained 15 pounds from the end of last season to the end of March. 

Adebawore hopes that extra mass will allow him to continue to take steps forward, as he feels more and more comfortable in the defense now than he ever has before. 

“I’ve improved my knowledge of the game, awareness, situationally, physicality—all of the above when it comes to D-line play,” Adebawore said. “… (I’m) stronger, faster… It’s easier to shed a block. It’s easier to get knock back.”