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Young budding superstar defender primed for a breakout season for Oklahoma Sooners after successful offseason

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By AJ Schulte | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 7:45 PM ET

The Oklahoma Sooners pulled off arguably this staff's biggest recruiting win when they signed five-star defensive tackle David Stone as part of their 2024 class. Stone is one of the highest-ranked recruits in Oklahoma history, and his upside is through the roof.

Despite playing a limited snap count in his freshman season, Stone made plenty of impactful plays on film, and is looking to build off of that in his second season.

In the words of defensive tackles coach and assistant head coach Todd Bates, Stone is on the verge of a breakout season after his offseason. At the OU Football Coaches Luncheon this week, Bates said Stone has "shown all the things that he's going to take the next step".

Brent Venables, Ben Arbuckle and Todd Bates today at the OU Football Coaches Luncheon:

“We’re in a much different place than a year ago. We really like where we’re at right now.” - Venables

“John Mateer makes everyone around him better.” - Venables

“(John Mateer) has a way of… pic.twitter.com/xYbpyTWdeE
— The REF (@KREFsports) July 24, 2025

People around the team have raved about how he has attacked this offseason in the weight room, and he's stood out throughout the spring and summer.

If Stone has taken steps to add more weight and get stronger to hold up in the run game, his snaps are likely going to skyrocket. Last season, he was stuck behind Gracen Halton, Damonic Williams, and Jayden Jackson. While all three of them return this season, Stone earning more snaps from them will only make the unit stronger.

Oklahoma's new offense could also help influence Stone's success this season. Last season, Oklahoma's anemic offense allowed teams to have more confidence playing possession and relying on the run game, forcing Jayden Jackson and Damonic Williams, two run stuffers, into the lineup fairly regularly.

If the Sooners can put more pressure on opposing offenses and force them to pass more often, Stone's natural tools will shine in those frequent one-on-one situations and boost his production.

While there's no guarantee, the buzz about Stone has only continued to build throughout the offseason. As he grows under Venables and Bates, his potential feels sky-high.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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