For Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners, the spring was supposed to be a fresh chapter—a reset after a disappointing 6–7 finish in 2024. But just when it seemed like things were settling down in Norman, wham—another curveball hit the locker room. Only this time, it wasn’t a small leak. It was a five-star flood.
Former five-star recruit and ESPN’s No. 6 overall prospect David Stone—who started every single game as a true freshman—has officially entered the transfer portal. Yeah, the 6’3″, 313-pound defensive tackle, the one fans had pegged as a breakout star for 2025, is out. And it’s not just a blow to Oklahoma’s depth chart—it’s a flashing neon sign that all is not well inside the Sooners’ locker room.
Stone reportedly made the decision out of frustration with limited snaps, despite having logged 88 snaps, six tackles, two for loss, and a sack during his freshman campaign. But whether that reason holds or not, it’s hard to ignore the timing and tone. This isn’t just about playtime—it’s starting to feel like a deeper disconnect.
Locked On Sooners‘ John Williams isn’t buying the ‘I didn’t play enough’ narrative outright. “Okay, you’re wanting to play right away. I get that everybody wants to play right away. You’re seeing a guy like Jayden Jackson, who you were a high school teammate with. You’re seeing him get significant time, and okay, maybe you’re a little bit discouraged. I don’t know. But not being a instant impact guy on day one—that’s no slight to you, dude.”
He’s got a point. Stone’s decision comes despite a glowing spring self-assessment: “I’ve been killing it this spring,” Stone told reporters at the Crimson Combine. “Winter workouts were a fun time for me. I’m up like 15-20 pounds, moving better than ever. So those things, you know, making those small improvements all over—it’s been a big part of my game so far.” That doesn’t sound like a guy ready to jump ship. So what gives?
Oklahoma was hit with a shocker on Friday night: Freshman defensive tackle David Stone entering the Transfer Portal: https://t.co/HFNAm3uOtb
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) April 19, 2025
Well, perspective is everything. Especially when you’re watching teammates like Jackson, who also came from IMG Academy, break into the rotation early. Williams pointed out just how rare that is, saying, “What Jayden Jackson did is rare. Like, it is so unique. Remember, it hasn’t happened at Oklahoma since Tommie Harris. That’s how hard it is to start at defensive tackle as a true freshman.” Still, that comparison might’ve stung. While Halton waited three years to shine, Stone expected to be that guy by year two. “Gracen Halton…. it took until this 2024 season for him to really have a breakout year, and he did,” Williams reminded fans.
Stone wasn’t just part of the plan—he was the plan. In a defense that just saw Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton, and Jackson returning, he was being groomed to anchor that next wave. Instead, he’s stepping out mid-spring, catching Brent Venables and staff off guard. And this isn’t an isolated case……
Brent Venables’ Sooners are facing a major blow
Oklahoma’s offseason has been a full-blown exodus. Between the portal and graduating seniors, 47 players are now gone from the 2024 roster. Losing Jackson Arnold to Auburn stung, but this one? It raises real questions about internal vibes. Something isn’t syncing.
The locker room has shifted, and Venables knows it. To his credit, the head coach is trying to stay ahead of the chaos. “The front office is there to try to be your headlights and be proactive and to anticipate and to have on-hand management when it comes to again, the fluidity and the ability to adapt and pivot at any step along the way,” Venables said. Sounds like the ship is rocking, but they’re trying to keep it afloat.
And to make things even trickier, Stone is blocked from transferring to another SEC program due to intra-conference rules. So while he’s looking for a new home, it won’t be with a direct rival this fall. That limits options—but doesn’t soften the impact for Oklahoma.
So what does this all mean?
For Venables, this is a critical inflection point. A year ago, he was selling a vision built on toughness and long-term development. But in today’s NIL-driven, instant-impact college football world, patience is running thin—even for five-stars. And when foundational guys like David Stone bail early, it raises hard questions about leadership, expectations, and communication inside the building. Well, the culture he’s building is under the microscope now, and any further exits could shift the entire narrative heading into 2025. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned this offseason—it’s that things are definitely not the same in Oklahoma’s locker room anymore.
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