The Oklahoma Sooners added another impressive and under-the-radar defensive prospect during the early signing period. Defensive end/linebacker Dane Bathurst signed with the Oklahoma Sooners. Bathurst chose the Sooners over offers from Duke, Nebraska, Louisville, Kansas, Boston College, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Syracuse.
Oklahoma Sooners 2026 Early Signing Period Live Updates, Analysis
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Oklahoma didn’t offer Bathurst until the middle of November, and he attended the Missouri game on an official visit. It didn’t take long for the Sooners to close the deal as the Indiana native committed to Oklahoma last Friday night.
Out of Indiana, Bathurst is a developed pass rusher. He’s great with his hands and does a fantastic job setting up his rush. He’s got a fantastic motor and displays a variety of pass-rush moves to get to the quarterback. In the run game, Bathurst uses his length and strength to set a nice edge to stretch plays to the sideline or force them back inside to his help. Bathurst is fluid in coverage and uses his length to close off passing windows in zone.
There’s talk that the Sooners may look to deploy Bathurst at linebacker. Whether at linebacker or defensive end, Bathurst has the skills, instincts, and motor to turn into a player for the Sooners.
Bathurst will join a defensive end room looking to replace veterans R Mason Thomas and Marvin Jones Jr. The Sooners will bring back Taylor Wein, Danny Okoye, Adepoju Adebawore, Nigel Smith, Wyatt Gilmore, and C.J. Nickson.
Dane Bathurst Highlights
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 3-Star defensive prospect Dane Bathurst signs with Oklahoma Sooners
