Oklahoma Football: Top 3 Prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft

Nik Bonitto – Linebacker

Usually, defensive players from the Big 12 are talented but are not utilized efficiently. The Sooners are a program that develops and utilizes its defensive players to a high level.

Three of the five Sooners selected in the 2021 draft were on the defensive side of the ball. The last Sooners linebacker drafted was middle linebacker Kenneth Murray with the 23rd overall pick in 2020. Murray went on to be a leader for the Los Angeles Chargers defense and become a first-team all-rookie in the NFL.

Redshirt junior Nik Bonitto may be the next line of elite linebackers to go from the Sooners’ program to the NFL. Several attributes make Bonitto a highly reliable defender for the Sooners. His versatility had him playing as an outside linebacker as a rusher, a down defensive lineman, and as a traditional middle linebacker. Bonitto possesses speed, strength, quickness to the ball, the ability to read and stay patient.

Last season, Bonitto accounted for 33 total tackles, 19 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and two pass deflections in the 10 games played. He was named a part of the 2020 AP second-team All-American team. He is the most talented and consistent linebacker the Sooners have seen since Murray. It wasn’t long after Murray’s departure to the NFL before the Sooners would have another efficient playmaker leading their defense.

Sporting News has Bonitto as the fourth-ranked linebacker and 47th best prospect in the 2022 Draft. If he keeps this high volume of playmaking up, he could find himself forgoing his senior season to become a potential first round.