Last year, it was Taylor Weinwho came out of nowhere and became one of Oklahoma's most reliable defensive players.
Wein, an edge rusher, led the Sooners with 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2025. He earned All-SEC Second Team honors for his outstanding campaign and chose to return to OU after the season despite garnering interest from NFL executives.
A redshirt junior, Wein is now a veteran leader on the defense. He represented Oklahoma at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla., on July 20.
There, he singled out two defensive linemen he expects to be key contributors in 2026: defensive tackles Nigel Smith IIand Trent Wilson.
"I think they're seizing the most out of their opportunities," Wein said. "They've been given opportunities, and they're making them count."
Smith and Wilson are needed after the losses OU's defensive line took during the offseason.
Gracen Haltonand Damonic Williamswere both seniors in 2025 and are now vying for NFL roster spots. Markus Strongwas a key backup on the interior of the defensive line and was primed for a larger role, but he opted to transfer to Clemson after the season.
Smith will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall. The 6-4, 295-pound defensive tackle appeared in just one game as a true freshman in 2024 before making three appearances in 2025. He was a consensus 4-star prospect in the Class of 2024.
Wilson is entering his redshirt freshman season, and he played in three contests in 2025. He recorded his lone tackle in the Sooners' season-opening win against Illinois State.
Throughout spring ball, Smith and Wilson both got plenty of reps. And according to Wein, the young defensive tackles made the most of their expanded roles.
"You don't want to take any moment for granted, any snap for granted, and they're not," Wein said. "They're even better teammates, which is really good. And you need that if you want to be successful - you need to be a great teammate."
Smith and Wilson won't be called upon to play starting roles, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
The Sooners retained star defensive linemen David Stoneand Jayden Jacksonafter the 2025 season. Stone has earned several preseason All-American honors over the last few weeks, while Jackson is entering his third season in Norman after logging five tackles for loss and three sacks in 2026.
Both of them come into the year with All-SEC and All-American potential. As a result, the Sooners won't need Smith or Wilson to be every-down players.
But they will be important pieces to the defensive line - and Wein believes both of them are up to the challenge.
"Nigel and Trent have worked their butts off," Wein said. "They've continuously gotten better, and it's going to translate on Saturdays."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahoma as Why Taylor Wein Expects Two of Oklahoma's Young D-linemen to Break Out in 2026 .
