Former five-star defensive lineman David Stone appears poised to take on a larger role after a strong second season for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Stone played sparingly in his first year in Norman. He finished with just six tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack. However, in Year 2, he played well and was a key part of the defense. He had 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. That production was a significant step forward and set the stage for a bigger role in 2026.
Gerald McCoy is one of the all-time best players to ever put on a Sooner uniform. The big-time defensive tackle was recently asked about Stone’s development.
“I’m excited to see if he takes that next step,” McCoy told Kyle Odegard for RotoGrinders. “He played well last year. He’s got something to him. That’s a really good defensive lineman. Now, can he cross over that threshold into dominance? There’s a difference in playing really well and dominating. I believe he has the ability to dominate. I just want to see if he takes that next step.”
That is the question surrounding Stone entering Year 3. He has already shown he can be a productive part of Oklahoma’s defensive front. Now, the challenge is becoming the kind of interior lineman who can consistently change games.
Stone is expected to have more opportunities this season with Damonic Williams and Gracen Halton off to the NFL. If he can take advantage of that expanded role, Oklahoma could have its next dominant presence on the interior defensive line.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Gerald McCoy sees dominant potential in Oklahoma DL David Stone
