All Sooners

Oklahoma LB Nik Bonitto Opts Out of Bowl

The OU linebacker will declare for the NFL Draft and miss Oklahoma's bowl trip to San Antonio.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma LB Nik Bonitto Opts Out of Bowl
Oklahoma LB Nik Bonitto Opts Out of Bowl /

The Oklahoma Sooners will be down a major defensive piece in the Alamo Bowl.

Redshirt junior rush linebacker Nik Bonitto announced on Monday he will be opting out of the Alamo Bowl.

“The last four years in Norman have been some of the best times of my life,” Bonitto said in a statement on Twitter. “I have made some unforgettable memories and some long time friends.

“… Although this place has been home, I’m excited for this next chapter of my life. With that being said, I have decided to opt out fo the bowl game and declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. Although my time is done, I will always have that OU DNA.”

This season, Bonitto totaled 39 tackles for the Sooners, including seven sacks, a forced fumble and a pass deflection.

Bonitto was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team last week by the Big 12 Coaches for his play this past season.

The linebacker is the first Sooner to officially opt out of this year’s bowl game to enter the draft, though Spencer Rattler, Theo Wease, Austin Stogner and Jadon Haselwood have all entered the transfer portal.

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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