Oklahoma's NFL Draft Success Will Only Propel Brent Venables on the Recruiting Trail

OU's NFL Draft record will continue to be a major selling point to recruits as more former Sooners get selected in the draft this weekend.

NORMAN — On Thursday night, 32 lifelong dreams will come true.

After months of anticipation and mock drafts, the 2022 NFL Draft is finally here.

Now a three-day spectacle, hundreds of the best college football players anxiously wait to hear their names called.

Oklahoma will have a large contingent of former players who are likely to fly off the draft board by Saturday night, as evidenced by the 11 Sooners who were invited to the NFL Combine in March.

While those prospects are ready to start the next stage of their careers, where each one gets drafted will also have an impact on Brent Venables’ program.

The NFL Draft has long been a recruiting tool for college programs across the country, as continued success in the draft proves year after year a program can take a recruit and help guide them into the professional ranks.

“It’s important that there’s a history of development, that the players coming from your program can be developed, that you can facilitate all of (their) dreams,” Venables said.

Currently, Oklahoma is in the midst of a streak of proving the program can develop pro prospects.

The Sooners have had four or more players selected in 14 straight drafts — the most of any program in the nation — and appear to be on pace to extend that streak again this weekend.

Over that span, OU has also had 10 players selected in the first round, which is something that resonates with high school recruits.

“They’re very aware of it,” Oklahoma defensive tackles coach Todd Bates said. “Most of them that play this game, that’s their ultimate dream or ultimate goal.

“… They want to go where they’ve got the opportunity to be recognized and get seen. At OU, they can do that.”

This year, defensive line appears to be Oklahoma’s best hope at landing another first-round pick.

But even if Winfrey or Nik Bonitto have to wait until Friday’s second or third rounds to hear their names called, the duo will be success stories for the coaching staff to sell on the recruiting trail.

On top of the success the former Sooners are expected to have this weekend, Venables’ staff is also in a unique position to sell the success of Clemson, too.

With Venables and Bates coming over as former on-field coaches for the Tigers, alongside former Clemson support staffers Ted Roof and Miguel Chavis, OU’s defensive staff will be able to take advantage of the success Venables’ defense had under Dabo Swinney.

“While we were at Clemson,” said Venables, “I think we might have had the most defensive linemen drafted and a bunch of guys drafted over the last decade.

“I think it just gives you credibility that, OK, you get good players, but you still gotta coach ‘em. A lot of people get good players, but you gotta coach ‘em.”

In total, Venables has coached 57 defensive players who have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2000, including 12 first-round picks.

Now, the Venables pedigree is once again combined with that of Oklahoma’s, which should restore credibility back to the Sooners’ recruiting efforts in the years to come.

“For me as a coach, one of my biggest fears is that my player or players would underachieve,” Venables said. “Nothing more fulfilling from an Xs and Os, development standpoint than seeing one of your players overdeliver.

“… Whatever opportunity you have, you overdeliver. You go above and beyond. For a coach, that’s a very pleasing place to be, is to have your players above and beyond their ability each and every week.”

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