The Football Brainiacs

Noteworthy Numbers

1973-1974 – Tony Peters

1950-1952 – Eddie Crowder

Player Profile

Position: Defensive Lineman

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 251

Class: Redshirt Freshman

Seasons at OU: 1

Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.

Previous School: NOAH Homeschool

The Path to Norman

Danny Okoye was an in-state recruit out Tulsa who the Sooners had as a priority. Okoye, a highly-sought Edge prospect, received an OU offer relatively early in his recruitment. However, it was a long time until he came to campus for a visit. After becoming more familiar with Coach Venables, Okoye made a few visits to campus in the spring and summer of 2023, followed by an official visit for the 2023 season opener. His top six included Alabama, LSU, Colorado, Texas, and Tennessee, with the latter two and the Sooners making up a final three. Not long after the official visit, he committed to the Sooners. The 2024 defensive line class of David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Nigel Smith, Wyatt Gilmore, and Okoye was one of OU’s most impressive DL groups in years.

Career so Far

Okoye played in two games in 2024 while taking a redshirt season; he earned SEC Fall Academic and SEC First-Year Academic honor roll nominations.

Stats

Year: 2024

Games Played: 2

Stats via Soonersports.com

Highlights

This Season

R Mason Thomas will be the clear leader of the EDGE group and defense as a whole. The Sooners brought in Marvin Jones from the transfer portal, while Taylor Wein, PJ Adebawore, and more return to compete at the spot. However, Okoye’s name has been mentioned a lot this offseason and he clearly has the staff’s attention. He’ll be hard-pressed to start, but Okoye has the tools to be a factor in OU’s two-deep on the edge this fall.