The Football Brainiacs

The Sooners add another really nice piece to the ’26 class as LB/DE Dane Bathurst (6’3 230) out of Carmel, Indiana, has announced his pledge to the University of Oklahoma!

Bathurst is an emerging defensive prospect in the 2026 class, offering an appealing mix of size, motor, and versatility. At about 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, he fits the physical profile of a modern edge defender and backed it up with a productive senior season at Carmel High School, posting roughly 58 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and six sacks. His frame, effort level, and disruptive ability have earned him multiple Power Five offers and positioned him as a fast-rising name on recruiting boards.

Bathurst’s game is built on explosiveness and effort. He fires off the line with a strong first step, uses active hands to disengage, and plays with consistent energy that shows up in both pass-rush and run defense. His length helps him win leverage battles and affect throwing lanes, and his ability to both rush and drop into space gives defensive staffs flexibility in how they deploy him.

He still arrives at the college level with areas to refine. Adding strength will be important as he begins facing bigger, more powerful tackles. Improving lateral movement, change-of-direction ability, and overall speed will help him hold up in coverage and expand his pass-rush toolbox. He also remains somewhat raw technically, relying more on burst and effort than polished counter moves.

Even so, Bathurst projects as a high-upside, scheme-versatile defender who can contribute early on special teams and in situational roles. With continued physical development and improved technique, he has the tools to grow into a reliable, disruptive edge presence at the Power Five level.

Sooners linebacker coach Nate Dreiling and EDGE coach Miguel Chavis will have a prolonged battle to determine who gets a shot with Bathurst first!