Two former Oklahoma Sooners are already flashing at the NFL level, and Pro Football Focus has taken notice.
After seven weeks of the season, PFF and writer Gordon McGuinness ranked the league’s 15 highest-graded rookies, and former OU linebacker Kendal Daniels and former defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings both landed on the list. Daniels came in at No. 5, while Spears-Jennings checked in at No. 7.
Daniels’ placement stands out even more because he returned last week after a scary-looking injury. In Atlanta’s win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, McGuinness wrote that Daniels "was phenomenal for the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers, earning a 90.5 PFF grade.
He recorded 10 solo tackles, three of which resulted in defensive stops, and came away with his first career interception." Daniels’ rookie PFF grade is 77.7.
Daniels spent only one season in Norman, but he made an immediate impact in 2025. He started on Oklahoma’s vaunted defense and fit perfectly at the Cheetah spot.
Spears-Jennings, meanwhile, is making the kind of steady early case that gets noticed fast, especially for a seventh-round pick. McGuinness wrote that Spears-Jennings "delivered another solid performance for the Steelers in Sunday's win over the Saints in Paris, earning a 76.5 PFF grade. He has yet to earn a PFF grade below 60.0 in a game during his young career and has missed just one of his 15 tackle attempts as a rookie."
Spears-Jennings played four seasons for the Sooners and grew into the leader of Oklahoma’s secondary as a senior in 2025. He was one of the key pieces that helped build the foundation of the Brent Venables-era defense.
With Daniels and Spears-Jennings both on the list, Oklahoma’s 2026 NFL Draft class is already leaving a mark early in the pro game. The Sooners had seven players selected in the draft, and several are already taking on important roles with their NFL teams.
In Other News...
B.J. Edwards Gives Oklahoma A Huge Opener Boost Amid Ongoing Fight
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Edwards is also part of a broader challenge to the NCAAs policy, joining other athletes as plaintiffs in a case centered on players from the high school graduating class of 2022. For Oklahoma, the immediate impact is simple: a veteran guard is back in the mix for opening night, even as the larger fight over eligibility continues to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces New Week 9 Concern South Carolina Can Exploit
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The concern does not stop there. Defensive back Eli Bowen is doubtful, and Peyton Bowen is probable to suit up, but the bigger issue is how the offensive line situation could affect Oklahomas ability to handle pressure and stay on schedule. Against a South Carolina defense looking for any opening, that uncertainty is the kind of development the Sooners would rather not be managing this late in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets One Big Defensive Boost As Line Questions Linger
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Up front, the picture is less settled. Left tackle Fred Hinton has been ruled out, while running back Xavier Robinson is back on the available list after being removed from the report, giving Oklahoma at least one piece of good news on offense. The full report still leaves several moving parts to monitor, and the line remains the spot where the Sooners are waiting for clearer answers. [Read more 🡒]