In the spring of 2024, murmurs of a true freshman defender performing well beyond his years started to trickle out of the Switzer Center.

David Stone, a five-star phenom defensive lineman out of IMG Academy, was the crown jewel of the Sooners 2024 signing class — but it was his roommate and high school teammate, Jayden Jackson, who was turning heads.

With every spring practice update and message board post, Jackson's first impressions grew to impressive proportions. Eventually, it was suggested that he might be the first true freshman to start along the defensive line in more than two decades.

When the August 30 date against Temple rolled around, Jackson was among the starting 11, making him the first Sooner freshman defensive lineman to start a season opener since Tommie Harris in 2001.

Unlike most freshmen, Jackson's impact on the field didn't fade down the stretch. Instead, it grew, as he appeared in all 13 games — with 10 starts — for the Sooners.

Jackson proved difficult to move off the ball and helped anchor a defensive line that held opponents to 3.1 yards per rush (8th nationally) and 115.8 rush yards per game (18th nationally).

As a result, Jackson earned All-SEC Freshman honors and was also named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, setting him up for an incredible sophomore season.

Fast forward to March 2025, and, just as before, there's noise about a freshman defender who's showing incredible promise. It's not easy to see the field for Brent Venables' defense, let alone do it as a freshman, but it's beginning to sound like Courtland Guillory is carving out a clear path to playing time after being on campus for just a few short months.

A four-star prospect native to Spring, Texas, Guillory was listed at 6-foot, 170 pounds when he arrived on campus this past winter, but is listed at 182 pounds on the latest spring roster.

His weight gain alone is impressive, but the chatter around the program in Norman is what really has people excited about Guillory's addition.

Since the beginning of spring activities, Guillory's name has been a fixture in practice notes, message board inquiries, and player interviews.

This past week, several players met with media and discussed all kinds of topics. When asked about young guys standing out, two veteran Sooners singled out the youngster out of Klein Oak High School.

Senior defensive back Kendel Dolby mentioned him as a young player who's ahead of schedule, while junior linebacker Kip Lewis made sure to single him out as someone to watch.

"Courtland Guillory has been a poised cornerback, turning heads this camp," Lewis said. "I like how he plays, flies around, and covers."

Lewis would know what it looks like, too.

During a breakout year of his own, Lewis was pivotal in two of the Sooners' most significant wins, returning interceptions for touchdowns against both Auburn and Alabama. He didn't do it alone, though, as Oklahoma's other star freshman defender played a big role, particularly against the Crimson Tide.

Eli Bowen wasn't quite as ballyhooed as Jayden Jackson last spring, but he more than made up for it in the fall of his true freshman season.

Down the stretch, Bowen was the best cover man that Oklahoma had in its arsenal and joined Jackson as a Freshman All-American for ESPN. He appeared in 10 games and started each of the last seven contests, recording 30 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, four PBUs, and one interception — which turned out to be one of the biggest plays of the year. Against Alabama, Bowen jumped a screen for a massive interception in the Sooners' 24-3 win over Alabama. Bowen was tasked with shadowing Ryan Williams, a Freshman All-American in his own right, and held him to two receptions for 37 yards.

Now a sophomore, Bowen looks poised to maintain a starting role in the Sooners' secondary in 2025. Additionally, Bowen's experience puts him in a position to help the younger players in his position group, and Guillory appears to be doing his best to soak everything up.

"When it comes down to the older guys, like Gentry [Williams] and Eli [Bowen], they've been putting me on to a lot of game when it comes to my coverages, my calls, everything that Coach Valai expects out of his corners, they've been laying it out what to do and how to do it," Guillory said. "So, I would say them two have been a big help so far."

The Sooners held practice over the weekend, and once again, Guillory continues to flash his potential in a room that needs young players to excel. He logged the only interception of the day and continues to excel while getting a heavy dose of first-team reps.

Regardless of the source, Guiilory has been the first name mentioned among freshmen who have a chance to make a real impact on the defensive side of the ball in 2025, and with the health of the DB room, it might be a necessity.

With Jackson and Bowen setting the precedent in 2024, it appears that Guillory should be penciled in as a young playmaker to keep tabs between now and August 30, when Illinois State comes to town.

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