Sooners further bolster defensive line with the addition of Jermayne Lole
Heading into the waning hours of spring football on the prairie, there were two positions that people around Norman felt could use a bit of help in the transfer portal.
The first and most obvious need was along the offensive line after last year's exodus, and an injury to Troy Everett left the Sooners vulnerable there. The other position that could use some depth was the defensive line, particularly along the interior. Truth is, you can truly never have too many big uglies to clog up running lanes in the SEC.
That's exactly what Todd Bates and the Sooners are hoping Jermayne Lole will do for them in 2024 after they secured a commitment from the former Louisville standout this weekend.
Lole, who began his collegiate career as a defensive end, is listed at 6 feet 3 inches, 310 pounds, and hails from Long Beach, California.
As a member of the 2018 Class, Lole committed to Arizona State and spent his first three seasons with the Sun Devils, where he grew into one of the best defensive linemen in the Pac-12. In 28 career appearances for ASU, he totaled 123 tackles, 20.0 for loss, 11.0 sacks, eight pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Entering his junior year in 2020, Lole was named PFF Preseason All-American and First-Team Defensive Line. However, his career would hit a snag after that, as he suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp that forced him to miss the entire 2021 season.
Looking for a new start, Lole transferred to Louisville ahead of the 2022 season and was set for a big year with the Cardinals. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe elbow injury just two games into the season and was forced to miss a second consecutive season.
In 2023, however, Lole came back with a vengeance.
Appearing in 12 of the Cardinals' 14 games, he recorded 19 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. After receiving a medical redshirt, Lole opted to return to college football for one more season. Now he'll spend it in Norman as part of a suddenly daunting group of interior defensive linemen.
After the addition of Lole, the Sooners boast a deep rotation of both experienced and highly talented defenders. Lole and Da'Jon Terry provide a strong duo of experienced vets in the room. Add to that names such as Jayden Jackson, David Stone, and Gracen Halton, all of whom have had fantastic springs, and you've got the best defensive line Oklahoma's had in the better part of 15 years.
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