David Stone

Freshman defensive lineman David Stone during Walk of Champions on Oct. 19.

 Aden Choate/OU Daily

Oklahoma defensive lineman David Stone has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal, first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 sports. 

The Oklahoma native was expected to make a jump in 2025 and spoke highly of his experience through the winter and spring practices, but surprisingly entered the portal two days ago. 

Now, Stone will return to the unit with his high school teammate freshman Jayden Jackson and seniors Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams. The depth at defensive lineman provides a boost to OU's defense which will continue to face productive SEC offenses. 

The ability to retain Stone points to the effectiveness of the coaching staff and the relationships they've built with him, namely Todd Bates, who is currently the co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackle coach.

General manager Jim Nagy also could have contributed to Stone's decision, as Nagy is tasked with roster management and "implementing a progressive new structure uniquely tailored to meet the most current challenges in college football," according to the press release announcing Nagy's hiring in February. 

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