David Stone
Oklahoma#11 overallDraft Movement
Holding at #11 since Jun 8
Scouting Report
David Stone arrived in Norman as the consensus No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2024 class, a five-star Del City kid who anchored an IMG Academy defense that gave up 3.0 points per game as a junior. His Oklahoma debut was uneven: 94 defensive snaps across 13 games, six tackles, a brief April 2025 transfer-portal flirtation he withdrew from two days later. The reset was real. Under Jerry Schmidt that winter he added 18 pounds of muscle, climbing from 295 to 313 while improving explosive testing across the board, and turned spring practice into a launching pad. Through six games of 2025 he ranked second on the team in tackles with 23, added five TFLs, 1.5 sacks, a pass deflection, and led all SEC defensive tackles in pressures while finishing tied for fourth in conference sacks. His PFF run-defense grade sat at 92.8%, the best on Oklahoma's deep interior rotation, and his 18.6% run-stop rate paced the unit. CBS named him a Midseason All-American and nfldraftbuzz already grades him as the No. 1 DL in the 2027 class with a top-five overall projection. At 6'3" and 310 pounds with near 35-inch arms and sub-4.9 wheels, Stone is the prototype attacking three-technique who can also two-gap when asked. The film shows violent hands, an explosive get-off, and a motor that runs through the whistle; the developmental box left to check is a counter-rush plan and the discipline to play within the scheme on misdirection. If junior year mirrors sophomore year, he is in the QB-and-Smith tier of the 2027 board.
Strengths
- Explosive first step paired with heavy, active hands wins the line of scrimmage immediately
- Near 35-inch arms create elite strike-zone length and let him control blockers before they latch
- Violent punch power jolts guards backward and opens passing lanes with swipes, clubs, and rips
- Carries 310 pounds with surprising lateral agility, chasing plays sideline to sideline
- 18.6% run-stop rate led Oklahoma's interior and 92.8% PFF run-defense grade rated elite for SEC interior
- Disengages from blocks with urgency rather than stacking and shedding passively
- Converts speed to power on bull rush when finesse stalls against veteran linemen
- Motor runs hot through blowouts, pursuing from the backside and finishing plays well past the LOS
Weaknesses
- Pass-rush plan still linear with limited counter moves to complement the power game
- Plays overaggressively at times, running himself out of plays when blockers redirect his momentum
- Field vision and play-recognition lag the physical tools, especially on misdirection and play-action
- Hand technique can drift out of sync with footwork, inviting holding calls when he gets grabby
- Off-field maturity flagged as a freshman with the brief portal episode, still developing mental consistency at 19
- Cutback-prone when he overshoots his gap on penetration
- Run-defense leap is one-year sample and needs to repeat in 2026 to lock in the grade
NFL Comparison
Jalen Carter (penetrating 3-tech with violent hands and elite first step); Sheldon Rankins (310-pound interior disruptor with surprising lateral agility); Christian Wilkins (five-star pedigree, motor, and three-down versatility along the interior)
College Stats
2024 (FR): 13 G, 94 def snaps, 6 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack. 2025 (SO, through 6 G): 23 tackles (2nd on team), 5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 PD; led SEC DTs in pressures, tied 4th in SEC in sacks, 6th in SEC pass-rush win rate; 92.8% PFF run-defense grade, 18.6% run-stop rate (team-best)
Measurables
Awards & Honors
CBS Midseason All-American (2025); nfldraftbuzz No. 1 DL / projected top-five 2027 pick; consensus five-star recruit (2024 class, Rivals No. 5, ESPN No. 6); MaxPreps First-Team All-American (2023); Polynesian Bowl Defensive MVP; MaxPreps Junior All-American (2022)