Big 12 Football: 3 most impactful opt-outs for the 2020 season
2) Most impactful Big 12 football opt outs: DL Jalen Redmond
The Oklahoma Sooners are now going to have a pretty big hole in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball, as they’re going to miss redshirt sophomore defensive end Jalen Redmond. The talented 6-foot-3 and 280 pound defensive lineman was one of the best in the trenches last season on defense for Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.
But the saga that has followed the recent news of the opt out of Redmond for the 2020 season has been nothing short of bizarre. An arrest of Redmond last month followed with him opting out of the season before any punishment came down from the football program itself. Riley reportedly “won’t address” the situation that is ongoing with Redmond.
What the Sooners will be missing with Redmond looking like he won’t play this fall is 23 total tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble, from last season. He racked up all that impressive defensive production for the Sooners as just a true freshman in 2019.
Redmond was the team leader in sacks last season, and finished third in tackles for loss. He was also a monster when Oklahoma played against Power Five opponents last season, racking up all but one of his tackles for loss and all of his sacks of the year in less than 10 games played against the Big 12, PAC-12, and SEC.