​Fall camp is underway in Norman, and the Oklahoma Sooners are less than two weeks away from kicking off the 2026 regular season. After a 10-win season in 2025 that resulted in a trip to the College Football Playoff, the focus has been on taking the team from good to great under head coach Brent Venables.With the offseason drawing to a close, it’s time to take a look at each position on OU’s roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year’s team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.Positional Preview: QuarterbackPositional Preview: Running BackPositional Preview: Wide ReceiverPositional Preview: Tight EndPositional Preview: Offensive LinePositional Preview: Defensive LineToday, we’ll dive into the linebacker position, coached by inside linebackers coach Nate Dreiling and assistant linebackers coach/outside linebackers coach Wes Goodwin. This room is a mix of familiar faces and unknown potential, but the expectations are still very high.The PlayersOwen Heinecke: 6th-yearKip Lewis: 5th-yearTaylor Heim: SeniorCole Sullivan: JuniorJames Nesta: JuniorMarcus James: SophomoreBarrett Travis: SophomoreElgee Webster: SophomoreDane Bathurst: FreshmanJacob Curry: FreshmanBeau Jandreau: FreshmanKristan Moore: FreshmanAt inside linebacker, the Sooners got a big boost when Lewis decided to come back to OU for another season. He’ll once again man the weakside LB position, and he’s the most-tenured starter on the entire roster. Then, he got his running mate back, as Heinecke won his eligibility case in April. Heinecke was granted an injunction by a local judge that allows him to suit up for the Sooners, and he’ll play next to Lewis in the middle LB spot.With the duo of Lewis and Heinecke intact, Oklahoma might have one of the best inside linebacker tandems in the nation. Behind them, there will be snaps up for grabs, as the depth pieces have been shuffled this offseason.First up is Sullivan, a Michigan transfer who figures to play a lot in his first season with the Sooners. He was a big get for OU this offseason, and he’ll likely be joined by Nesta on the two-deep portion of the depth chart at inside LB. Further down the depth chart, James is another player who the Sooners might be counting on in 2026, especially after the spring ball injury to Heim. It’s still not known exactly how serious his injury is, but he likely won’t be available for some time, leaving the inside linebacker depth a bit thinner heading into the season.Change is coming to the Cheetah position as well. While the primary players at that spot more fit the mold of defensive backs than linebackers (Reggie Powers III and Jeremiah Newcombe), there will be some linebackers that will see plenty of time at that spot. Sullivan figures to take plenty of Cheeta