WATCH: Former Oklahoma Sooner Nik Bonitto clocks impressive 40 time at NFL combine

Former Oklahoma Sooners edge rusher/linebacker Nik Bonitto is off to a hot start to the NFL Scouting Combine. The former Sooners star showed up and showed out with this opening run in the 40 yard dash.

This past season, he had 39 tackles and seven sacks with a career-high 15 tackles for loss. It was a solid season from Bonitto who was named to ESPN’s preseason All-American team ahead of the 2021 season. Now at the NFL combine the former Sooners linebacker is looking to improve his draft stock, and with this 40 time, he definitely turned the heads of scouts in attendance.

𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬.@nikkkkbonitto | #OUDNA

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— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) March 5, 2022

Bonitto was able to drop an unofficial 40 time of 4.62.

Bonitto finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma with 118 total tackles, 69 solo stops, 33 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, one forced fumble, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception.

Brent Venables on hiring former Oklahoma Sooners to staff

Brent Venables is introducing something new to Oklahoma: the SOUL mission. The first-year Sooners football coach recently announced the creation of the in-house program that will employ former OU stars to serve as mentors to current players on the team.

Josh Norman, Curtis London and Caleb Kelly will lead the SOUL mission, which Venables, associate head coach Todd Bates and director of player personnel JR Sandlin came up with over dinner one evening.

Clearly Venables has placed an emphasis on bringing back former Oklahoma Sooners players to lead.

“It’s a leadership initiative program,” Venables explained. “As you know, it’s all-encompassing. Their manhood, mentorship, there’s a spiritual aspect. Shame on us if we don’t provide opportunities for young people to grow in their faith. I’m not here to save everybody, but I do have values in that I’m a Christian. It’s all voluntary. That’s the other cool thing. The staff is at every practice and meeting. They’re very intertwined in our players’ lives.

“I remember as a young person getting ready for my last year in college, I was so scared. There wasn’t somebody I could go to and say, ‘How do I know what I’m good at?’ The answer to that was to go see the career development officer. And I don’t know them. Having an in-house staff that can major in those areas, which it’s not just the career, it’s a lot of things. It’s a mental health aspect that’s very real. It’s time management.”

The Oklahoma Sooners are one of the more intriguing teams to watch entering 2022.