Minnesota Vikings select Oklahoma linebacker Brian Asamoah in 2022 NFL Draft

Oklahoma linebacker Brian Asamoah is ready to take the next step. After starring on the gridiron for the past three years in Norman, he is prepared to transition that success into a promising career in the pros.

That journey will begin with the Minnesota Vikings, who selected Asamoah No. 66 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft on Friday night.

A second team All-Big 12 selection this past season, Asamoah led the Sooners with 90 tackles (four for loss), in addition to recording a sack and two forced fumbles. He was also named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given annually to college football’s top linebacker.

Brian Asamoah joined Oklahoma in 2018 as a three-star recruit out of Columbus, Ohio. He was rated as the No. 58 linebacker and No. 486 overall player in the class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. Despite being in the Buckeyes’ backyard, Asamoah did not receive an offer from Ohio State coming out of high school. He still had several high-profile suitors, including Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State.

Asamoah redshirted his first season in Norman, but went on to play in 13 games during 2019, including the College Football Playoff Semifinal against eventual champion LSU. The linebacker finally broke into the starting lineup the following year, helping the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and Cotton Bowl victory. He ends his college career with 179 tackles (13 for loss), five sacks and three forced fumbles.

At the Reese’s Senior Bowl in February, Asamoah was voted as the top linebacker on the National team by his teammates. He continued to impress at the NFL Combine in March, where he posted a time of 4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Asamoah will hope to put that speed to good use in his rookie season with the team name in 2022.

Pro Football Focus on Brian Asamoah

According to Pro Football Focus, Asamoah ranks as the No. 5 overall linebacker in the 2022 draft class. He is the only Oklahoma linebacker on the list, giving him a higher ranking than teammate Nik Bonitto.

“Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range,” PFF wrote in its analysis. “His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3.”