"Gym rat" Taylor Wein a case study in development for Oklahoma

At SEC media days back in July, R Mason Thomas made a passing comment that was easy to miss. Amidst a day of constant scrum sessions, press conferences and radio interviews, he slipped in some specific praise for one of his younger teammates. "Taylor Wein wants it; you can tell," Thomas remarked. "So I'm not gonna be surprised when y'all are talking about him in the media... It won't be a surprise because obviously I see him every day. Y'all don't. So for him to be like that, that's a recipe for success." Three months later, the media is indeed talking about Wein, and rightfully so. He's emerged opposite Thomas as a serious force for Oklahoma in the defensive trenches. The redshirt sophomore entered the 2025 season with just two total tackles to his name. Through six games this fall, he's logged 19 tackles, including a team-high 8.5 for loss. Wein has also accrued more sacks (3.5) than any other Sooner save for Thomas.