The Oklahoma Sooners have provided a ton of NFL talent over the past few decades, sending dozens upon dozens of players to the professional level.
In fact, if you compile a 22-person starting lineup (we'll set aside special teams for the moment) an all-Sooners alumni roster would be worth nearly $108 million when considering their current NFL contracts ($107,961,053 to be exact). That means under the 2016 NFL salary cap (about $155 million), you could get the 22 highest-paid former Oklahoma players at each offensive and defensive position.
It's an impressive feat for the school to reflect on as they transition to a new head coach. Bob Stoops is a big reason these players have succeeded at the next level, and his successor, Lincoln Riley, has big shoes to fill.
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It's important to note this starting lineup is entirely based on money. Because of rookie contract structures, better young players often make less money than veterans on the roster. Therefore a player or two might look out of place on this list — they're on the list because they make the most money of any Oklahoma alum at their position, not necessarily because of talent.
So here's a look at a 22-person starting lineup made entirely of former Sooners:
Note* — All contract data reflects the average yearly salary for each player. Contract data courtesy of Spotrac.com.
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Offense: $73,038,447 per year
| Player | Pos. | Salary | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bradford | QB | $18,000,000 | Minnesota |
| DeMarco Murray | RB | $6,312,500 | Tennessee |
| Adrian Peterson | RB | $3,500,000 | New Orleans |
| Jermaine Gresham | TE | $7,000,000 | Cincinnati |
| James Hanna | TE | $2,750,000 | Dallas |
| Kenny Stills | WR | $8,000,000 | Miami |
| Trent Williams | OL | $13,600,000 | Washington |
| Lane Johnson | OL | $8,500,000 | Philadelphia |
| Donald Stephenson | OL | $4,666,667 | Denver |
| Daryl Williams | OL | $709,280 | Carolina |
| Gabe Ikard | OL | $570,000 | Cleveland |
MORE: Former Wisconsin Badgers Offensive Linemen Make $50 Million Per Year in NFL
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Defense: $34,922,606 per year
| Player | Pos. | Salary | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerald McCoy | DT | $15,866,667 | Tampa Bay |
| Stacy McGee | DT | $5,000,000 | Washington |
| Jordan Phillips | DT | $1,090,727 | Miami |
| Charles Tapper | DE | $739,470 | Dallas |
| Jordan Evans | LB | $639,127 | Cincinnati |
| Devante Bond | LB | $621,177 | Tampa Bay |
| Corey Nelson | LB | $567,150 | Denver |
| Tony Jefferson | DB | $8,500,000 | Baltimore |
| Demontre Hurst | DB | $690,000 | Tennessee |
| Aaron Colvin | DB | $668,288 | Jacksonville |
| Zack Sanchez | DB | $540,000 | Carolina |
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MORE: An All-Alabama Alumni NFL Starting Lineup Would Make $116 Million Per Year
Highest remaining contracts
| Player | Pos. | Salary | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landry Jones | QB | $2,200,000 | Pittsburgh |
| Damien Williams | RB | $1,797,000 | Miami |
| Tress Way | P | $1,517,000 | Washington |
| Sterling Shepard | WR | $1,486,143 | N.Y. Giants |
| Dorial Green-Beckham | WR | $1,400,899 | Philadelphia |
| Joe Mixon | RB | $1,362,368 | Cincinnati |
| James Winchester | LS | $890,000 | Kansas City |
| Dede Westbrook | WR | $769,039 | Jacksonville |
| Samaje Perine | RB | $764,945 | Washington |
