OU football DT Danny Saili officially on roster, practicing despite eligibility case

NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Brent Venables provided an update on Arkansas transfer defensive tackle Danny Saili during the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday. Despite being ineligible to play due to the current stay in the five-for-five ruling, Saili is officially on the Sooners' roster and has been practicing. "He's on the team," Venables said. "He's been added to the roster and he's done a good job. He knows how to play defensive tackle. That that jumped out at you right away. His fundamentals, his precision, his quickness. He really picked up things really well, remarkably well. I was incredibly surprised." Saili, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 280 pounds on OU's game notes, saw action in 11 games last season for the Razorbacks, registering 10 tackles, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. If he's able to play later this season, he'd provide needed depth to the position group. Prior to his two seasons at Arkansas, Saili spent the spring of 2024 at BYU and played two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. He was briefly committed to the Sooners during his time at Hutchinson. Saili is a native of Topeka, Kansas, and starred at Topeka High School. These days, things change by the hour. It wouldn't be a surprise if Saili was suiting up for OU sooner than later. "Danny looks night and day from first day of practice to now, even," defensive tackle David Stone said this week. "So, it’s like seeing the guys play faster on defense, it’s fun. I know they’re going to have our backs when it’s time to hit the floor running.” Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Order “BOOM TIMES: The Oklahoma Sooners’ Epic Charge to the 2026 College World Series Title” at Sooners.ChampsBook.com. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football DT Danny Saili officially on roster, practicing despite eligibility case