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Summer is here, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans and give them names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these to keep Bucs fans as informed as possible.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report on Cole Sullivan, LB, OU as we prepare you for the Fall.
Cole Sullivan enters the 2026 season as one of the more under-the-radar transfer linebackers in college football. After spending his first two seasons at Michigan, Sullivan heads to Oklahoma looking for a larger defensive role and an opportunity to continue the development that earned him co-Most Improved Defensive Player honors in 2025.
While Sullivan was not a full-time starter for the Wolverines, he consistently made an impact when given opportunities. He finished the 2025 season with 44 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery despite making only three starts. That level of production in a rotational role suggests there could be additional upside if his snap count increases.
The transfer to Oklahoma creates an important opportunity for his long-term development. Michigan's linebacker room remained competitive throughout his tenure, limiting his path to a full-time role. With the Sooners, Sullivan will have an opportunity to compete for meaningful snaps and potentially establish himself as a larger piece of a defense rather than primarily serving as a rotational contributor.
Entering the season, Sullivan remains more projection than finished product. The physical profile, playmaking production, and developmental trajectory are encouraging, but NFL evaluators will want to see how he performs with additional responsibility. If he earns a larger role at Oklahoma and continues producing impact plays, Sullivan could quickly emerge as a riser in the 2027 or 2028 NFL Draft conversation.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report Oklahoma's Cole Sullivan
Continue reading...
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these to keep Bucs fans as informed as possible.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report on Cole Sullivan, LB, OU as we prepare you for the Fall.
Background Information
- Redshirt Sophomore
- Linebacker
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native
- Transfer from Michigan
- 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
- Former four-star recruit
- Michigan co-Most Improved Defensive Player (2025)
- Michigan Rookie of the Year on Special Teams (2024)
- Academic All-Big Ten honoree
- Three-year varsity contributor at Central Catholic High School
Notable Career Stats Heading Into 2026
- 48 career tackles
- 5.0 tackles for loss
- 2.0 sacks
- 3 interceptions
- 4 pass breakups
- 1 forced fumble
- 2 fumble recoveries
- Appeared in 23 career games
- Started three games during the 2025 season
- Recorded 44 tackles in 2025 despite working primarily in a rotational role
Notable Numbers From PFF Heading Into 2026
| Season | Snaps | Overall | Run Defense | Tackling | Pass Rush | Coverage | Pressures | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 331 | 59.3 | 69.2 | 69.2 | 66.1 | 48.1 | 5 | 2 |
| 2024 | 14 | 63.6 | 61.4 | 73.2 | — | 62.3 | 0 | 0 |
Strengths
- Good size for the linebacker position
- Strong ball production
- Creates turnovers
- Productive despite limited starting experience
- Special teams background
- Earned significant praise from coaching staff
- Demonstrated year-over-year improvement
- Shows ability to make impact plays
- Good developmental trajectory
- Still has multiple years of eligibility remaining
Weaknesses
- Limited starting experience
- Small defensive sample size
- Coverage production remains inconsistent
- Overall PFF grades trail counting statistics
- Has yet to establish himself as a full-time starter
- Needs to prove he can handle an expanded workload
- Evaluation remains projection-based
- Must continue developing with increased responsibility
Player Summary
Cole Sullivan enters the 2026 season as one of the more under-the-radar transfer linebackers in college football. After spending his first two seasons at Michigan, Sullivan heads to Oklahoma looking for a larger defensive role and an opportunity to continue the development that earned him co-Most Improved Defensive Player honors in 2025.
While Sullivan was not a full-time starter for the Wolverines, he consistently made an impact when given opportunities. He finished the 2025 season with 44 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery despite making only three starts. That level of production in a rotational role suggests there could be additional upside if his snap count increases.
The transfer to Oklahoma creates an important opportunity for his long-term development. Michigan's linebacker room remained competitive throughout his tenure, limiting his path to a full-time role. With the Sooners, Sullivan will have an opportunity to compete for meaningful snaps and potentially establish himself as a larger piece of a defense rather than primarily serving as a rotational contributor.
Entering the season, Sullivan remains more projection than finished product. The physical profile, playmaking production, and developmental trajectory are encouraging, but NFL evaluators will want to see how he performs with additional responsibility. If he earns a larger role at Oklahoma and continues producing impact plays, Sullivan could quickly emerge as a riser in the 2027 or 2028 NFL Draft conversation.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report Oklahoma's Cole Sullivan
Continue reading...
