Tate Sandell & David Stone Named Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans

Oklahoma got some nice national recognition this week with two players landing on the preseason Walter Camp All-America teams.

Kicker Tate Sandell earned First Team honors, while defensive tackle David Stone was named to the Second Team. That’s a big deal for both guys and a good sign for Brent Venables’ program heading into 2026.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation is the oldest All-America team in the country. Walter Camp, known as the “Father of American Football,” basically shaped the modern game. He introduced the line of scrimmage, set plays, scoring, and the idea of eleven players on each side back in 1880.

Nine years later in 1889, he picked the first All-America team while coaching at Yale. The foundation that continues his legacy was started in 1967.

They’ve evolved over time. They started with 11 players, added offensive and defensive teams in 1965, included the first punter in 1972 (Ray Guy), the first kicker in 1975 (Chris Bahr), and added a Second Team in 1998. Now they select based on input from FBS head coaches and sports information directors.

For OU, getting two players on these preseason lists is cool. Sandell being a First Team pick as a kicker shows how consistent and reliable he’s been. He won the Lou Groza Award last year as the nation’s top kicker, and clearly the voters think he’s going to do it again.

Stone making the Second Team as a defensive tackle is also big. He’s been a force in the middle for Venables and has the potential to be a first-round NFL Draft pick.

This is a good early sign for the Sooners. They’re coming off a playoff appearance and have a lot of pieces back. Getting recognized like this on one of the oldest and most respected All-America teams shows the national media is paying attention to what’s happening in Norman.

The rest of the preseason team has some familiar names. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is a two-time Walter Camp All-American. Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy and Notre Dame defensive back Leonard Moore made the First Team last year too. The SEC led the way with 12 schools and 21 players represented.

For Oklahoma fans, seeing Sandell and Stone get this kind of preseason love is exciting. Special teams and the defensive line have been strengths under Venables, and these two guys are big reasons why. If they play up to these expectations, OU should have another really good season.

It’s still early, and a lot can change between now and December when the final teams are announced. But this is a nice feather in the cap for both players and the program as a whole.

The Walter Camp All-America teams have a long, rich history. Getting two Sooners on the preseason list is a good reminder that Oklahoma is relevant again on the national stage. Now it’s up to Sandell, Stone, and the rest of the team to go out and prove these rankings right.