On a very talented defensive unit, Brodney was the unquestioned leader of the Sooners’ secondary. Called the best defensive back in the Big Twelve Conference since former Oklahoma safety Roy Williams terrorized opponents, Pool is a playmaker who must be accounted for on every play.

Brodney ranked among the top defensive backs in the country by several recruiting services coming out of Westbury (Houston, Tex.) High School, where he competed as a free safety and running back. He recorded 75 tackles and 11 interceptions as a senior and made 114 stops and four interceptions during his junior year. Pool also rushed for 159 yards on 40 attempts with two touchdowns and caught three passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns in his final campaign. He also competed in track.

The son of Robert Pool and Rose Brimmer, his father played football at Texas A&I and his mother is the athletics director at Westbury High. Brodney saw action in every game as a true fresh-man at Oklahoma. He appeared mostly on special teams in 2002, collecting 11 tackles (7 solos) with a stop for a loss. Pool took over the starting free safety position the following year, ranking eleventh in the nation with seven interceptions. He also totaled 68 tackles (41 solos) with two sacks, nine stops behind the line of scrimmage and six pass deflections.

The Associated Press All-Big Twelve Conference choice recorded a career-high 85 tackles (59 solos) with four stops for losses, two interceptions and nine pass break-ups as a junior in 2004. In 39 games with the Sooners, Brodney registered 171 tackles (113 solos) with two sacks for minus 14 yards and fifteen stops for losses of 40 yards. He deflected fifteen passes and gained 121 yards on nine interception returns and also caused two fumbles.