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4 Freshmen to Watch Arriving This Summer

Oklahoma fans are familiar with the influence a freshman can have on a single season.

Eyes that have seen Marcus Dupree, Jamelle Holieway, Tommie Harris, and Adrian Peterson erupt when exposed to college football conditions are keenly aware that - in a sport of scholarship and eligibility limits - there's no time to waste getting your best talent onto the field.

Some, like Addison Gumbs, Creed Humphrey, Kenneth Murray, Trey Sermon, etc., have already begun their careers as early enrollees, which means those arriving in June will need to hit the ground running.

Long gone are the days of freshmen being forced to sit or wait their turn and the pressure falling solely upon the shoulders of upperclassmen. In 2017, if you have a scholarship, a uniform, and an able body, you are expected to contribute.

Here are four freshmen to watch who will soon be arriving in Norman that could immediately begin etching their names in Sooner history.

4

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Marquis Hayes - OG

The SoonerScoop.com team recently ran into the humongous Hayes at the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp in St. Louis and, if it's even possible, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound Hayes looked bigger and in better shape since the crew had last seen him at the Five-Star Challenge a year ago in Atlanta. He'll be walking into a loaded position in a crowded offensive line group, but Hayes - along with Humphrey, Tyrese Robinson, and Adrian Ealy - will have offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh feeling assured in his unit's future.


3

Ryan Jones - S

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jones was seen as a wide receiver prospect for much of his high school career, so it won't be a shock if his explosion and ball skills immediately turn heads in the Sooner secondary. Much of the focus at safety in 2017 will be on senior Steven Parker and juniors Will Sunderland and Kahlil Haughton, but the position appears wide open after that, which could pave the way for Jones and classmate Robert Barnes as the future backend of the OU defense.

2

Troy James - DE

Opposing quarterbacks will again be forced to deal with Sooner pass-rush specialist, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, but the question may become who can step on the other side to dissuade offenses from rolling everything away from "Ogbo." Caleb Kelly has looked like a future star at outside linebacker, however, he has yet to really prove himself as a threat to reach the quarterback in college. If senior D.J. Ward fails to breakout, the strength, tenacity, and bull-like mentality of James should, at the very least, earn him a role as a spark along the defensive line.


1

Cedarian Lamb - WR

Even with the departure of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine, there still may be no greater void on the Oklahoma offense than the one left by Biletnikoff winner Dede Westbrook. 37-percent of the Sooners' receiving yards and 40-percent of their touchdowns through the air in 2016 are now catching passes from Blake Bortles in Jacksonville. The situation could not have set itself up better for Lamb, one of the most talented receivers Bob Stoops' has signed in Norman, who will have the opportunity to catch a high number of passes from a Heisman trophy candidate like Baker Mayfield on a team with national title aspirations.


Cedarian Lamb 2016 Statistics
Games Rec Rec Yds TD Long

15

98

2,032

33

93

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