Biggest questions for OU's cornerbacks in 2023

Editor's Note: This is the latest installment in a series examining every Oklahoma position group heading into 2023. The previous installments covered wide receiver, running back, linebacker, defensive end, safety and tight end.

Last season was an interesting one for Oklahoma’s cornerback room.

Woodi Washington saw the lion’s share of the reps at one position, while C.J. Coldon and Jaden Davis split the majority of the reps at the other starting spot. Coldon emerged late in the season as a key contributor, starting the final four games while finishing the season with four interceptions.

The Sooners' defense finished dead last in the Big 12 in passing yards allowed but surrendered the third fewest passing touchdowns (20) and recorded the most interceptions (17). Six of them came from OU's cornerbacks.

Washington is back for his fifth-year senior season. But Coldon and Davis are gone, leaving a starting spot up for grabs. And there’s plenty of players competing for it.

The Sooners added some talent in the 2023 class, too, picking up a pair of four-star freshmen in Jasiah Wagoner and Jacobe Johnson, as well as four-star JUCO prospect Kendel Dolby. There are several returning players who are looking for an opportunity, too. On paper, the Sooners’ cornerback room features plenty of depth and talent.

Here’s a look at the biggest questions facing the Sooners’ cornerbacks in 2023:

1. Is Washington due for his best season yet?

Statistically, 2022 was a career-best season for Washington. He started all 13 games, finishing fifth on the team in tackles with 67 while adding an interception and a forced fumble. He earned a season grade of 73.9 from PFF, the fifth-highest on the defense.

It was a solid season for Washington after he missed significant time with an injury in 2021. Heading into his fifth-year senior season, Washington knows there is room for improvement.

“Honestly, just expecting to get a lot better, focus on my football IQ and just try to learn the game more,” Washington said during spring practices. “The coaches that we have just do a great job teaching the game, so just trying to come back and learn more about football and take it where I can.”

While Washington is focused on improving on the field, he’s been focused on leadership, too. Washington is one of the only upperclassman cornerbacks on the roster and has a lot more experience both on the field and at OU.

“I’m an older guy, I’ve been here,” Washington said. “So I have to lead. It’s a have-to at this point.”

If Washington can build on last season, and be a mentor for the underclassmen, that bodes well for the Sooners’ cornerback corps.

2. Does Dolby start alongside Washington?

Washington started all 13 games last season and played 889 snaps, which ranked fourth highest on the team, per Pro Football Focus. His starting spot should be pretty secure in 2023.

So now the question is, who do Brent Venables and Jay Valai want to start alongside Washington? They essentially have two options: they can go with a veteran, or lean on a younger player with less experience.

If last season is an indication, they value experience. If that’s the case, their answer is Dolby, a junior from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The JUCO prospect dominated in his two seasons with NEO, combining for 68 tackles, six tackles for loss and two interceptions. He was the consensus No. 1 JUCO player in the state and the No. 5 overall JUCO prospect, per Rivals. During spring practices, Venables referred to Venables as a “fierce competitor.”

Dolby doesn’t have experience at the Division I level, but he expressed confidence that his time at NEO prepared him for OU. And his status as a JUCO player motivates him, too.

“(It) makes me hungrier, for sure,” Dolby said during spring practices. “I feel like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. Being a JUCO dude, going into my junior year, I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove and I’ve got to do it fast and make a name. That’s kind of my goal. So, I’ve definitely got a chip on my shoulder and it makes me hungry.”

3. Can anyone stand out among the pack of underclassmen?

The Sooners lack significant on-field experience outside of Washington and Dolby, but that doesn’t mean they lack talent.

Now, it’ll be interesting to see which of them earn playing time, and who stands out among the rest.

Kani Walker and Gentry Williams saw the most playing time among the underclassmen last season, playing 65 and 60 snaps, respectively. Williams, a former four-star recruit, played in 12 of 13 games and finished with seven tackles, adding an interception in the season opener against UTEP.

Jayden Rowe saw just 13 snaps last season but is a former four-star recruit who offers size. He was listed at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds on the Sooners’ spring roster.

The Sooners do have two new freshmen in Wagoner and Johnson, both four-star recruits who shouldn’t be counted out. Wagoner made a big impact at Spanaway Lake High School, while Johnson was rated by Rivals as the No. 4 recruit in Oklahoma.

Given the departures of several cornerbacks during the offseason — including Joshua Eaton, Kendall Dennis, Coldon and Davis — and DJ Graham’s move to wide receiver, the Sooners will likely need at least a couple of their underclassmen to step up.