With prospects, looking the part is the most important part of being a potential football player for a lot of people.

Bigger, faster, stronger, better.

That’s not just fans. Fans, media and coaches are all obsessed with size and speed.

At a place like Oklahoma, you eliminate as many variables as possible in your players.

Then you worry about them playing the part.

It’s just the way the world works when it comes to big-time college football.

When you don’t look the part, people are going to question whether you can play the part. Even if they’ve seen you do it before.

That’s the case with Oklahoma’s 5-foot-10, 170-pound cornerback Dakota Austin.

“Every day since forever,” said Austin on whether he still hears doubters. “I’m not a guy who is gonna just walk up and pass the eye test.”

People should have more confidence in Austin. Last season, starting cornerback Zack Sanchez was lost to injury on the first play of the game against Texas Tech.

This was against Texas Tech, who has one of the best young quarterbacks in the country in Patrick Mahomes.

Austin took over for Sanchez, and his 170-pound frame finished the game second in tackles (11) while also hauling in an interception in the endzone.

Austin played the part.

“I was in a situation where it was kinda high stakes,” he said of filling in for Sanchez last year. “I went in and I played well. That was a good thing. I think that I gained their trust. I feel that worked out how it was supposed to.”

Austin started the next week against Kansas, collecting five tackles and breaking up two passes. Then against Iowa State where he finished second in tackles (9), logged a tackle for a loss, broke up one pass and came up with his second interception of the season.

What Austin lacks in size, he makes up for in intangibles. Talking to receivers on Oklahoma’s team, they recognize the challenge in lining up across from Austin.

“I’m going against a guy I know will compete the whole day,” said 6-foot-2, 220-pound wide receiver Jordan Smallwood. “When the ball is in the air, it’s 50-50. It’s all out, one-on-one.

“He doesn’t let his size define who he is. He really works hard and pushes each and every one of us. He’s very determined. He came in here as one of the smaller dudes, but he still works as hard as anyone. He’s one of the best.”

Austin isn’t just a handful for the powerful receivers, he also gives OU’s tallest receivers some problems.

A.D. Miller might be OU’s best and biggest young receiver. At 6-foot-3 and 196 pounds, Miller says he often has his hands full with the 5-foot-10 Austin.

“He’s feisty,” said Miller. “He will get you at the line. His jam is pretty good and he has great technique. Even though he’s small he’s able to jump up and deflect passes. He doesn’t let height affect him.”

Oklahoma has plenty of defensive backs on its roster that look the part. But playing cornerback in this league has been humbling for a lot of those type of players over the years.

“Initially you get the attention for the size and speed. You go to camps and you get the stars and all that. Of course, those guys get the first glance and more chances to get known,” said the Rivals.com 2-star recruit from Lancaster, Texas. “You come in here and you get to work. You can’t hide once you get between those lines. You either have it or you don’t. Time always tells.”

Austin will continue to have doubters. OU fans look to the other side of the field and see Jordan Thomas standing 6-foot tall at 192 pounds. His long legs and long arms are representative of what you see on Sundays in the NFL.

As far as the NFL is concerned, Thomas is what they are looking for. He looks the part.

Then they see Austin, and they see a guy that doesn’t.

But that’s what fuels him. He knows you are making those comparisons. He knows you think he doesn’t belong.

“Dakota is one of those guys, he just has that mentality, doesn’t matter who you are, he feels like he’s the underdog because of his size and his speed. He carries that chip on his shoulder,” said defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks. “When guys see him scrapping and playing hard at his size and speed, it gets them thinking, ‘Shoot, I can do that.’ He brings that edge to the DBs we need.”