Fall camp: 3 freshmen to watch as practices continue

There's been a ton resting on the shoulders of Oklahoma's 2024 class.

The highly-touted freshmen — a class that ranked seventh nationally, per Rivals — have shown their potential since arriving on campus last spring. That momentum has continued into the fall, with players like David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Reggie Powers, Michael Boganowski and others really pushing for significant roles right away. Considering the class consists of nearly 30 freshmen — and several more redshirt freshmen — the Sooners may need several of them to play right away. That's a challenge considering what lies ahead for the Sooners in the SEC.

There's a been a ton of young guys who have stood out. However, there's been a few names that have made real waves since fall camp began. Here's a look at three of those players:

The early returns have been incredibly positive for the No. 1-ranked running back in the 2024 class.

Tatum got a bit of a late start after arriving on campus in the summer. But it hasn't taken him long to work into the rotation at running back. He's taken real reps during training camp, and he's solidified himself as one of the most explosive players on the team.

Brent Venables referred to Tatum as "confident" and "fearless." Quarterback Jackson Arnold specifically touted Tatum's potential to have an impact in the passing game.

Jovantae Barnes praised Tatum's mindset as soon as he stepped on campus.

"He’s a guy that loves to compete," Barnes said. "He’s not scared of anything. He loves to come in and work. He loves to come in and learn. So just seeing a guy that loves to come in and compete. Even Xavier Robinson (is a) young guy loves to come in and compete. Everybody just comes in to compete every day. It’s good to know as an older guy now to see everyone wants to work. (Tatum's) been doing good."

It's still going to be a bit of an uphill climb. With Gavin Sawchuk keeping his grasp on the starting spot, that leaves the No. 2 spot up for grabs. That's a very competitive race, and Tatum will be fighting for it alongside Barnes, Kalib Hicks and Sam Franklin.

But Tatum has a real shot at that role. Even if goes to a veteran above him, Tatum could still carve out a role as a passing-down option out of the backfield. He's a guy to keep an eye on him.

Could Bowen join his older brother, Peyton, on the field this season? Venables seems to think so.

Bowen arrived in the spring primarily as a cornerback after totaling 16 interceptions over his last three seasons in high school — 10 of them came in his sophomore year — but quickly showcased his versatility to be moved around the secondary. When asked about the cheetah position earlier this month, Venables listed the former four-star prospect as a legitimate option there. Venables really took time to shout out Bowen, referring to him as simply "a really good football player," and even mentioned that he could put Bowen at cheetah and Boganowski at safety.

Arnold, his former teammate at Guyer High School, echoed that sentiment.

“I love Eli. He’s just a technical ball player," Arnold said. "I mean, coach V talks about ‘effort with technique.’ And he’s got it all. He’s got all the technique that he needs. In high school, I think his sophomore year, my junior year he had, like, 10 (interceptions) or something crazy that year. Just a technical ballplayer who's going to be at the right spot at the right time. He’s able to make all the plays he needs to.”

When the head coach and starting quarterback heap praise on a player, it's best to take notice.

Bowen does face a stiff competition at corner for playing time. It's a position group filled with veterans and older players. But Peyton managed to carve out a role as a true freshman, and Eli's certainly helped himself stand out early in camp.

Even if Bowen doesn't play a significant role, his skill set and versatility could help him carve out a real spot in the rotation.

The offensive line was, and is, a question mark heading into the season. The Sooners took significant measures to address their lack of depth and experience, adding nine total offensive linemen via the 2024 class.

But who is emerging as a real starting option at left guard? Ozaeta, a redshirt freshman.

Ozaeta is entering his second season with the Sooners after playing just four snaps last year. He wasn't a heavily-discussed player during the spring, but he's quickly made his way onto the depth chart. During Monday's open practice, he was taking first-team reps alongside fellow returners Jake Taylor and Jacob Sexton.

The Sooners are asking a lot out of Ozaeta, Arnold said, but Sexton has noticed a mentality change with him.

"He came in freshman year (and) a lot of guys are timid, but he came in aggressive," Sexton said. "This year, I think he’s really stepped into that mentality of being ready, just going against bigger guys to be ready for the SEC. I think he’s come in strong.”

The offensive line is far from solidified with three weeks to go before the season opener. Geirean Hatchett brings real experience from Washington as a redshirt senior and is likely the primary competition for that spot. But if Ozaeta earns the start, that means he showed real progress during camp, and would also bode well for the Sooners' offensive line heading into the future.