After an offseason that featured plenty of roster moves, the Sooners should feel more confident about their depth in 2023.

That’s also what makes the beginning of fall camp this week so interesting.

The Sooners will hit the practice field for the first time on Thursday, and the coaching staff will have plenty of decisions to make when it comes to position battles. With the departures of key players on both sides of the ball — including Marvin Mims, Anton Harrison, Wanya Morris, Jalen Redmond and Jeffrey Johnson — the Sooners have intriguing options on how to replace them, particularly with the additions of several talented veterans and highly-touted freshmen.

Here are the three most intriguing position battles as the Sooners head into the 2023 season:

Fifth-year senior Woodi Washington is likely to take one of the cornerback spots. Billy Bowman should have no issues with taking one of the safety spots.

That leaves at least two secondary spots up for grabs.

At safety, the Sooners have plenty of options and a lot of them are young players. Five-star prospect Peyton Bowen may have the inside track of any of the underclassmen, but second-year player Robert Spears-Jennings also needs to be mentioned. Oklahoma has veteran options, too, including Reggie Pearson and Key Lawrence.

There’s a huge logjam at cornerback, too. Will the Sooners go young with someone like Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Jayden Rowe, Makari Vickers, Jasiah Wagoner or Jacobe Johnson? Or is a new veteran like JUCO transfer Kendel Dolby the better option?

There are other names that aren't mentioned here, and the Sooners will likely try a variety of players and secondary combinations. But it should be interesting to see who lands atop the depth chart, and how many young players make the cut.

Three of the five spots are likely spoken for. But that leaves two spots up for grabs.

Andrew Raym will enter his third season as the starting center. Tyler Guyton projects as the starting right tackle. Walter Rouse missed spring ball, but his five years of starting experience at Stanford is likely enough to earn him the start at left tackle. But it’d be unwise to count out underclassmen tackles Cayden Green and Jacob Sexton, provided he is healthy for fall camp.

What about the two guard spots?

McKade Mettauer started all 13 games last season and spent most of his snaps at left guard, but he finished with the lowest overall season grade from Pro Football Focus of any starter in 2022. Savion Byrd played 149 snaps last season, all at left guard, and is entering his redshirt sophomore season. Could he assert himself in the conversation?

Miami OH transfer Caleb Shaffer has plenty of experience at right guard, but it’ll be interesting to see if Jake Taylor can make it interesting.

The Sooners have a good problem on the defensive line. They’ve got plenty of options.

That is particularly true at defensive end. The Sooners added experienced transfers Rondell Bothroyd and Trace Ford, talented freshmen Adepoju Adebowore and also have R Mason Thomas, Marcus Stripling, Ethan Downs and Reggie Grimes returning from last season. Downs was the only Sooner named to the All-Big 12 preseason teams earlier this month, though he faces stiff competition when it comes to his starting spot. The Sooners will have to pick two starters, but they will almost certainly rotate 6-7 players at defensive end early in the season.

The bigger questions are on the interior defensive line. The Sooners have eight solid options for the two tackle spots — Isaiah Coe, Jonah Laulu, Jordan Kelley, Da’Jon Terry, Davon Sears, Gracen Halton, Kelvin Gilliam and Jacob Lacey.

Terry (Tennessee, Kansas), Sears (Texas State) and Lacey (Notre Dame) all bring experience as transfers. Laulu, Coe and Kelley are all returning players who played at least 340 snaps last season, though Laulu played primarily at defensive end. Halton and Gilliam both played under 100 snaps last season but could see bigger roles if they impress in fall camp.

Miguel Chavis and Todd Bates will have a lot to decide before Week 1.