DALLAS, Texas — While the Sooners' wide receiver room is reasonably considered one of the deepest and most talented units in the SEC, there's been two significant questions.

What are the statuses for Andrel Anthony and Jalil Farooq?

The two veteran receivers, if healthy, are expected to be a significant parts of the Sooners' wide receiver rotation next season. Anthony recorded 29 receptions for 427 yards through the first six weeks last season and led the Sooners in receiving before suffering a leg injury against Texas, which caused him to miss the rest of the season.

Anthony missed the spring as he continued his recovery. His status for the season opener against Temple on Aug. 31 is up in the air, but Venables is optimistic about Anthony's health.

"He's had a really good summer," Venables said during SEC Media Days on Tuesday. "He's still not fully cleared. We don't play for probably about six weeks from now, so we're hopeful that we'll get him to a position where he can practice ahead of that first week, and I believe he will. But he's been making really good progress."

Farooq has also been an interesting case. The senior wide receiver finished last season with 45 receptions for 694 yards and played all 13 games, but suffered a foot injury during the spring that has kept him off the field the last several months.

The encouraging thing for Farooq is that he didn't have surgery, Venables said.

"Those feet are very funky when it comes to injuries and the healing process because those bones a lot of times don't get blood flow that helps the healing process, so we'll take things easy with Jalil," Venables said. "(He) did not have any surgery. Wanted the. fracture to heal on its own, is the path he chose to take. Very successful track for a lot of people. But it's looked fantastic.

"We've done the most recent bone structure, it was remarkably really good. But we've got a really good plan in place that's gonna get him to where the week prior to the first game, he's wide open."

Here's a look at a few other injury updates and notes from Venables' scrum with local media."

Venables said that offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett, cornerback Gentry Williams and Casey Thompson are fully cleared and have no limitations heading into fall camp.

Hatchett, who transferred during the offseason from Washington, missed the spring but has been cleared for a little over a month. Williams has struggled with injuries his first two seasons at OU and played just 10 games last season, but is expected to be available. Thompson was limited during the spring with a shoulder injury.

The biggest update concerns center Troy Everett, who sustained a knee injury early in the spring that kept him off the field. Venables previously projected Everett to miss the start of the season, but gave a more encouraging update on Thursday.

"He's way ahead of schedule," Venables said. "I'm not surprised. Troy's incredibly tough and very driven. He's incredibly passionate, and that helps a lot of times in rehab. It doesn't always mean you've got better results, but he's attacked it from the moment he got out of the hospital. He'll be back. My expectation — I'm just a linebacker's coach — is sooner than later and maybe even earlier than initially expected."

Last month, wide receiver Deion Burks and defensive back Makari Vickers were arrested for separate incidents of driving under the influence.

An OU spokesperson told OUInsider that the program was handling both incidents internally. On Tuesday, Venables gave his first public comments.

"We’re handling it internally," Venables said. "You’re certainly always incredibly disappointed and not surprised when you’re dealing with 130 guys that are 17 to 23, 24 years old. You’re gonna have some guys do some knucklehead things, and we’ve got to help them through it and hold guys accountable, and we’ll certainly do so."

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