Proctor has potential to play

The Sooners will welcome in a large class of true freshman this fall. Some of these players are already on campus, but most of the 2007 class has just arrived on campus for summer workouts.

SoonerScoop.com Editor Carey Murdock ranks the top 10 potential impact newcomers as fall practices approach.

This list just isn't about which player is the best incoming freshman. Murdock takes a look at how each freshman fits into the depth chart. If OU is thin at a particular position, a freshman coming in to play that spot on offense or defense has the best opportunity to play.

Every one of these players is talented, but they won't all enter the program with an equal opportunity to play right away. OU is deep and talented at some positions and thin at others. This list is a look at the players who come into the 2007 season with the best combination of ability and opportunity.

No. 8 – Sam Proctor – S

Scouting Report: Proctor comes to Oklahoma after an electrifying career high school career at Pearland, Texas. Proctor was a leader in every sense of the word as he quarterbacked his team to victory week after week. Those leadership qualities are likely to transfer over the defensive side of the ball as Brent Venables sees him as a solid fit at the strong safety position.

Proctor has outstanding athleticism in the open field, but his biggest strength could be in his mental approach to the game. Just think of the leadership Paul Thompson brought to the OU offense in 2006 and Sooner coaches now hope Proctor can bring the same maturity to the defensive side of the ball.

How he ended up at OU: Proctor was very quiet throughout the recruiting process during his senior season. But once he made a flurry of visits to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and LSU, his decision came quickly.

"I loved every minute of my visit up there," Proctor told SoonerScoop.com after his visit to OU. "They are recruiting me as an athlete, and I think I'm the type of player that can come in there and help them out where ever they put me at. I'm a true team player, and I'll do whatever it takes and play where ever they want."

Proctor finally made his commitment just a week before national signing day, but his announcement was a huge boost to a class needing to add potential strong safeties to their roster.

Where he'll play at OU: Proctor will start out at strong safety according to Venables. He's a great fit at the position, but it will take an adjustment as most of his playing time in high school came as the starting quarterback.

It wouldn't be a complete surprise if Proctor saw some time on the offensive side of the ball. Kevin Sumlin would love to see how he might pan out on the offensive side of the ball, but it's not likely that will happen. Proctor would have to have a very tough adjustment period on the defensive side of the ball to make that happen.

Why he could play early: Proctor is a very intelligent athlete capable of making a smooth transition between high school and college football. The strong safety position is a very complicated position in the Oklahoma defense, but he has the type of mental makeup to excel in that situation.

Proctor is also an excellent athlete who is already big enough to compete at the college level. He is already on campus and reports indicate he has a tremendous work ethic for such a young player.

The Sooners could also be searching for a capable strong safety candidate if D.J. Wolfe can't prove himself the best candidate in fall camp.

Why he could not play early: Even with a great work ethic and ability to make decisions on the run, the strong safety position is still a very difficult position to learn. Roy Williams didn't become a sensation overnight, and Reggie Smith is the only player in recent memory to make that type of leap straight from high school.

Proctor has also spent all of his time on the offensive side of the ball. Smith was already a great high school defender before he arrived at Oklahoma. You can't say the same thing for Proctor because he spent all of his time under center.

Percentage of playing early: 20% - Proctor will start behind Wolfe and Keenan Clayton this fall. He'll also have to find reps behind third-stringer Nic Harris. If Wolfe has any problems nailing down the starting job, the Sooners will have to scramble to get someone else ready.

That could mean fewer reps for true freshmen like Proctor. But if he shows an ability to figure things out early, and if Wolfe continues to look like the favorite to win the job, Proctor could see enough reps to find his way into a backup role before the start of the season.

It's a longshot, but every true freshmen in the program starts off as a longshot to play in this day and age.