Spring football has officially wrapped up at Oklahoma and expectations are about as high as they’ve been in Norman in quite some time.
Some of that is the obvious stuff like quarterback Spencer Rattler and an ever-improving defense, but some of that optimism stems from what we saw during the course of the spring.
SoonerScoop.com is going to look at five guys (actually, six, if you care) who had such a banner spring and shows the level of depth and quality on the roster.
The only qualifier is it couldn’t be a full-time starter for OU last season, or else defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey definitely would have made the list.
(Alphabetical order)
DB D.J. Graham
This almost feels like cheating because Graham could be considered a starter. And if you based things on how well Graham played during the spring game, you could make a strong argument he needs to be one of the starters. Graham has grown physically and mentally into that role and that wide receiver conversation of last year is long over. Denied a spring practice last season, he took full advantage, when healthy, of his chances during the last month.
Quotable
“As that season went on, I feel like D.J. got more and more comfortable with what was being asked [of him]. He did get a lot better as the season went on. And yet, he's miles away still, right? Because again, that experience of playing is just invaluable. This spring, and we obviously know D.J. is a talented guy, is huge for him. It's huge because he missed the spring. He missed some of those moments. I think, not just him, but all those freshmen guys, they couldn't understand the urgency level of a football season means.
“I think they all had to 'come on, come on, come on' like this isn't high school anymore. So a credit to them for battling through it. We have high expectations because I think he played almost 200 snaps last year on defense. High expectations and just still have to continue to go up in his development and his maturity as much as anything. – cornerbacks coach Roy Manning
RB Eric Gray
When Gray made the move in January from Tennessee, hesitation isn’t the right word but nobody really knew what Gray was bringing to the table. We know now as Gray looks to easily be one of the best transfers for the upcoming season. The vision, the footwork, ability to catch out of the backfield, he seems to be a natural fit in Lincoln Riley’s offense. When you add in the transfer of Seth McGowan last week, all it does is emphasize Gray’s emergence even more.
Quotable
“The first word that comes to mind about Eric Gray is a pro. He's a true pro on and off the field. He's a guy that shows up early, stays late, extremely smart. The transition for him offensively, scheme-wise has been very, honestly, easy for him. And our offense is extremely complicated. I'm still obviously learning every day. You can just kinda tell his professionalism and his approach to the game, and what he wants to accomplish. It's been great. He's a heck of a player. Great person, great young man. We're fortunate to have him here.” – running backs coach DeMarco Murray
DT Jordan Kelley
Winfrey is the No. 1 interior defensive player, no question about that. Once you went to No. 2 and beyond, you felt good about guys but nobody had made their mark. It sure feels like Kelley has started to put it all together. Fully healthy from the 2019 injury and someone who made plays in his limited opportunities in 2020, he’s going to get a chance in 2021. If OU can have the championship level depth with Winfrey and Kelley, again, you understand the massive expectations coming their way.
Quotable
“I got back within six, seven months but I didn't feel 100 percent. I still remember the day, it was the Iowa State game last year, I was like, 'Hey, Chris, I got this knee brace on my knee.' It was a gameday and I'm like, 'Can I take it off?' He was like, 'Yeah, go ahead and take it off.' Ever since then I feel back to myself, I feel like I can move again. But what really helped me out was Caleb Kelly, Pat and B-Mead, all the guys just making that process that much easier, keeping me motivated and not letting me hang my head down, just keep pushing me to get going and get back to where I am now, healthy and just ready to go.” – Kelley
OL Andrew Raym
Heading into the spring, it felt like Raym would be battling for a starting guard position. We might never know if he would have won it because he’s moved around in the interior to the center spot. Although he doesn’t have a world of experience at the position, he appears to be the man for the job as we enter summer conditioning. Finding that permanent spot is crucial, obviously, but it can be safely assumed that if you want the top five linemen for the Sooners in 2021, Raym has to be included.
Quotable
“Raym, you know was a guy that I thought was gonna start at some point last year, you know, and had the COVID situation, the contact trace, just had a bunch of things off the field that never really allowed him to gain the consistency to be on the field in a full-time role. He's doing a heck of a job right now. He's got to just relax and play you know what I mean? He's unbelievably talented. We know that. Yes, he can play a bunch of positions. But I think where he's going to, you know, be a player for us is on the interior right now, any of those three positions.” – offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh
QB Caleb Williams & WR Mario Williams
Spring is geared more toward the young guys, so you could have included defensive backs Latrell McCutchin and Billy Bowman, too. But when you watch Williams and Williams, there’s no qualifiers there. They’re not good for mid-year enrollees. They’re good, period. Caleb will have to learn behind Spencer Rattler, but Mario is good enough right now to be among the starting receivers for the Sooners in September. That’s what you want, what you expect from five-star talents, and the two offensive stars of the 2021 class are living up to their billing.
Quotable
“He’s got a chance to have an impact. Very fast. One of the fastest players on our side of the ball. He loves to compete. He loves to practice. He loves to play ball. He’s a good player. He’s an intelligent young man. There’s an opportunity for him to help us in the return game somewhere, especially in special teams. The opportunity for him to be out there and be able to stretch the field.
“And he’s fast. He’s got speed. We were talking out there today and I made a comment on the headsets that ‘you typically don’t see balls overthrown to the real fast guys.’ They have a way to go attack the ball.” – inside receivers coach Cale Gundy
