Like a lot of in-state kids, LaRon Stokes dreamed about playing for Oklahoma. But his journey to getting to Norman? You’re not going to find that too often or maybe ever again.

Through all the twists and turns, Stokes never gave up hope and that dream was realized last weekend when Stokes was one of the starting defensive linemen for OU’s season opener in a 49-31 victory against Houston.

Stokes has gone from Tulsa Central to Tulsa NOAH Homeschool to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to now OU, the road has been worth it.

It’s almost an understatement to say Stokes was an unknown during his high school days. Stokes began as a homeschool kid, but played sports at Tulsa Central. Upon learning he was better off either doing homeschool 100 percent or public school 100 percent, he opted for Tulsa NOAH.

Worked for him, but it definitely made the journey a little more difficult.

“Well the main reason is, I mean, the whole process with becoming a qualifier with the clearinghouse is way more complicated when you're homeschooled,” Stokes said. “So I didn't know how much paperwork I needed to do, and I didn't get it done.”

Not because he didn’t try, not because Stokes wasn’t capable. The truth is simply each time Stokes believed he had completed all the paperwork necessary, there was another hurdle to climb.

Stokes eventually found his way to NEO A&M and began the first phase of learning to adapt, on and off the field.

“It definitely was,” Stokes said. “When I first got to NEO, I didn't even know what certain techniques were. It was like learning a new language, trying to line up in gaps and things like that. It took me awhile, a few weeks, but once I started learning football, everything was kinda downhill.”

Downhill enough to where he went from being under the radar to one of the best junior college recruits for the 2019 class. As offers poured in, no doubt Stokes was fired up. But the one he was waiting for was absolutely OU.

His favorite player growing up was Adrian Peterson and that love for the Sooners never went away. However, it was going to take more than just love for the school to make it happen.

“You know, coaches say, 'I got a guy that's 6-3, 6-4,' and you get there, and you know, I'm 6-1 and he's telling me he's 6-3 but he's shorter than me,” defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux said. “But I was looking up to LaRon, and I was like, 'Oh snap.' I got on the phone with Coach Riley and said, 'Coach, we need to offer this guy.' The rest is history.”

Stokes committed just days before the early signing period, and he initially had accepted he would be a May graduate. It became a pleasant surprise when he learned he had put in all the work necessary to be a mid-year graduate and arrive in Norman last January.

“We were filling out the paperwork in my head coach's office,” Stokes said. “He was a big help for me. ... Once we found out, it was like everything just kind of exploded from there. It was pretty exciting calling my mom the first thing I did. We were happy and praising God and stuff like that. It was cool.”

Stokes still remembers that first interaction with Thibodeaux.

“When he DM'ed me on Twitter, I looked at it and then I looked at my roommate at NEO and I said, look at this,” Stokes said. “Everybody knew I wanted to go to OU and they were like, will you go there over this one? I said, if any school offers me, I will go to OU over any of them. When he started that (dialogue), that was a big deal. I called my mom and said, he ain't offered me yet, but I hope so. I was just so happy.”

The feel-good story could have stopped there. He had made it, arrived in Norman. However, there was still more chapters to be written. It became clear during the spring that Stokes wasn’t going to be a juco kid who simply provided depth. He was going to be a contributor.

Nothing changed heading into preseason camp, and Stokes worked his way into a starting role. His teammates weren’t surprised.

“He knew he wanted to be part of this team,” senior Neville Gallimore said. “You could tell by his work ethic. Really quiet guy, doesn’t say too much, but his work ethic speaks volumes. He’s a smart guy on the field, off the field. He knew that we were gonna hold him, the coaches were going to hold him, to a high standard. And he holds himself to a high standard.”

Each week, if you expected Stokes to fall down the depth chart or struggle to adjust, it simply wouldn’t happen. From being unsure of where his career would go at Tulsa NOAH to now starting for the Sooners, that first run through the tunnel is something he’ll never forget.

“I'll remember that forever,” Stokes said. “Just that first time coming through the tunnel, looking up and seeing everybody, just trying not to let it get to you that much, try to stay focused on the game so that you can be your best.

“That is literally like a dream come true.”