Fall camp is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners at the moment are in regards to the job of determining how their depth chart will lay out after they head into the season opener in opposition to the UTEP Miners on September 3.
What it seems to be like week one doesn’t imply that’s how the depth chart will keep for week two, however it can give us a very good indication as to how the coaches really feel about sure positions going into the season.
Just lately, I tried to undertaking what the offensive depth chart might seem like for Oklahoma to begin the season. Nevertheless, a number of place battles will assist the depth chart take form.
Let’s check out some key place battles for the Oklahoma Sooners in fall camp.
Proper Sort out
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4 spots alongside the offensive line seem all however locked in. From left to proper, Anton Harrison, McKade Mettauer, Andrew Raym, and Chris Murray look to be beginning alongside the offensive line. That leaves proper sort out as a pivotal place battle that the Sooners should kind out in fall camp.
In our offensive depth chart projections, Wanya Morris obtained the nod, however TCU switch Tyler Guyton and former high prospects Aaryn Parks and Savion Byrd will contend for taking part in time as nicely.
One would assume Morris’ expertise and expertise give him an edge, however as camp and the primary few video games of the season shake out, we’ll get extra readability.
Slot Huge Receiver
Like proper sort out, slot broad receiver seems to be like a spot the place the Sooners have some actually good choices. With Marvin Mims and Theo Wease on the skin, who performs inside is up for grabs.
Whereas many projections put Drake Stoops into the beginning lineup, Arizona State switch LV Bunkley-Shelton has the expertise and manufacturing on the SEC stage to make a severe play to begin. Although not as skilled within the slot, Missouri switch J.J. Hester and sophomore Jalil Farooq might additionally push for snaps in Oklahoma’s offense.
With as many snaps as Jeff Lebby needs to run, it’s very important to have choices on the depth chart you’ll be able to go to, and within the slot, the Sooners have a number of choices.
EDGE
Gone are Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas, opening up greater than 1,000 snaps to be seized within the 2022 season.
The Sooners have a powerful trio of edge rushers in Reggie Grimes, Marcus Stripling, and Ethan Downs. Throw in Hawaii switch Jonah Laulu, and Oklahoma’s depth chart seems to be good.
In 2021, Grimes, Stripling, and Downs performed a mixed 704 snaps between them. Don’t let the minimal snap counts idiot you, although, this can be a proficient bunch of gamers, as we noticed within the Alamo Bowl and the Spring recreation.
Every of those guys may even see a number of begins in 2022 relying on the matchup and the opening alignment that the protection is in, however regardless, the trio will get the chance to make a major impression for the Sooners.
The highest three edge gamers in snap distribution for the Clemson Tigers every noticed greater than 341 snaps final season. Grimes, who was third amongst edge rushers in snaps performed, was on the sphere for 304 snaps in 2021.
Linebacker
One other spot the place the Sooners have fairly a couple of choices is at linebacker. Brian Asamoah is off to the NFL, leaving DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Danny Stutsman, and T.D. Roof to compete for snaps on the Oklahoma protection.
White’s expertise provides him an edge to play the weakside linebacker spot whereas Ugwoegbu and Stutsman look to be competing for snaps at center linebacker.
Security
Key Lawrence will possible one in all your beginning safeties in 2022. With Pat Fields off to Stanford and Delarrin Turner-Yell with the Denver Broncos, a possibility has arisen for senior Justin Broiles and sophomore Billy Bowman.
Broiles performed the second-most defensive snaps in 2021 behind solely Patrick Fields. Broiles might in the end find yourself because the slot cornerback, the place he performed greater than half of his snaps in 2021.
Issues have been a bit up and down for him early within the season, however he settled in and performed higher down the stretch. Towards Oklahoma State, he allowed only one reception on 4 targets for seven yards and added a go break up. Towards Oregon, he performed simply seven snaps, was focused as soon as, and didn’t permit a reception.