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The Oklahoma Sooners have had plenty of great wide receivers throughout their history, especially in the modern era of the last 26 seasons from 1999 to 2024. However, despite looking to be on track for another great showing from that position group a season ago, the wide receivers underwhelmed a season ago.
Most of the issues were due to injury. OU's top five wide receivers (Deion Burks, Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Andrel Anthony, and Nic Anderson) each missed all or a vast majority of the 2024 season. While some of those injuries were serious, it appeared that there wasn't a real sense of urgency to get back on the field from some of the Sooners' stars.
With Farooq, Anthony, and Anderson leaving the team in the portal, Oklahoma got good news with the return of Burks this offseason. He's got the potential to be one of the best WRs in the SEC if he stays healthy. However, Saturday Down South still thinks he has a ways to go to line up with the league's best.
Staff writer Connor O'Gara compiled his list of the 10 best wide receivers in the SEC. Although no OU players made the top 10, Burks was included as an honorable mention.
"When Burks was healthy at Purdue in 2023, he was an all-conference wideout who had some early-round NFL Draft buzz," O'Gara said. "Let’s see if he can get back there operating out of the slot with a new-look Oklahoma offense."
Anderson, who played the least out of OU's top four wideouts in 2024 and immediately left the program when the regular season was over after only managing to be able to suit up for one-quarter of one game, ranked eighth on the list. He plays for LSU now, as the Tigers took a chance on a player with questionable availability but undeniable physical ability.
"Again, Anderson had a lost 2024, which significantly impacted Oklahoma’s potential," O'Gara said. "There’s still plenty to like with Anderson. When he was last healthy in 2023, he was the only FBS player who averaged 20 yards/catch with 10 touchdown grabs. He’s not necessarily a big contested catch guy yet, having only really had 1 full college season, but he was 7th in the FBS with a 146.5 quarterback rating when targeted (min. 30 targets) in 2023. On top of that, his seven catches of 40 yards were 11th in the FBS that year. Garrett Nussmeier needed that big-play threat on the outside, and Anderson could step into that role in a major way at LSU."
Burks leads the way for a rebuilt group of wide receivers in Norman that has already been banged up again this spring. Jayden Gibson is still dealing with his injury, but if he's healthy this fall, he can help take some of the pressure off of Burks.
Aside from Burks and Gibson, the Sooners have other returners from the 2024 team in Jacob Jordan, Zion Kearney, Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon and KJ Daniels. All were true freshman last year, but had to move up the depth chart due to the starters not being on the field.
The Sooners took two wideouts in the 2025 recruiting class with Elijah Thomas and Manny Choice, who have been impressive this spring. There's certainly plenty of youth for wide receivers coach/pass game coordinator Emmett Jones to build with.
To replace the departed players and add better depth in 2025, Jones brought in several transfers this winter. Javonnie Gibson, Isaiah Sategna, Josiah Martin, and Keontez Lewis will try their best to aid the returning starters and make OU's passing attack formidable again. Gibson was a breakout star in spring ball before a serious injury put him on the shelf until the fall. Oklahoma also added Jer'Michael Carter in the spring portal window, a big body wideout from McNeese State.
Wide receiver was expected to be a big-time strength for Oklahoma in 2024. Instead, is was a massive weakness. The Sooners are trying to make sure that doesn't happen again in 2025, but health and availability will be the key factors in improvement from that room this season.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners miss out on Saturday Down South's list of top 10 WRs
Continue reading...
Most of the issues were due to injury. OU's top five wide receivers (Deion Burks, Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Andrel Anthony, and Nic Anderson) each missed all or a vast majority of the 2024 season. While some of those injuries were serious, it appeared that there wasn't a real sense of urgency to get back on the field from some of the Sooners' stars.
With Farooq, Anthony, and Anderson leaving the team in the portal, Oklahoma got good news with the return of Burks this offseason. He's got the potential to be one of the best WRs in the SEC if he stays healthy. However, Saturday Down South still thinks he has a ways to go to line up with the league's best.
Staff writer Connor O'Gara compiled his list of the 10 best wide receivers in the SEC. Although no OU players made the top 10, Burks was included as an honorable mention.
"When Burks was healthy at Purdue in 2023, he was an all-conference wideout who had some early-round NFL Draft buzz," O'Gara said. "Let’s see if he can get back there operating out of the slot with a new-look Oklahoma offense."
Anderson, who played the least out of OU's top four wideouts in 2024 and immediately left the program when the regular season was over after only managing to be able to suit up for one-quarter of one game, ranked eighth on the list. He plays for LSU now, as the Tigers took a chance on a player with questionable availability but undeniable physical ability.
"Again, Anderson had a lost 2024, which significantly impacted Oklahoma’s potential," O'Gara said. "There’s still plenty to like with Anderson. When he was last healthy in 2023, he was the only FBS player who averaged 20 yards/catch with 10 touchdown grabs. He’s not necessarily a big contested catch guy yet, having only really had 1 full college season, but he was 7th in the FBS with a 146.5 quarterback rating when targeted (min. 30 targets) in 2023. On top of that, his seven catches of 40 yards were 11th in the FBS that year. Garrett Nussmeier needed that big-play threat on the outside, and Anderson could step into that role in a major way at LSU."
Burks leads the way for a rebuilt group of wide receivers in Norman that has already been banged up again this spring. Jayden Gibson is still dealing with his injury, but if he's healthy this fall, he can help take some of the pressure off of Burks.
Aside from Burks and Gibson, the Sooners have other returners from the 2024 team in Jacob Jordan, Zion Kearney, Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon and KJ Daniels. All were true freshman last year, but had to move up the depth chart due to the starters not being on the field.
The Sooners took two wideouts in the 2025 recruiting class with Elijah Thomas and Manny Choice, who have been impressive this spring. There's certainly plenty of youth for wide receivers coach/pass game coordinator Emmett Jones to build with.
To replace the departed players and add better depth in 2025, Jones brought in several transfers this winter. Javonnie Gibson, Isaiah Sategna, Josiah Martin, and Keontez Lewis will try their best to aid the returning starters and make OU's passing attack formidable again. Gibson was a breakout star in spring ball before a serious injury put him on the shelf until the fall. Oklahoma also added Jer'Michael Carter in the spring portal window, a big body wideout from McNeese State.
Wide receiver was expected to be a big-time strength for Oklahoma in 2024. Instead, is was a massive weakness. The Sooners are trying to make sure that doesn't happen again in 2025, but health and availability will be the key factors in improvement from that room this season.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners miss out on Saturday Down South's list of top 10 WRs
Continue reading...
