Latest news with #OklahomaSooners
USA Today
21 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Who does R Mason Thomas expect to break out at defensive end in 2025?
The Oklahoma Sooners will open fall camp on July 30, and star pass rusher R Mason Thomas is expecting big things out of a pair of young defensive ends. Speaking at SEC media days last week, Thomas didn't hesitate when he was asked who he expects to break out this season at defensive end. Adepoju Adebawore and Taylor Wein. They have a chance to make noise on the Sooners' depth chart in 2025. Both players were a part of the 2023 recruiting class. Adebawore was a highly coveted five-star signee. Wein was a three-star prospect who committed to Oklahoma late in the 2023 cycle. Though they may have been viewed differently as high school prospects, both Wein and Adebawore have impressed this offseason. Thomas said the two players are "hungry" and they "want it." Thomas even said it wouldn't be surprising to see either player go get five sacks this season because of how hard they're working to make an impact. The Sooners will deploy a rotation at defensive end. With Ethan Downs off to the NFL, Oklahoma brought in former five-star prospect Marvin Jones Jr., who spent time at Georgia and Florida State. But Adebawore and Wein have an opportunity to earn significant snaps in the Sooners' defense 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 John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs 90-man roster by jersey number: No. 52, center Creed Humphrey
The Kansas City Chiefs selected star center Creed Humphrey with the No. 63 pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. A former Oklahoma Sooner, Humphrey is one of Kansas City's most valuable players and has blossomed into one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Advertisement In his four regular-season campaigns with the Chiefs, Humphrey has never missed a start. He earned first-team All-Pro honors for his performance in 2024, has been selected to participate in three Pro Bowls, and won two Super Bowl titles. What jersey number does Creed Humphrey wear? Jan 7, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (right) talks with center Creed Humphrey (52) before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Humphrey currently wears the No. 52 jersey for the Kansas City Chiefs. How much money will Creed Humphrey make in 2025? LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 14: Creed Humphrey #52 of the Kansas City Chiefs walks off the field after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) According to Humphrey will receive a base salary of $6,940,000 in addition to a prorated signing bonus of $3,600,000 in 2025. His total cap number will be $10,790,000 next season. Top Creed Humphrey highlight This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs 90-man roster by jersey number: No. 52, center Creed Humphrey
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma Sooners 2025 depth chart projection ahead of fall camp
SEC media days are behind us, and the Oklahoma Sooners and the rest of the college football world will begin fall camp in short order. The Oklahoma Sooners begin the 2025 season in 40 days against Illinois State. After the way 2024 went, everyone's itching to see if this year's version of the squad can have a year in which they contend for the SEC or a College Football Playoff berth. The Sooners were picked to finish 10th in the SEC by the media, and that would undoubtedly be a disappointment. Oklahoma feels like a squad that could easily surpass expectations. Though the schedule appears tough, the Sooners are a better team than they were a year ago. Get a little bit of luck on the health front, and this is a team that could be one of the biggest surprises of 2025. It's a deeper and more experienced group than what they carried into 2024, but they'll have to answer questions in fall camp, especially on the offensive side of the ball. As we inch closer to the start of the season, here's our pre-fall camp depth chart projection for the Oklahoma Sooners. Quarterback John Mateer's debut with the Oklahoma Sooners may be one of the most highly anticipated in college football. He had SEC media days buzzing with his confidence and fans and analysts alike are excited to see the dual-threat quarterback on display for the crimson and cream. But the Sooners have a talented backup for 2025 in Michael Hawkins Jr. As a true freshman, Hawkins flashed his speed and arm talent, helping the Sooners beat Auburn on the road in his first career start. Turnovers to start the game against South Carolina saw Hawkins return to backup duty, but he's got tremendous upside. With a chance to sit and learn from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle behind Mateer, Hawkins will get an opportunity to reset and get more comfortable with Arbuckle's scheme before being called upon to be the starter. Running Back Though Jovantae Barnes sat out most of the spring letting his ankle injury heal and rest, he's a veteran option for the Oklahoma Sooners running back room behind Jaydn Ott. He proved to be one of the best pieces of the offense in 2024 before getting injured. Venables mentioned Barnes has been key in helping Ott transition to Oklahoma after signing out of the spring transfer portal. Beyond Ott and Barnes, the Sooners have a talented trio of youngsters in Xavier Robinson, Taylor Tatum, and Tory Blaylock. Robinson ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Alabama in 2024. Tatum has tremendous upside, but battled with ball security as a true freshman. Blaylock has the ability to make an impact early with incredible speed and contact balance. Biggest question. Are there enough carries to go around? Wide Receiver Wide receiver is a spot that the Sooners need a big bounce-back year from. After an injury-plagued 2024, Oklahoma almost completely turned over the group. Oklahoma is banking on Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson coming back from injury, but they also added key transfers in Javonnie Gibson, Isaiah Sategna, and Jer'Michael Carter via the portal to try to provide a spark at wide receiver. Tight End Tight end is one of those spots that feels like a crapshoot. Will Huggins has the Power Four experience to step in and help right away, while players like Kanak and true freshman Trynae Washington have more athletic upside. Carson Kent is the wildcard here. He may provide more in the passing game than Huggins, but will his blocking hold up down in and down out? Offensive Line While so much attention has been put on John Mateer and Jaydn Ott, it's the Oklahoma Sooners offensive line that's the key to the 2025 season. It was a group that underperformed in 2024, in large part due to injury and inexperience. Oklahoma made key transfer portal additions, bringing in Derek Simmons, Luke Baklenko, and Jake Maikkula. Simmons is likely to start at right tackle, while Maikkula will push center Troy Everett for a starting role. Arguably, the most intriguing position battle is at left guard, where incumbent Heath Ozaeta will try to hold off Eddy Pierre-Louis to start for the Sooners in week one. Ozaeta had offseason surgery and missed spring ball but the experience he gained in 2024 was invaluable. He was a standout from last offseason and is looking to build off a strong finish to the season. It's not often you see true freshmen in the two-deep, but that's how impressive Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje have been in their short time with the Sooners. When asked about what young guys could contribute, Venables mentioned the two blue-chip players at SEC media days. Defensive Line That defensive line two-deep looks stout. R Mason Thomas and Gracen Halton are trending toward top 100 selections in the 2026 NFL draft. Those two combined for 14 sacks last season. Marvin Jones Jr. had five sacks for Florida State, and Damonic Williams had a strong first season in Norman. On the second team, the Sooners have a really good group of young players ready to make an impact. Jayden Jackson could end up starting for the Sooners but after missing spring ball, he may start as a rotational defensive tackle. David Stone had a good spring and looks like a player ready to make an impact this year. When asked about defensive ends that look ready to step out and shine, Thomas mentioned P.J. Adebawore and Taylor Wein. Adebawore was a five-star prospect in the 2023 cycle and Wein was a late addition to the recruiting class. By all accounts, the two had huge springs. Don't sleep on Danny Okoye breaking into the two-deep either. Brent Venables called him the best athlete on the team. Linebacker No more Danny Stutsman at linebacker, but this is a group that's been around. Kobie McKinzie will step into the middle linebacker role that was occupied by Stutsman. He's got great size at 6-foot-2, 236 pounds and has been learning behind Stutsman in Brent Venables' system the last three seasons. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, and now it's McKinzie's time to shine. Kip Lewis is one of Oklahoma's best playmakers on defense. His two interceptions returned for touchdowns last year helped Oklahoma earn its only wins in SEC play. Lewis just gets better each time he takes the field for the Sooners. Kendal Dolby is almost 100%. Robert Spears-Jennings called him the backbone of the defense. Dolby is a playmaker who does so many things for a defense. He can cover, he can play the run, and he can blitz off the edge. If he can stay healthy throughout the 2025 season, Dolby will provide fireworks for the Sooners' defense. The depth with Kendal Daniels, Samuel Omosigho, and Reggie Powers III might be as good as it has been for the Oklahoma Sooners during the Venables era. They'll each play a key role for the Sooners defense. Cornerback If there's an area on the defense that has a question mark, it's at cornerback. And that's not because there's no talent. There's a lot of talent, but there have been setbacks due to injury. But it's a group filled with four-star prospects. Brent Venables and Jim Nagy expressed faith in Jay Valai's group by not adding a player in either the winter or spring portal sessions. Eli Bowen was one of the revelations of the 2024 season. He had some really good moments in coverage, like against Ryan Williams and Alabama. But there were also times where he struggled, like at the end of the Missouri game and in the second half against LSU. He's battled an ankle injury this offseason but should be ready to go for fall camp. Gentry Williams has proven he can play at the collegiate level. He's sticky in coverage and physical in the run game. Now he just has to stay healthy for an entire season. Because if he does, the Sooners have a star on the outside at cornerback. Safety Safety is one of the more exciting positions on the team. Despite the loss of Billy Bowman, Brandon Hall still has a really talented safety room, led by Robert Spears-Jennings. Spears-Jennings is looking to build off of a strong 2024 season where he finished second on the team in total tackles, had an interception, four forced fumbles, 2 1/2 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Former five-star prospect Peyton Bowen is looking to have a breakout season. In 13 games last season, Bowen had 34 total tackles and two tackles for loss. He possesses incredible athleticism and playmaking ability. After sitting and learning behind Billy Bowman the last two seasons, it's now time for Bowen to take a step and become the player that had Notre Dame and Oregon also trying to land during the 2023 early signing period. Special Teams The Oklahoma Sooners were active in the transfer portal to fill key special teams roles. The only returning member of the team's projected first team is long snapper Ben Anderson, who earned All-SEC preseason honors. Tate Sandell is expected to carry the placekicking duties. Arkansas transfer wide receiver Isaiah Sategna will be the Sooners primary return man. Oklahoma is expecting to be in some close games in 2025, and the special teams units could be what provides the difference. 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 John on X @john9williams.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma Sooners commits climb in latest Rivals 300 updated rankings
There are just a few weeks before fall camp gets underway, which puts the 2025 football season right around the corner. As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for the season, future Sooners in the 2026 recruiting class will be preparing for their senior season in high school. Led by quarterback Bowe Bentley, the Oklahoma Sooners have the No. 26 recruiting class in the cycle. Ahead of the senior season, Rivals, which recently merged with On3, released it's updated and reconfigured top 300 player rankings for the cycle. Currently, the Sooners have just four players included in the Rivals 300 but are trending positively for a pair of top 300 targets in wide receiver Davian Groce and edge Jake Kruel. After last week's update, though, where do future Sooners land in the latest Rivals 300? More: Oklahoma Sooners 2026 recruiting commitment tracker No. 41 Bowe Bentley, QB - Committed Bowe Bentley is Oklahoma's top-rated commitment in the 2026 recruiting class. The Sooners earned a big recruiting win when he chose OU over LSU. The Sooners see a dual-threat quarterback in Bentley. He had a huge year for Celina, leading them to an undefeated season and state title in Texas 4A football. Bentley saw a big jump in the Rivals300 release and is considered the No. 4 quarterback in the class. Bentley climbed 15 spots in the latest update. No. 54 Davian Groce, WR - Target One of the top remaining targets for the Oklahoma Sooners, wide receiver Davian Groce has been trending toward the Sooners for some time, but there hasn't been a lot of buzz lately. Groce is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands and can help an offense at running back, outside wide receiver, in the slot, and can even make an impact as a return man. Groce dropped by three spots in the Rivals 300. No. 151 Daniel Norman, EDGE - Committed Daniel Norman saw one of the biggest jumps in the rankings in the class, moving up to just outside the top 150. Norman rose more than 200 spots. He's got big-time athleticism and great size for the position at 6-foot-4. No. 175 Jake Kreul, EDGE - Target Oklahoma target Jake Kreul had a strong performance in a recent Rivals camp, showing off his pass rush ability. What did that earn him? A 135-spot drop in the Rivals 300. 247Sports ranks the IMG Academy prospect as the No. 61 player overall, while ESPN sees Kreul as a five-star talent and the No. 22 player in the country for the 2026 recruiting class. He's a refined edge rusher with the ability to mix speed and power to win. Kreul has great size and length and will be a difference maker at the collegiate level. No. 177 Tyler Ruxer, TE - Committed Tyler Ruxer saw a big jump after committing to the Oklahoma Sooners. He's got big-time speed that's capable of making big plays in the passing game. He's expected to convert to tight end at the collegiate level, which will provide Oklahoma a dynamic threat down the middle of the field. Ruxer rose nearly 200 spots in the latest update. No. 254 Deacon Schmitt, OL - Committed The Oklahoma Sooners got a big win when they landed four-star offensive line prospect Deacon Schmitt. He had big-time offers from around the SEC and Big Ten. He'll make the transition from offensive tackle to interior offensive line for the Sooners, adding to the guard depth that Bill Bedenbaugh has recruited over the last few cycles. Schmitt climbed nearly 50 spots in the Rivals 300. 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 John on X @john9williams.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma Sooners 2027 target among ESPN's best prospects
The Oklahoma Sooners are still working to shore up their 2026 recruiting class. High on their prospect board are top 100 players defensive end Jake Kreul and wide receiver Davian Groce. But as 2026 enters the final stretch, 2027 has also taken center stage as the Sooners hope to begin building momentum for next year's top prospects. 2027 four-star defensive tackle Jalen Brewster has caught the eye of the Oklahoma Sooners front office and coaching staff. They've been making a significant push for the Cedar Hill prospect and have had him on campus multiple times since issuing an offer to the North Texas prospect last August. He's already trending to be one of the top players at his position by the time the 2027 cycle finishes, and ESPN's Billy Tucker considers Brewster the No. 24 high school prospect in the nation regardless of recruiting class. Possessing violent hands and excellent play strength, Brewster is a power-based pass rusher with the ability to close with surprising quickness for his size. Those are the ingredients of an elite, disruptive interior defensive lineman. Coaches praise his motor, and there's no shortage of blue bloods vying to land his commitment. - Tucker, ESPN Jalen Brewster is the No. 1 offensive tackle across the board, and the No. 6 player according to Rivals and the No. 7 player in the class according to 247Sports. Brewster already has 21 Power Four offers and is a five-star prospect in the Rivals database. The Oklahoma Sooners have done a great job recruiting the defensive tackle position over the last several years, but Brewster could be the highest-rated prospect attracted to Oklahoma by head coach Todd Bates. Rivals currently gives the Sooners an edge in their recruiting prediction machine. There's a long way to go in his recruitment, but the Sooners are in a great spot for one of the best players in the 2027 recruiting class. 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 John on X @john9williams.
