2022 spring preview: How does wide receiver look for Oklahoma?
As spring practices for Oklahoma get underway on March 22, it’s time to begin taking stock of what the Sooners have on campus in each respective position group. At wide receiver, OU is replacing three of its top four receiving yardage leaders.
With that said, there’s plenty of talent returning for Oklahoma and the Sooners added a pair of talented pass catchers in their 2022 signing class. Let’s take a look at Oklahoma’s wide receivers entering the spring.
Returning starter: Marvin Mims
Though Trevon West started at the “X” wide receiver position in Oklahoma’s 47-32 Valero Alamo Bowl win over Oregon, really Marvin Mims is OU’s sole returning starting wide receiver from the bulk of last season.
That’s a great place to start for Oklahoma. Mims has led the Sooners in receiving in each of his two seasons on campus. The Frisco, Texas, native ended the 2020 season with 37 receptions for 610 yards and nine touchdowns. Then, in 2021, Mims caught 32 passes for 705 yards and five touchdowns.
According to 247Sports writer Nick Kosko, Mims is college football’s No. 6 returning wide receiver. Mims is an established star and in new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s offense he should expect more targets than at any point in his career thus far.
Other key returnees
Brian Darby
Jalil Farooq
Cody Jackson
Drake Stoops
Theo Wease
Trevon West
Oklahoma has a nice collection of talent here. Of course, Wease tied for the team lead in receptions with Mims during the 2020 season. The Allen, Texas, native also finished the 2020 season with the second-highest receiving yardage mark with 530 receiving yards. Wease returns from injury and should be primed to remind everyone why he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school.
Drake Stoops has had a very productive career with OU. Stoops has 41 career receptions for 521 yards and four touchdown grabs. Brian Darby and Trevon West have both seen snaps for Oklahoma as well, but are in that group ready to see larger roles.
Darby ended his 2021 season with seven receptions for 102 yards. Against Texas Tech, Darby had a pair of catches for 49 yards. West had just four receptions for 45 yards in 2021, but, after several defections from the program, West started for the Sooners in the Valero Alamo Bowl against Oregon.
Jalil Farooq also had a breakout performance against the Ducks, catching three passes for 64 yards. Cody Jackson was a consensus four-star recruit that finished 2021 with five receptions for 45 yards as well.
“Obviously, feel very good with Marvin Mims, you know, the offense that he has had. He’s really taken huge steps in being more of a vocal guy. Probably with you guys, you’ve seen he’s kind of calm and always has that smile on his face. But he has really taken big steps in being a leader in this offense. And then Drake Stoops is the same way. Those two push each other every single day, and they’re good leaders.
“Theo Wease, it’s good to see him back and see him going and running around, being full speed. A guy that’s been here, will be going into his fourth season, expect big things out of him. Cody Jackson, somebody that we were really, really high on last year and then he had a medical issue and had to step away from it a little bit, so he’s coming back. Brian Darby is getting bigger, faster, stronger. And then Tre West on the outside also is a guy that’s a quiet guy that is very, very talented. So, we feel good with the guys we’ve got. We really, really do,” Oklahoma wide receivers coach Cale Gundy said.
Key additions
Nic Anderson
Jayden Gibson
OU signed a pair of four-star talents in its 2022 class. Nic Anderson and Jayden Gibson both have a realistic chance to push for snaps immediately.
“Well, you know, Coach Lebby likes guys that are fast, big. I mean, it doesn’t matter. If you’re a great player, he wants you. So, we fell into a deal last year with Jayden Gibson there at the end which we were very fortunate, because he is a very talented and he is legit every bit of a 6-5 guy that can run and he can jump. He’s very athletic. And then obviously Nic Anderson, he’s 6-4-ish, 6-4.5.
“And again, you guys all know Rodney Anderson. He’s an Anderson. And that’s what people ask me. ‘How good is he?’ I was like, ‘He’s an Anderson. I shouldn’t have to tell you anything else.’ And he’s a lot like him. The mom and dad have done a tremendous job. And he’s got that mindset. He’s very, very gifted. He’s very fast. He’s very smooth. So, at the end of the day, this is going to be a fun, exciting offense and we’ve got to find out who’s going to be our best three or four or five receivers,” Gundy said.
Key losses
Jadon Haselwood
Mario Williams
Michael Woods
Jadon Haselwood transferred to Arkansas, Mario Williams transferred to USC and Michael Woods elected to forego a final season and put his name into the 2022 NFL Draft.
Woods finished the 2021 season with 35 receptions for 400 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Haselwood added 39 receptions for 399 yards and caught six touchdown passes and Williams recorded 35 grabs for 380 yards and had four touchdowns. Those receiving numbers registered as OU’s second, third and fourth-leading receiving yardage marks.
Projected starters
Marvin Mims
Theo Wease
Jalil Farooq
Mims is a no-brainer to start. Meanwhile, Wease started all 11 games in the 2020 season, and, if he’s back fully healthy, he will be primed for a big season. The last spot is up for grabs, but give Farooq the early nod coming off a big bowl performance against Oregon.
Under the radar player
Cody Jackson comes to mind here. While the two incoming freshmen in Anderson and Gibson should fight for playing time and potentially star straight away, it’s Jackson who already has one year on campus under his belt. As Gundy pointed out earlier, Jackson is someone the Sooners were really, really high on when they brought him into Norman. It seems whatever medical ailments existed for Jackson last season are out of the picture now and he could certainly remind Sooner Nation why he was a four-star prospect coming out of high school.
Position battles to watch
The big position battle is just to see who emerges as Oklahoma’s third starter. It feels like both Mims and Wease are surefire bets to be starters for Oklahoma, but what it looks like beyond that is wide open. Even after the third starting spot, it will just be interesting to see how this two-deep shakes out during the spring.
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