Four Sooners in College Sports Wire’s preseason top 25 players in the Big 12
Oklahoma’s final season in the Big 12 is expected to be memorable as the Sooners look to leave on top ahead of the move to the SEC. Coming off of one of their worst season in 20 years, Oklahoma is looking to remind return to conference title contention.
To do that, The Sooners hope their returning players take another step in their development. They return five starters on offense and six on defense from a year ago.
A few of those starters are considered some of the best players in the conference. Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire believes they fit comfortably among the top 25 players the Big 12.
No. 15: Dillon Gabriel | QB
Checking in at No. 15, Oklahoma’s starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel will be under center for his second season in Norman. He won Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year last year. This year, the Sooners need him to be better in key situations to help the offense unlock another gear. With similar numbers as last season, he could crack the top 10 in NCAA history for passing yards for a career.
No. 20: Jovantae Barnes | RB
Alongside Dillon Gabriel, this fall will see sophomore running back Jovantae Barnes back in a big way. Barnes, a talented running back from Las Vegas, has all the tools necessary to be the next great running back at Oklahoma.
In year one, he seized the RB2 role behind Eric Gray and never let it go. He rushed for 519 yards on 116 carries and added five touchdowns in 2022. He’ll look to crack the 1,000-yard mark this season as a focal point for the Sooners’ offense.
No. 24: Ethan Downs | Edge
One of two Oklahoma defenders on this list, Ethan Downs, is a key piece of an Oklahoma defense that needs a turnaround performance.
Downs is a strong-side defensive end in this system and had 4.5 sacks and started every game in 2022. The defensive line needs to be better stopping the run and rushing the passer in 2023.
In his third season in Norman, Downs was the lone selection to the All-Big 12 preseason team.
No. 25: Danny Stutsman | LB
Noted as a vocal leader of the team, Danny Stutsman’s time is now. He led the Big 12 in tackles in 2022. He was also first in the conference in Pro Football Focus’s “stops” metric, which accounts for down and distance, taking into account success rate.
The talent is there; the leadership is there. He’ll need to take it up a notch for the Sooners to take a significant step on the defensive side of the ball.
Possible Sooner Surprises
While we talked about the four players listed in the top 25, it would be hard not to imagine a few other players that could join them by the end of the year and earn All-Big 12 selections.
Billy Bowman is one to look out for. His collection of raw athleticism and his natural penchant for being near the ball could propel him to greater heights in his second year as a starter. Bowman spent his first collegiate season playing everywhere. He’s now had a system in place for multiple years, and that could allow him to play fast and instinctual.
Offensively, Tyler Guyton looks primed to announce himself to the rest of the college football world. He has good athleticism and elite size. Bill Bedenbaugh is one of the best in the nation at developing offensive linemen. The time is now after Guyton’s performance over future first-round draft pick Jared Verse of Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl.
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