2. Taylor Tatum, RB
Serving as Oklahoma’s leading rusher so far this season, true freshman running back [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] produced most of his yardage against backups on Friday night. But Taylor was impressive no matter who was or wasn’t on the field.
He showed a burst and plenty of quickness in his collegiate debut, leading to Sooner fans wanting more of the No. 1 running back in the 2024 class.
He’s a member of a solid running back room that includes [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Sam Franklin[/autotag], but he clearly has the highest upside of the group.
Tatum carried the ball five times for 69 yards and a touchdown against Temple. If he continues to play well on limited touches, his role in the offense will only grow as the season progresses.
3. Jaydan Hardy, S
One of Oklahoma’s backup safeties, [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] gained plenty of reps in Game 1, intercepting a pass that ended up being OU’s sixth and final turnover forced on the night.
Hardy isn’t a starter for the Sooners this year, but he’s a part of Oklahoma’s second wave at safety behind [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag]. After those three excellent players, OU has Hardy and fellow true freshmen [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag].
Hardy looks to get more game reps, especially if OU does its job and takes Houston out of the game early. It could come in handy later in the season if one of the starters at the safety spot were to get injured.
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 @AaronGelvin.