3 Oklahoma Sooners defensive players to watch vs. Iowa State

Oklahoma welcomes in Iowa State for the Sooners’ final home game. Here’s three OU defensive players that need a big day.

Key Lawrence, S

This seems like a big week for the sophomore defensive back. Against Kansas, Lawrence played safety and was Oklahoma’s best defender as he racked up a team-high eight tackles against the Jayhawks.

He followed that performance up by shifting over to cornerback versus Texas Tech and recorded a pair of pass breakups and seven more tackles.

Lawrence was back at cornerback against Baylor and it didn’t go as well. He was beaten on the Bears’ first touchdown of the day as Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Gerry Bohanon.

Still, Lawrence has been one of the Sooners’ best defensive backs over the past month of the season. With cornerback Woodi Washington back in the fold and having played his first game back against the Bears, there’s a chance to move Lawrence back to safety or perhaps the nickel back position.

If that’s the case, he should get a lengthy look at defending Kolar.

“Charlie’s especially tough because just his ability to run really crisp routes. You watch him run and you don’t appreciate how big he is. You get on the field with him and a big human that can in a lot of ways kind of runs and gets in and out of cuts like a wide out. You combine that with that big frame, the hands he has, the experience he has. He’s a tremendous player,” Riley said of defending Kolar.

That will be the most difficult matchup Iowa State presents in the passing game. Lawrence will get a crack at it and the Sooners need him to deliver.

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