The 2022 season revealed just how important the tight end is to the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense. Brayden Willis had a career year for the Sooners, leading Oklahoma with seven touchdown receptions in addition to career highs in receptions and yards.
After rotating with Jeremiah Hall and Austin Stogner, Willis got the opportunity to take on a full-time role at tight end for the Sooners. With Willis graduating and heading to the NFL, it’s Stogner’s turn to see a full complement of snaps as the presumptive starter at tight end in 2023.
In 2021, Stogner was seventh on the Sooners in targets with just 26. Jeremiah Hall led the H-Back rotation with 37 targets, 32 receptions, 334 yards, and four touchdowns.
As the lead guy in the position in 2022, Brayden Willis was fourth on the team with targets with 53, behind Marvin Mims, Drake Stoops, and Jalil Farooq. He was second in receiving yards with 445 yards and had 35 receptions. Willis had more than double the yards and six more touchdowns than Stogner did, who had to share time with Jaheim Bell at tight end.
Returning to Oklahoma, Stogner has a shot at replicating what Willis was able to do for the Sooners. He’s a dynamic receiver that can make plays over the middle of the field and in the red zone. His athleticism gives Dillon Gabriel a player that can win 50-50 matchups. The Sooners need to be able to attack the sticks and the middle of the field with more consistency in 2023. Stogner helps them do that.
In addition to what he’ll provide on the field, he’ll give the Sooners the opportunity to be patient with their two four-star tight ends, Kaden Helms and Jason Llewellyn. Helms and Llewellyn have a lot of potential, but we didn’t see much of them in 2022. If one of them can emerge and take significant snaps, that’s great, but if they aren’t quite ready, the Sooners have a solid floor with Stogner’s present.
The Sooners will have more transfer portal additions before they open the 2023 season, but bringing Austin Stogner back will turn out to be a great addition for the Oklahoma Sooners.
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