When the Oklahoma Sooners open the season on September 2 against Arkansas State, [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] will get the start at one of the cornerback spots. Who occupies the starting cornerback position on the other side of the field is still in question.
Since getting a few snaps in his true freshman season, there’s been buzz about the potential of Tulsa native [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag].
Williams was the top prospect in the Sooners’ 2022 recruiting class, Brent Venables’ first as head coach.
With an opportunity to start for the Oklahoma Sooners right in front of him, Venables believes Gentry Williams has put his best foot forward this offseason.
“He’s been on a mission,” [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] said at Oklahoma Football’s media day Tuesday. “That’s the best way I can describe it. He’s locked and focused. And it’s not that he wasn’t as a as a freshman, but maybe it’s given him an appreciation.”
That appreciation may come from a health scare Williams experienced during spring ball.
Back on March 8, the talented cornerback from Booker T. Washington suffered what was called an exertional collapse.
Since then, it’s been all work for Williams.
“Mission type of mindset,” Venables shared. “Incredible work ethic, teammates love him. He’s got a great ceiling. All of his best football is still in front of him. He’s long, and he’s athletic. He’s tough as all get out. Really talented, young player. You know, players really respect him.”
Williams saw 60 snaps in 2022, but never more than 11 in a game. But he flashed in the time he earned, finishing with an interception, four tackles, and two stops per Pro Football Focus.
Now it’s about taking the offseason work and building off of last season’s first foray into college football.
But to hear co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] tell it, the sky is the limit for Williams because of his work ethic, speed, and athleticism.
“He’s biting every single day,” Valai said of Williams at OU media day. “Work ethic, leading the group. He’s leading all the sprints in the summer, 23 miles per hour running, which is insane. And you know he’s Gentry. He’s working his tail off on a daily basis.”
For a team that needs to see improvement on the defensive side of the ball to reach the level of success that’s expected at the University of Oklahoma, Williams has a chance to be a big part of that improvement.
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