Every offseason, teams across the country have to figure out how to replace starters that are on their way to the NFL. The Sooners are no different, with [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] and [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag] expected to be selected in the 2023 NFL draft in a couple of weeks.
One of the answers to that question will be [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag]. Guyton, who transferred from TCU last spring, is expected to man one of the offensive tackle spots. And he’s someone that offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] has high expectations for Guyton despite it being his first year as a starter.
“I don’t have any different expectations,” Bedenbaugh said after practice last week. “I don’t care how old they are. But really, he’s played (offensive line) for three years of his life, and this will be his fourth. He played some tight end before. He was a (defensive end) in high school. So he’s a young o-lineman. He’s a young kid, too. He just hadn’t played.”
Despite his inexperience at the position, Guyton flashed in 2022 in spot starts for the Sooners. His performances provided optimism for what could be a breakout season in 2023 at tackle. And Bedenbaugh’s seen enough to think he’s got a chance to be one of the Sooners’ next great offensive linemen.
“He started, I think, five or six games, but he’s got all the ability in the world,” Bedenbaugh said. “One of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen. And we’ve had some pretty talented guys come through here.”
Some of the best offensive linemen in the NFL are Oklahoma Sooners alums. More specifically, Creed Humphrey and Orlando Brown were coached by Bedenbaugh and had huge impacts for the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Humphrey is arguably the best center in the NFL and Brown just received a big contract from the Cincinnati Bengals. And then there’s Anton Harrison, who’s projected to go in the top 40 of the NFL draft.
To be put in that echelon of players, having only played offensive line for a few years, speaks to the talent that Tyler Guyton possesses and the potential to get even better.
And, according to Coach Bedenbaugh, Guyton is approaching this opportunity with the right mindset.
“So it’s just experience. He’s matured. He’s approaching it the right way. He’s preparing the right way. He’s doing things outside of here the right way. And that’s just a growth process. You hope that everybody has it when they come in here. It’s just not reality, you know, and they learned it, and he’s doing it now.”
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