Tag: Bauer Sharp

Oklahoma Sooners have to get something out of the tight end spot

Tight end is flying under the radar as a position that needs to be better for the 2024 Oklahoma Sooners.

After [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag] had a breakout 2022 season, there was plenty of optimism about what the Sooners could get out of [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag], who returned from South Carolina for the 2023 season.

It didn’t materialize. Although the offense was incredibly efficient and put a bunch of points on the board, it played behind the eight ball with limited production at tight end.

Despite Stogner getting the vast majority of the work, Sooners tight ends combined for 20 receptions for 252 yards and two touchdowns. In 2022, Willis had 39 receptions for 514 yards and seven touchdowns to finish second on the team in receiving.

That’s the kind of production the Sooners need heading into the SEC.

In an effort to get more out of the tight end spot in their offense, the Sooners scoured the transfer portal and brought in the uber-athletic and tough [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] and do-it-all veteran [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag] to lead the position in 2024.

Sharp is a converted quarterback, but he garnered substantial praise during spring ball. His athleticism and toughness received rave reviews, but it’s going to be a big step going from Southeastern Louisiana to the Southeastern Conference.

Roberts missed much of the spring recovering from an injury, but he has played nearly 1,800 snaps and was a part of [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]’s North Texas teams before transferring to Baylor for the 2022 season. Last year for the Bears, Roberts had 23 receptions for 231 yards and a touchdown.

It’s likely those two will take on much of the workload for the Sooners this season, but young guns [autotag]Kade McIntyre[/autotag], [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] could earn some snaps as well. Each has abundant athleticism that could provide another playmaking element to the Sooners’ passing game.

Though wide receiver has garnered much of the attention this offseason for the Sooners’ passing attack, Oklahoma needs to get more out of the tight end spot in 2024. And with what it has done on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, it has the talent to make it happen.

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Sooners have a top 10 WR corps in the country according to PFF

Oklahoma is deep and talented at wide receiver this year, and Pro Football Focus ranked the Sooners as one of the ten best WR units in America.

The Oklahoma Sooners have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position heading into the 2024 season. As OU football exits the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] and moves to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], they’ll be leaning on their strengths in Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. Wide receiver is one of the deepest and most talented units on the roster, even after losing [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag].

[autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] has been excellent since joining the Oklahoma staff from Texas Tech. He’s recruited very well and the unit improved noticeably in his first season as wide receivers coach.

Pro Football Focus agrees that the Sooners are very good at wideout heading into 2024, ranking the Sooners as one of their top 10 receiving corps in the country.

Oklahoma snuck onto the list at No. 10.

Oklahoma brings back five of its six leading receivers from a year ago, losing only Drake Stoops. [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is the leader of those returners and was second in the Big 12 last year with 10 touchdowns to only Adonai Mitchell. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] also came back and combined for 1,109 receiving yards this past season.

The Sooners also found a couple starting pass-catchers in the transfer portal in Purdue wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and Baylor tight end [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag]. Burks was second in the Big Ten with 18 forced missed tackles on receptions in 2023. Despite serving as Baylor’s backup tight end in 2023, Roberts was still ninth in the Big 12 at the position with 143 yards after the catch. – Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Anderson, Farooq, Anthony, and Burks figure to be the four players who receive the most targets, but [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] came on very strong as the 2023 season progressed.

Younger players like [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquazie Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] are all providing plenty of depth and were all talented recruits.

At tight end, Roberts may not even start, as [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] got those snaps in the spring game. Four-star true freshman [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] joins [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Fanuiel[/autotag] in the tight end room as well. [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will be able to mix and match what he wants from that position, tasked with replacing [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag].

With a talented but unproven quarterback and an overhauled offensive line, look for the weapons in the passing game to be something the offense can lean on this season.

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Bauer Sharp looking to be the guy at tight end for Oklahoma

The Sooners needed to rebuild the tight end room after last season and they may have found their guy in the process.

It’s no secret that tight end was one of the weakest positions on the roster for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023. That’s no shot at [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] because the room would have been a lot worse had he not been there. It simply wasn’t very productive.

Due to injuries and a lack of experience, it was a weakness of the offense. That’s why it was so important for the Sooners rebuilt the tight end depth chart this past offseason. They added transfers [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag] and [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] and signed one of the top tight ends in the 2024 class, [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag].

But the rave reviews this offseason haven’t been about the extremely talented Mitchell or the guy with the most experience in Roberts. Instead, it’s been all about the former FCS quarterback turned tight end, Bauer Sharp.

“You can get better each and every day,” Sharp shared with the media after practice recently. “I try not to be content. The Lord has blessed me with an opportunity to make some plays here and there so I try to keep doing that but never be content and just keep working for these guys.”

Sharp has been a standout of the spring, with observers raving about his toughness and playmaking ability. He’s got a great mindset to go along with his plus athleticism. It’s a big reason why people think tight end will be among one of the most improved groups on the team.

And if Sharp and the tight ends can provide that toughness and playmaking, it adds another weapon to Jackson Arnold’s and Seth Littrell’s arsenal this fall.

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Kaden Helms on the road to recovery hoping to make an impact in 2024

It’s been over a year since we last saw Kaden Helms on the field but now he’s working his way back from injury hoping to make an impact.

Last year the weakest part of the Oklahoma Sooners offense was undoubtedly the tight end position. A big reason for that was there was no depth behind [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] meaning he was asked to do it all.

One of the key reasons for not having any depth was due to the season-long injury suffered by [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag]. Helms was once a promising recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. Coming out of Nebraska, he was a top 10 tight end in the country and rated as a four-star player.

In his career, he has just one catch, and we haven’t seen him on the field since the game against the Kansas Jayhawks in his freshman season in 2022. But now he is back on the practice field and has kind of been the forgotten man in at tight end.

He spoke to reporters about how his health is doing right now. “My health is pretty good actually,” Helms said. “I was practicing at the beginning of spring ball, kind of getting back into things. I’m kind of doing some lighter stuff, not even knee related, so I can get back out here in the next couple of days. Overall, I’m really excited about how I’m coming along.”

Helms now joins a room that has better depth, but doesn’t have much experience. Transfer [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] has been the talk of the spring ball so far, but he just recently switched to playing tight end. Then of course you have the highly-touted true freshman [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag]. The only player with a lot of experience is [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag].

So, if Helms can get back to fully healthy, he can crack the rotation and show why he was such a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school. But first, it all starts with getting and staying healthy.

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Best photos from latest Oklahoma Sooners spring practice

Spring ball is heating up and here are the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners latest spring practice.

Spring practice is in full throttle as the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for the 2024 college football season. There are a number of intriguing storylines to watch this spring with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] taking over at quarterback and the turnover along the offensive line.

The newcomers are making a strong impression on the media in attendance. [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] have stood out in the passing game as Arnold gets acclimated to life as the starting quarterback.

Defensively, true freshmen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag] have mixed in with the first-team defense and looked good in the early going.

There are a number of players that the team is taking precautions with on the injury front, so it’s hard to know who exactly is leading the way in the most high-profile position battles.

What we do know is that this is a deeper team than what the Sooners took into the spring a year ago, especially at wide receiver, defensive back, and linebacker. The competitive depth across the board is better this spring than in any year of the [autotag]Brent Venable[/autotag]s era at Oklahoma, which should serve the team well as they try to work out their depth chart.

Here’s a look at the best photos from the Sooners most recent spring practice.

‘I think we’ve got great personnel’: Jackson Arnold excited about his new weapons

While the Sooners lost some guys at the skill positions from last year, they’ve also added some guys that could have big years for Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners are going to have to replace some weapons they lost from a season ago. Most notably their leading receiver, [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag].

They also lost a veteran presence in the locker room with the departure of tight end [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag].

The Sooners brought in some very talented players that they are very high on, like [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag].

Jackson Arnold spoke about his new weapons for this season when he met with the media after Monday’s practice.

“I think we’ve got great personnel so far,” Arnold said. “Our receiver room is stacked, obviously. Running back room is really good. The (offensive) line group has been great, too. Same as the tight end group. The ball has been spread around a lot this spring. I’m excited for the rest of the spring, the spring game, and the season as a whole.”

Stoops is going to be a big piece to replace, but people think Burks has the potential to be taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s expected to take the slot position that Stoops occupied. Another player that’s received rave reviews is Bauer Sharp.

Last year, the Sooners had no depth at tight end, and that put a lot of pressure on Stogner to do it all. This year, the Sooners have three to four guys that could make an impact assuming [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] comes back from injury.

Sharp has already made himself known to fans thanks to the OU Football social media account. In one of their practices, Arnold climbed the pocket and found Sharp for a touchdown.

The hope is that’s the first of many this season for Arnold and the tight ends.

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Oklahoma Sooners add tight end via the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners pick up some tight end help via the transfer portal.

Heading into the offseason, there were two spots the Oklahoma Sooners needed to add talent through the transfer portal on the offensive side of the ball: the offensive line and tight end.

Oklahoma’s added three players along the offensive line and also got some help at tight end with the addition of [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag]. Well, now they have more help at the position heading into 2024. Former UNT and Baylor tight end Jake Roberts committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Monday night.

Out of Norman, Roberts was a three-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class who committed to Sooners offensive coordinator [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] while Littrell was the Head Coach at UNT.

Roberts spent three seasons at North Texas before transferring to Baylor for 2023. In 12 games for the Bears last season, Roberts had 23 receptions for 231 yards and a touchdown. In his final season with the Mean Green in 2022, he recorded 28 receptions for 394 yards and a touchdown and had one carry for 10 yards.

Though his numbers might not jump off the page, he was fourth in receiving yards at Baylor last season. He was one of the better blocking tight ends in college football in 2023. Among the 274 tight ends with at least 117 blocking snaps, Roberts was 17th in pass-blocking and 46th in run-blocking, according to Pro Football Focus.

Roberts provides important experience to a tight end room that was young or hadn’t played much at the FBS level. Roberts will have a shot to start or at least be a significant role player in the Sooners offense. His experience and familiarity with Seth Littrell provide the tight end room some leadership for guys like [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag], [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag], [autotag]Kade McIntyre[/autotag], and [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] in 2024.

The other interesting wrinkle in the addition of Jake Roberts, is the recruitment of his younger brother [autotag]Nate Roberts[/autotag]. Nate is a highly sought after four-star tight end in the 2025 recruiting class who was initially committed to Notre Dame. He’s since backed off that pledge and holds offers from a number of Power Five schools, including Oklahoma. The Sooners are hoping to make him their tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

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Oklahoma Sooners add transfer tight end Bauer Sharp

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up another transfer portal addition in tight end Bauer Sharp.

The Oklahoma Sooners added some experience to a young tight end room, earning a commitment from [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] tight end, Bauer Sharp.

Sharp, who played the last two seasons for Southeastern Louisiana. In 11 games in 2023, Sharp had 28 receptions on 38 targets for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball 25 times for 133 yards and five touchdowns.

According to Pro Football Focus, 32 of his 38 targets were under 10 yards from the line of scrimmage.

His size and athleticism make him a unique fit for the Sooners, someone who can line up in a traditional tight end alignment but also in the backfield as a fullback. For Southeast Louisiana, Sharp was used as a wildcat quarterback at times and showed an adept ability to make plays with his legs.

As a receiver, Sharp averaged 7.5 yards after the catch per reception.

The Sooners needed some experience in the tight end room with Austin Stogner out of eligibility. They’re expected to receive a national letter of intent from [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag], one of the best tight ends in the 2024 recruiting class. They also have [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag], a four-star prospect out of the 2022 signing class who has struggled to stay healthy, and [autotag]Kade McIntyre[/autotag], an athletic 2023 signee who saw limited playing time this season.

Bringing in a tight end with a couple of years of experience and someone that the coaching staff is high on makes sense for a young tight end room. Sharp gives the Sooners a veteran option at the position.

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