Tag: Emmett Jones

Sooners WR Jayden Gibson focusing on the little things in 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners are loaded at wide receiver and that means the competition is heating up.

The Oklahoma Sooners are going into the 2024 season with arguably the deepest wide receiver room in the country. There is no question it’s the deepest unit on their team.

The Sooners have a lot of wide receivers who have earned playing time like [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag].

Gibson by all reports is having a big offseason for the Sooners. He’s primarily been a backup wide receiver for the Sooners but really stepped up last year to become a guy who earned a lot of playing time. In a rotational role in 2023, Gibson had 14 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 26.8 yards per reception, showing off the incredible athleticism and playmaking ability that made him a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. Now, he’s looking to earn more opportunities heading into his third season with the Sooners.

With Anthony and now Farooq out until at least fall camp, Gibson’s earned an opportunity to showcase his talents with the first-team offense. And he may earn a starting role in the Sooners offense come fall.

Gibson talked about what he’s learned so far in his career. “How you do anything is how you do everything,” Gibson said. “I’ve just been trying to live my life the best way possible on and off the field. I feel like that’s what is going to allow me to have the most blessings on the field. School work, how I treat people, how I talk to people, how I come out here and talk to teammates, how I attack film, how I attack recovery, I try to get on all of that. I’m still not perfect. I’m still far from where I need to be. I still need to get extra work on the jugs. So, I’m nowhere close to where I need to be, but I’m strides further than I was.”

Gibson’s been one of the standout performers at camp when the media has been in attendance. He’s got the size and ability to be a difference maker for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024 and has all the tools that NFL scouts are looking for. Now it’s about continuing to build on the success he’s had over the last eight months.

With the spring game coming on Saturday, Gibson can further cement his role in the Sooners offense. Given the injuries the wide receiver group is dealing with, that role could be substantial come week one vs. Temple.

Watching him develop over the years has been one of the more fun things to see both on and off the field. It’s why he’s got a real shot at not just starting but being one of the top receivers in 2024.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘I want to apply that to mine’: Deion Burks taking notes from a former Sooner great

Newcomer Deion Burks already eyeing a former Sooner great’s role in this offense.

The Oklahoma Sooners are bringing back one of the better and deeper wide receiver units in the country. They added to that by getting one of the more coveted wide receiver transfers in the portal, [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag].

Burks had 629 yards and seven touchdowns last season at Purdue. With all of the experience, they now have to figure out how each player fits. For Burks, he’s got his eye on the role that was occupied by [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] for the last few years.

“First week I came up here, I saw Drake working out,” Burks said. “I was like, ‘Man how do you like this spot?’ He was like, ‘Man, you are going to love it, love how the offense is run.’ Just knowing Drake, everybody knows, he really wasn’t the fastest receiver, but he was always getting open, and as a receiver, you want to see how a dude with his speed always gets open. He was just a student of the game. He knew where to be at the right time. He knew how to manipulate different ways to get the ball. Just taking that from his game and stuff like that. I want to apply that to mine as well.”

One thing Sooner fans know is he’s not a bad person to learn from. If Burks is able to master a lot of those things that made Stoops great and combine that with his speed, he could be in for a special year in the Crimson and Cream.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Sooners QB-WR duo one of CBS Sports best ahead of 2024

Jackson Arnold, Deion Burks among CBS Sports 10 best QB-WR duos ahead of 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners get set for spring ball with one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the country. Despite the loss of 2023’s leading receiver [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], wide receiver is absolutely stacked heading into 2024.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] return after finishing second and third in receiving in 2023. Jayden Gibson is back as well after having a breakout season in a rotational role. Of Gibson, Brent Venables said on Wednesday, he’s “easily at his best. I don’t think he lost a competition the entire winter.”

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], who led the Sooners in receiving prior to his season-ending injury against Texas, will also be back. His timeline for a return is still up in the air, but Venables noted he’s doing well in his rehabilitation.

OU also brings back speedsters [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] and adds a nice group of 2024 signees to the position.

And then there’s [autotag]Deion Burk[/autotag]s, a player many expect to start in the slot for the Sooners.

Oklahoma’s wide receiver group might be the deepest on the roster, giving first-year starter [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] a dynamic group of playmakers. Arnold, combined with any one of them, could be one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in the country. CBS Sports believes Arnold and Burks are one of the ten best quarterback-wide receiver duos in college football ahead of the 2024 season.

This one features a good bit of projection as Arnold has mostly shown us one disjointed bowl start and Burks arrives as a transfer from Purdue. Burks was named second team All-Big Ten by the coaches after a strong 2023 showing, and Arnold’s ceiling combined with Oklahoma’s offense suggests these two will be quite productive in 2024… The former five-star prospect showed the arm talent and mobility that made him such a coveted recruit, and if maturity and development has him tightening up on the mistakes, he’ll be leading one of the top passing attacks in the SEC. Burks plays a key role in that prediction; the explosive wideout should be a nice compliment to Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony with his speed and ability to stretch the field. – Chip Patterson, CBS Sports

For Purdue in 2023, Burks had 47 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns. 29 of his 47 receptions went for a first down. He was fifth in the Big Ten in targets with 95 and fourth in touchdown receptions. With improved quarterback play coming to Oklahoma, his efficiency should improve a ton.

Burks has the speed and after the catch ability to have a dynamic season. Working with [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag], who helped Anderson and Gibson have their breakout years and Stoops and Farooq have career seasons for the Sooners, there’s no telling what Burks could do in his first season in Norman.

You could have easily gone with Arnold and 2024’s breakout player, Nic Anderson. Anderson had 38 catches for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns and led the nation in yards per reception.

Regardless of who will lead the Sooners at the position in 2024, Emmett Jones has a stacked group of playmakers that will make life difficult on SEC coverage packages in 2024.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Where each of the Oklahoma Sooners signees finished in final 2024 recruiting rankings

A look at where each Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee finished in the final rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The 2024 recruiting class finished in the top 10 for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was an important class, as it marked the first group of players that would play their entire career in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Given the need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines to be able to contend in the SEC, additional importance was placed on landing a strong offensive and defensive line class. And [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff did just that.

But that’s not where the impressive returns stopped. Oklahoma also came through with the top running back in the cycle and a blue-chip set of wide receivers. It was an impressive cycle for [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag].

[autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] was considered the top tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle before reclassifying to 2024, giving Joe Jon Finley a bonafide star to work with.

At defensive back, Jay Valai and Brandon Hall continued to pull in impressive talents, landing four-star prospects [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

At quarterback, the Sooners landed highly productive passers from two big football states in [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] from Texas and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] from Ohio. Two years ago, the depth at the position was questionable. Now [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] has an impressive group of passers to lead his offense into the future.

Looking back at the trenches. The Sooners landed two legit studs in [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] for the interior and three blue-chip prospects to work along the edge in [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

It was a necessity heading into the SEC, where the offensive line play and physicality in the trenches go to another level. And as much as we love the defensive line recruiting, the offensive line recruiting could end up being just as impactful.

Sure, aside from [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag], Bill Bedenbaugh’s group didn’t receive a ton of recognition in recruiting circles. But it’s an athletically impressive group with a strong work ethic and a lot of upside.

So as we turn the page on Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class, let’s take a look at how each player finished in the final player rankings from ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3.

At the end, you can see which recruiting service liked each of Oklahoma’s signees the most.

Oklahoma included in top 12 for 2025 5-star wide receiver

The Oklahoma Sooners included in the top 12 for 2025 five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.

The Oklahoma Sooners have done a fantastic job on the recruiting trail since the arrival of Brent Venables. But their wide receiver recruiting took a big step once Emmett Jones joined the fold.

Oklahoma added four dynamic wide receivers in the 2024 cycle and the position had a breakout season in 2023, Jones first season coaching the position for the Sooners.

In the 2025 cycle, the Sooners have already added a trio of commitments at the position in Gracen Harris, Elijah Thomas, and Jaden Nickens. The Sooners are also in the mix for one of the top wide outs in the 2025 cycle, Caleb Cunningham.

On Monday, Cunningham included the Oklahoma Sooners in his top 12 after spending the weekend in Norman. The Ackerman, Miss. native included the Sooners alongside Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU Tigers, Auburn, Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee.

Cunningham is a dynamic two-sport star, showing off incredible athleticism on both the gridiron and the hardwood. As a junior in 2023, he caught 48 passes for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has great size already and shows off the ability to break away from the defense after the catch. Cunningham’s a sure-handed receiver that catches the ball away from his body.

The Sooners will be in quite the recruiting battle for the No. 2 wide receiver in the country. But given Jones’ success on the recruiting trail and the success of the wide receiver position on the football field in 2023, Oklahoma is well-positioned to add one of the best players in the 2025 recruiting class.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Speedster out of Louisiana signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners

Dynamic Louisiana playmaker K.J. Daniels signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners have built a diverse and dynamic wide receiver room since the arrival of Emmett Jones. The latest addition during the early signing period is an impact player with dynamic speed, Kelly “KJ” Daniels.

Daniels signed his national letter of intent for the Oklahoma Sooners during the early signing period.

Considered a three-star prospect, Daniels is a big play waiting to happen. Whether in the passing game or the running game, he is a cheat code with his ability to accelerate and break away from defenders. He’ll be an impact player for the Sooners on the outside, but he could carve out a role in the slot as he continues to refine his game.

The three-star wide receiver out of Franklinton, Louisiana, was a priority recruitment for wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag], who recruited Daniels while with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In choosing the Sooners, Daniels joins a wide receiver room that could be the best in the SEC in 2024. That group includes returning players Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson, Andrel Anthony, Brenen Thompson and Gavin Freeman. As impressive as that group is, the six will be pushed by the 2024 signees at wide receiver: Daniels, [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] and [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag].

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners officially land 6-foot-6 2024 wide receiver from Texas

The Sooners had a big wide receiver to the 2024 class in Ivan Carreon from Odessa, TX.

There might not have been a coach on staff who did a better job than [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] in 2023. The wide receivers were thought to be a weakness of the team going into the season but ended the season as one of the strengths.

Jones has also done a great job on the recruiting trail. One of his commits signed his national letter of intent during the early signing period. [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] is a 6-foot-6 wide receiver from Odessa, Texas.

A four-star prospect, Carreon could fight for playing time, but with a loaded wide receiver room, it’s more likely he’ll sit back and develop during his freshman year. Oklahoma could try to bulk him up and move him to tight end, but as of right now, he’s a wide receiver. With his size, he excels at contested catches but has really good speed thanks to his long strides.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Sooners add one of nation’s fastest players in Zion Ragins

Wide reciever Zion Ragins signed with the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday. Ragins is an electric playmaker out of Georgia.

Emmett Jones has had one heck of a year. He was hired in January and completely changed Oklahoma’s outlook at wide receiver. His work in development is well documented. The wide receiver room was incredibly productive for the Sooners this season.

Outside of his development work, Jones already has a claim to the “best recruiter on the staff” title. He has a loaded receiver class set to come to Oklahoma, and one of those receivers is a pure playmaker.

[autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], a lightning bolt of a receiver out of Jones County High School in Gray, Georgia, signed with the Sooners.

Ragins is a state champion sprinter in the 100-meter dash, and on the football field, he is simply a player who needs the ball in his hands. It doesn’t matter how, but get him the ball and let him do his thing.

He should be an immediate candidate to return punts and kicks next year as a freshman. It would behoove Oklahoma to at least try and get him involved via the screen game as well.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer wide receiver from Purdue

Oklahoma Sooners add more explosiveness to their wide receiver room with the addition of Purdue transfer Deion Burks.

The Oklahoma Sooners and wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] have added another player out of the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. This time in big-time playmaker [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag].

Burks is a 5-foot-11 and 195-pound wide receiver who, in 30 career games, had 63 catches, 804 yards, and seven touchdowns. That’s nearly 13 yards per catch.

He also could bring something to the return game for the Sooners. He returned 14 kicks in 2022, averaging nearly 20 yards per return.

This was a battle that was rumored to be between the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. He is a veteran receiver with two years of eligibility left who will stretch the field and bring the big plays that Oklahoma looks for.

 

He’s similar to what the Sooners were getting in [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] a season ago. Although Anthony is a little bit bigger but Burks has more production. It’s just another piece on what could be the best wide receiver room in the SEC next season.

They could return guys with a lot of experience like [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], Anthony, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], Brenen Thompson along with adding Burks. That doesn’t even include the freshmen who are coming in or [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag] or [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], who played some a season ago.

Burks was ranked as the top wide receiver in the 2024 portal cycle.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

2023 Position Review: Wide Receiver proves to be a strength for Oklahoma Sooners

There were a lot of questions going into the season at wide receiver but they proved to be a strength, not a weakness for the Sooners.

Going into the 2023 college football season, there were a ton of question marks surrounding the wide receiver room. The Sooners lost several of their top guys in receiving yards the year prior, like [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag]. Theo Wease went to Missouri via the transfer portal. It was a young group aside from Drake Stoops.

But during the season, the wide receiver room proved to be a strength of the team. They didn’t have anyone really emerge as a No. 1 type of guy until [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] was featured heavily at the end of the year, but they had a lot of No. 2 type of guys which you can win with.

It’s also a room that could return a lot of production in 2024, making that unit arguably the best on the team heading into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Without further adieu, let’s take a look at how they did based on my preseason expectations.

More 2023 Reviews

2023 Position Review: Sooners quarterbacks exceed preseason expectations

2023 Position Review: Oklahoma Sooners running backs start the season slow, finish strong