Tag: Ivan Carreon

3 Oklahoma Sooners freshmen to watch against Missouri

Three freshmen to keep your eye on as the Sooners battle the Tigers.

The Oklahoma Sooners will look to win their second straight game on Saturday, as they’ll visit the Missouri Tigers. OU defeated Maine last week, with several true freshmen getting plenty of snaps in a blowout win over an FCS foe.

This week, it’s back to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] grind for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ squad, as Oklahoma looks to reach bowl eligibility. With plenty of injuries still hampering the Sooners, it could be another opportunity for some young players to step into the spotlight on the road.

Here are three freshmen to keep your eye on when Oklahoma takes on Missouri.

1. Xavier Robinson, RB

Running back [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag] was impressive last week against the Black Bears. He was playing in mop-up duty against lesser competition, but his physicality and burst has some clamoring to see what he can do at the highest level.

Robinson is a local talent from Carl Albert High School in Oklahoma, and he’s been buried on the depth chart behind Jovantae Barnes, Taylor Tatum, and others. No one is saying he should surpass Barnes or Tatum, but it’d be interesting to see what he can do if given the chance to get more work.

2. Reggie Powers III, DB

Each of the past two weeks, I’ve included one of OU’s freshmen trio of defensive backs in this piece. This week, [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag] gets the nod. He, along with Jaydan Hardy and Michael Boganowski make up an exciting future at safety for Oklahoma’s defense. They’re all playing more and more as the season moves along.

Powers had a beautiful interception in the fourth quarter last week that was wiped off the board due to a roughing the passer penalty. He’s been solid on special teams, and could certainly see more snaps as the Sooners try to cover up some of their deficiencies at cornerback.

3. Ivan Carreon, WR

We’ll go a little out of the box for this third one. Everyone knows about OU’s wide receiver injuries in 2024. And everyone knows about the various levels of impact true freshmen wideouts like Jacob Jordan, Zion Kearney, and Zion Ragins have had in their place.

But another guy who has gotten a bit of playing time is [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag]. He’s got the most size of the group at 6-foot-6, and is a good blocker on the outside. He’s caught a couple of passes this season, but could be in line for some more targets if the Sooners have bad injury luck at wideout again this week. He followed Emmett Jones from Texas Tech, decommitting from the Red Raiders to come to Norman.

Oklahoma vs. Missouri will kick off on SEC Network at 6:45 p.m. from Columbia, Missouri.

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Sooners wide receiver Jalil Farooq expected to miss significant time with injury

The Oklahoma Sooners will be without wide receiver Jalil Farooq for an extended period of time.

The Oklahoma Sooners went into fall camp feeling great about a deep wide receiver room. Fast forward through the first week of the regular season and that depth has evaporated.

Despite a 51-3 win over Temple, the Sooners have taken a hit on the injury front.

Senior wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] hauled in a 47-yard reception to help the Sooners score on their first possession. He then left the game and was seen on the sidelines with a walking boot. In his postgame press conference, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] revealed that Farooq will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a broken foot.

https://twitter.com/JoshMCallaway/status/1829718447120331055

Oklahoma lost [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] for the season during fall camp and were without [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] in week one. [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] made his return to the field, but had a limited snap count, making one catch for four yards.

Transfer wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] was really good in his debut for the Sooners, catching three touchdowns on six receptions. But Oklahoma’s going to need someone to step up among their young blue chip wide receivers. [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], and [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] each earned time in the win over Temple, but they’ll likely be asked to do more over the next two months while Farooq works his way back to the field.

https://twitter.com/EricBaileyTW/status/1829720359077363750

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Who steps up at wide receiver with Jayden Gibson out?

With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, which wide receivers could step up for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Anytime you lose a player, it’s going to put the depth chart to the test. With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, the Sooners will need to rely on their depth at wide receiver more than they anticipated.

Gibson was one of those players expected to have a huge breakout season. As part of the rotation in 2023, Gibson caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns. As Andrel Anthony (knee) and Jalil Farooq (toe) were working their way back from injuries, Gibson was getting a great deal of run with the first team and was taking advantage of it.

Now that he’s out, who will step up in his place?

“You hate that for anybody when a season comes to an end prematurely,” Brent Venables said. “But that’s a group that we feel really good about.”

If everyone’s healthy, it’s likely Nic Anderson, Deion Burks, Farooq and Anthony are your top four wide receivers. Farooq is back and Anthony is expected to be ready for the season. In the event they’re not, the Sooners will need to go deeper into the wide receiver well.

One of the more unheralded figures on the wide receiver depth chart is former Missouri transfer and Tulsa native J.J. Hester. Hester arrived in Norman during the 2022 offseason, but dealt with injuries for much of his time with the Sooners. Those injuries limited his development. However, with a healthy offseason, Hester looks primed for a breakout season of his own.

He has great size and speed to be a difference-maker at every level of the offense. He can win in the intermediate part of the field with his size to box out defensive backs. Hester can also stretch the defense deep with legitimate 4.4 40-yard dash speed.

In addition to Hester, two other speedsters, though smaller in stature, have a chance to earn a significant role out of fall camp. Another transfer addition, Brenen Thompson, made an impact in a limited role, but he hasn’t seen many snaps with the Sooners. [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class has the ability to work at several spots. He has the speed to threaten teams deep and the quickness to be a threat out of the slot.

Beyond the veterans on the roster, the Sooners have a nice group of prospects from the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag]. [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] provide a diverse range of abilities.

Though there may not be an answer right now as to who fills Jayden Gibson’s role in the offense, the Oklahoma Sooners have a number of options for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Emmitt Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] to choose from.

Projected Wide Receiver Depth Chart

X WR Nic Anderson Andrel Anthony Zion Kearney
Slot WR Deion Burks Jaquaize Pettaway Brenen Thompson
Y WR Jalil Farooq J.J. Hester Ivan Carreon

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Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver depth being put to the test

Oklahoma Sooners relying on wide receiver depth as they work to get several players back from injury.

Entering fall camp, no position group on the Oklahoma Sooners roster was as deep as wide receiver. In just a year and a half, [autotag]Emmitt Jones[/autotag] has added and developed incredible competitive depth at one of the game’s most important positions.

Through a couple of weeks of fall camp, that depth is being tested. Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] was dinged up last week and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and Andrel Anthony have been working their way back to game readiness.

Those four were among the top five wide receivers from 2023 and are expected to play significant roles in 2024. But the Sooners are working through fall camp without them.

As reports from the first scrimmage of fall camp surfaced, it sounds like the offense had a rough day. The defense is going to be really good, but the first team offense missing most of the two-deep at wide receiver (aside from Deion Burks) is going to make things a little more difficult for Jackson Arnold.

That’s why building depth and development is so important. With Anderson, Farooq, Anthony and Gibson out, [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag] and Burks had an opportunity to work with the first-team offense.

The Oklahoma Sooners have 17 days before they open the season with Temple on Aug. 29, giving Jones and the training staff plenty of time to get wide receivers ready to go. For the Sooners to have their offense humming early and often in 2024, health is paramount.

Oklahoma has the depth it can rely on, but getting Anderson, Farooq and Anthony back to 100% will make a huge difference for the Sooners passing attack.

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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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‘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 enter spring with tons of depth at wide receiver

Emmett Jones and the Oklahoma Sooners have assembled an incredibly talented group of players at wide receiver for 2024.

In each of the last two seasons, the Oklahoma Sooners have lost their leading receiver.

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], who led the team in 2022, earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Denver Broncos in his rookie season in 2023. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] is hoping to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL draft after his breakout season in 2023.

And despite the turnover, the Sooners are still stacked at wide receiver.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is back after his breakout season in 2023. Anderson caught 38 balls for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. He led the nation in yards per reception among qualified wide receivers. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], who also experienced a breakout year in a rotational role also returns looking to build off of a season in which he had 14 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. Swiss Army knife wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] returns to give the Sooners a veteran in the room. He had a solid year that was marred by ball insecurity that reared its head in the Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona. Farooq was second on the team in receptions and third in receiving yards last season.

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] returns after suffering an ACL tear in the Red River Rivalry win over Texas. Prior to his injury, Anthony was leading the Sooners in receiving, winning at every level of the passing game.

Also back are speedsters [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]. Though they saw limited playing time, their speed put defenses on notice last year. Thompson provided big play ability every time he stepped on the field and will look to earn a bigger role this offseason. Pettaway was getting his feet wet as a true freshman but could see an increased workload on offense and special teams.

And if that was the depth chart at wide receiver heading into 2024, you’d feel great about what Jackson Arnold will be throwing to. And yet, the talent that Emmett Jones has assembled at wide receiver looks like the heroes arriving at the culmination of Avengers: End Game for the battle with Thanos.

Jones also brought in talented playmaker [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] from Purdue. Burks could be a candidate to start for the Sooners in the slot, taking over for Stoops in 2024. And if that weren’t enough, the Sooners added a really good freshman class with [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag].

To say the Sooners are talent-rich at wide receiver heading into 2024 would be an understatement. From top to bottom, it’s easily the deepest position group on the roster. And with Jackson Arnold taking over at quarterback and transition along the offensive line, a lot will be expected of Emmett Jones’ wide receiver crew to provide big plays for the Sooners in 2024.

And with the talent that Jones and the Sooners have assembled, they’re about to have a huge season in their first in the SEC.

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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]

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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]

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3-star WR Dozie Ezukanma decommits from the Oklahoma Sooners

2024 three-star wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma decommits from the Oklahoma Sooners.

Anytime there is a coaching change, there’s bound to be some turbulence in that year’s recruiting class. Jeff Lebby leaving to be the head coach at Mississippi State was sure to create some disruption.

Big names like Michael Hawkins, Davon Mitchell, Zion Kearney, David Stone, and Daniel Akinkunmi have affirmed their commitment to Oklahoma following Lebby’s departure. However, the Sooners saw their first player decommit from the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Three-star wide receiver [autotag]Dozie Ezukanma[/autotag] announced via X that he’s reopening his recruitment.

“After careful consideration and reflection, I have made the decision to recommit from the University of Oklahoma,” Ezukanma said in a statement. “This choice is not made lightly. I’d like to thank OU and the coaching staff for the incredible opportunity given to me.”

Ezukanma has been committed to the Oklahoma Sooners since June 20. He holds offers from Missouri, Kansas, Oregon, Kansas State, Arizona, Arkansas, Houston, North Texas, Miami, TCU, Purdue, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

With the decommitment, the Sooners still have four wide receivers pledged to their 2024 recruiting class. That includes [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], the No. 103 player and No. 20 wide receiver in the cycle, [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] (No. 217, No. 31), [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] (No. 223, No. 32), and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] (No. 70 WR). [autotag]Andy Bass[/autotag], the talented in-state athlete also figures to be a factor at wide receiver for the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners likely have a deep group of returning players for the 2024 season at wide receiver as well. Andrel Anthony, who suffered a season-ending knee injury, is likely to return in 2024. Nic Anderson and Jayden Gibson saw their roles increase throughout the season and should be back. Jalil Farooq, who’s been a starter for the Sooners each of the last two seasons, could be a candidate to move to the slot to replace Drake Stoops. Brenen Thompson, Gavin Freeman, and Jaquaize Pettaway also return.

The Oklahoma Sooners are deep at the position heading into the offseason and with the transfer portal, could add a name or two to improve their depth.

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