Tag: J.J. Hester

One question for each position group ahead of Oklahoma Sooners’ fall camp

With fall camp right around the corner, here’s one question for each position group that the Oklahoma Sooners must answer before the season.

Big 12 media days are in the rearview mirror, which means fall camp is right around the corner ahead of the 2023 college football season.

The Oklahoma Sooners, like every team in college football, head into the season with question marks at a few positions. Even at positions where there are returning starters, there are certainly questions worth asking.

So as we get ready for the start of the 2023 college football season with fall camp coming in a couple of weeks, here is one question for each position group the Oklahoma Sooners must answer if they want to contend for the Big 12 title in 2023.

CBS Sports sees wide receiver as a potential problem for the Oklahoma Sooners

Coming out of spring ball, CBS Sports believes wide receiver is a lingering question for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Spring ball did a lot to provide optimism about the direction of the Oklahoma Sooners in Year 2 under Brent Venables. The defense looks improved through transfer portal additions and recruiting acquisitions.

If there’s an area of concern, it may be on the offensive side of the ball, where the offensive line has dealt with injuries. While that’s certainly an issue, Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports believes it’s the wide receiver position that may be the biggest issue for Oklahoma coming out of spring ball.

In his piece titled “Big 12 Overreactions,” Jeyarajah had this to say:

The Sooners don’t have receivers: Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s system is built around using dominant wide receivers to spread the field and create opportunities. After the departures of Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis and Theo Wease, Oklahoma doesn’t have the receivers to run the system well. Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops are the only returning receivers on the roster with more than 100 yards receiving last season, and the duo combined for just 11.3 yards per catch. No one obvious stepped up and stole a role in spring camp. Even if the defense improves, the offense isn’t explosive enough to compete for the Big 12 unless a major addition is on the way. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

Outside wide receiver opposite [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] is certainly a question mark. Farooq looks to be in line for a big-time opportunity due to his ability to win at all levels of the passing game.

Slot wide receiver looks to be in great shape with [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag] and newcomer [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag]. However, Oklahoma lacks a true downfield weapon to replace [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag].

There are some intriguing options: [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], Thompson, [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], Nic Anderson, [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag] and [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag]. As Jeyarajah mentions, nobody made a significant run at the starting spot vacated by Mims.

Oklahoma hasn’t been shy about adding wide receivers in the transfer portal this offseason. It has already brought in a pair of potential weapons, Anthony and Thompson, and has a chance to add more production, Colorado transfer WR [autotag]Jordyn Tyson[/autotag].

Tyson has the big-play ability the Sooners are missing on the outside, and he produced as a true freshman for the Buffaloes with 22 receptions, 470 yards, and four touchdowns. He broke out in a big way over the final three games of the season for Colorado with 13 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 26.5 yards per reception.

Oklahoma wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] have time to resolve the question surrounding the wide receiver group. There are options. It’s simply a matter of seeing which of those players rises to the occasion and seizes a role ahead of the 2023 college football season.

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Oklahoma Sooners playing numbers game to replace WR Marvin Mims

While the Oklahoma Sooners have a hole at wide receiver, they have several promising players to work with to replace Marvin Mims.

The Oklahoma Sooners lost several players to the NFL after the 2022 season. Perhaps none were a bigger loss than wide receiver [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag].

Mims, who emerged as a true freshman, led the Oklahoma Sooners in receiving yards each of his three seasons in Norman. His penchant for the big play was a huge part of Oklahoma’s offensive success over the last three seasons.

New wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] have a tall task ahead of them to find someone to replace Mims in the starting lineup.

[autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] are back and are likely two of Oklahoma’s starting wide receivers in three receiver sets. Stoops is a steady present out of the slot and had his most productive season in 2022. Farooq had a strong season in his first year as a starter and will look to build on it in 2023.

But what will Oklahoma do on the outside opposite Farooq? There’s not a clear answer as the Sooners begin their offseason workouts. As opposed to fill in the blank, Oklahoma will be answering a multiple choice or select all that apply test for outside wide receiver two.

The Sooners have a host of guys that will compete for snaps on the wide receiver depth chart. Returning are [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], two members of the 2022 signing class that have a ton of potential but didn’t see many opportunities last season for varying reasons.

Then there are the transfer additions Oklahoma made late last spring. [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag] and [autotag]L.V. Bunkely-Shelton[/autotag] will get a full offseason of work in Jeff Lebby’s offense. They have experience from their original schools that could help the Sooners mitigate the loss of Marvin Mims and, to a lesser extent, [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag]. Oklahoma added [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] in the portal this offseason. He’s a big-play threat similar to Hester. Those three transfer additions don’t bring elite production, but they’ve done some things at the collegiate level that Jones and Lebby can develop.

The Sooners added a couple more wide receivers in this signing class that have a chance to have an early impact. [autotag]Keyon Brown[/autotag] may be ready to go from a technical perspective, while [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]’s speed is going to be a game-changer for this offense. Pettaway won’t be in Norman till the summertime, but it won’t take long for the coaching staff to see the difference his speed makes.

The Oklahoma Sooners may not know who slides into the starting lineup at this point. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There will be quite the competition at wide receiver to see who emerges from a deep group of players with promise.

As the offseason churns along, this will be one of the position battles to watch for 2023.

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Oklahoma Sooners add Michigan transfer wide receiver Andrel Anthony Jr.

Looking to fortify their wide receiver corp, the Oklahoma Sooners received a commitment from Michigan transfer WR Andrel Anthony.

After making splashes on the defensive side of the ball in the transfer portal, the Oklahoma Sooners added Michigan transfer wide receiver Andrel Anthony.

Anthony comes to the Sooners with two years of eligibility and will join the wide receiver competition to replace [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] on the outside.

The former Michigan wide receiver played more than 500 snaps for the Wolverines over two seasons and recorded 19 receptions for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception, 6.4 yards after the catch per reception, a 17.9 depth of target and a 44.4% contested catch win rate.

The former three-star player was the No. 69 wide receiver in the class of 2021. He had a strong freshman campaign that included three touchdowns but saw limited opportunities in Michigan’s passing game.

Coming to Norman, Anthony’s size will provide another target in the middle of the field for Dillon Gabriel. Twelve of Anthony’s 19 receptions went for first downs, and if he can bring that same level of first down efficiency to the Sooners, it would help them improve on third down as well.

Anthony was originally from East Lansing, and though Michigan State made a big push for him as a recruit, he ultimately spurned the Spartans for the Wolverines. Then, in his first game against MSU, he scored two touchdowns, including a 90-plus yard catch-and-run, elevating his prospects in short order. – Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire

Anthony joins [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag], [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] as wide receivers vying for snaps opposite [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag]. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] likely remains your slot wide receiver, leaving a spot on the outside for an intriguing group of players.

While the Sooners will have a hard time replacing Marvin Mims’ downfield ability, they have options for new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Emmett Jones to work with to see who will step up and take the reigns on the outside.

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‘He’s told the coaches he’s going to return’: Bob Stoops says Drake Stoops will return in 2023

Drake Stoops set to return to the Oklahoma Sooners for 2023.

There’s been speculation about [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag]’ intentions for the 2023 season, but that has been put to bed ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners’ matchup with the Florida State Seminoles. On an episode of Bob Stoops on the former Oklahoma head coach’s YouTube channel, Stoops was asked if Drake would be returning for another season in Norman.

Stoops said, “Yeah, he’s told the coaches that he’s going to return for his next year and take his COVID year and work on some particular things that he feels he can be better at. At this point, that’s where it’s at, and he’s set to play another year.”

That’s a massive boost for an Oklahoma wide receiver group that is in a period of flux. Questions remain about whether star wideout [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] will return for his senior season or make the jump and head to the NFL draft. Additionally, the Sooners have had three receivers enter the transfer portal. [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag] was the most notable loss, as he was a contributor in his time in Norman.

Stoops’ return adds stability and ensures the Sooners will have at least two starting returners in Stoops and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] if Mims does head to the NFL. In 2022, Stoops has tallied 37 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns. He’s a big-time third-down target out of the slot because of his work in the intermediate areas of the field. That’s going to be a big help next year for whoever is under center in Norman.

Stoops is a veteran leader and presence in the locker room. His experience will be invaluable to younger receivers like Farooq, [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag], [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], [autotag]Nicholas Anderson[/autotag], and incoming receivers like four-star signees [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] and [autotag]Keyon Brown[/autotag].

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Oklahoma Sooners attempting to solidify the WR position through the transfer portal

The Oklahoma Sooners have made it clear that they need help at the wide receiver position through their transfer portal targets.

It’s been quite noticeable that the Oklahoma Sooners have been targeting wide receivers in the transfer portal. They’ve offered Ra Ra Thomas (Auburn), Dante Cephas (Kent State), Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech), Dorian Singer (Arizona) and Xavier Guillory (Idaho State).

It’s clear the Oklahoma Sooners believe they need to add one or more wide receivers to the depth chart.

Though there hasn’t been any indication from [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] regarding his future, there’s a chance he could return to the Oklahoma Sooners for his senior season. He’s playing in the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State, but after his first 1,000-yard season, he could determine he’s ready to make the leap to the NFL. At the same time, duplicating that production in 2023 could put him in an even better standing among NFL scouts and general managers for 2024.

As things stand, [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag] and [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag] are the most experienced wide receivers on the roster if Mims were to depart for the NFL. None of those guys has been a lead wide receiver or has the production to match what Mims did in 2022. Farooq has flashed the ability, but he’s also had some head-scratching performances in his first full season as a starter.

Stoops is a good wide receiver, but not necessarily someone that will earn 100-plus targets. Hester and Bunkley-Shelton barely saw the field in 2022.

Then there’s [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] and [autotag]Nicholas Anderson[/autotag], two highly regarded wide receivers from the 2022 recruiting class. They didn’t see the field much either: Gibson saw 92 snaps in six games and Anderson 11 snaps in three games. Gibson had five targets but caught just one. Anderson didn’t see a pass come his way.

So when it comes down to it, Farooq and Stoops, if he returns for one more year, are the only receivers that Oklahoma can feel good about going into the 2023 offseason. Gibson and Anderson may emerge as lead wide receivers in the Sooners’ offense, but is the coaching staff at a point where they feel like they can rely upon them for 50 or more targets in 2023?

With the offers they’ve put out there, it appears the Sooners coaching staff wants to create competition at the position and see who emerges with a starting role in September.

If Marvin Mims returns, the Sooners will have one of the best wide receivers and wide receiver groups in the Big 12. If he jets off to the NFL, they’ll be left with a question mark at the position. They’re trying to make sure they have multiple answers to the problem at wide receiver moving forward.

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Oklahoma Sooners targeting a pair of wide receivers in the transfer portal

Oklahoma is looking to add to their wide receiver ranks with offers to a couple of transfer portal wideouts, RaRa Thomas and Dante Cephas. From @john9williams

As the transfer portal officially opened on Monday, the Oklahoma Sooners saw some depth walk out the door. Mostly, it’s been players that saw little to no playing time for Oklahoma in 2022, but at wide receiver, they’ve seen a bit more attrition.

[autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag] made it known last week he’d be entering the portal, and on Monday, [autotag]Brian Darby[/autotag] and [autotag]Trevon West[/autotag] also put their names in the transfer portal.

With the college football world doing some portal shopping, it looks like the Sooners are targeting a couple of wide receivers early in the process. Oklahoma offered Mississippi State transfer wide receiver [autotag]RaRa Thomas[/autotag] and Kent State wideout [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag].

Thomas was a three-star prospect in the 2021 cycle and put up 44 receptions for 626 yards and seven touchdowns for the Bulldogs in 2022. Cephas was also a three-star player in the 2019 class and recorded 48 receptions for 744 yards and three touchdowns.

Cephas had four receptions for 50 yards against Oklahoma in week two of the season, but his high moment came against Ohio, where he posted 13 receptions for 246 yards and a touchdown.

Thomas posted 5 receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown in a win against Texas A&M, went for 8 and 73 against Alabama, and recorded six catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns against Auburn.

Though [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] is playing in the bowl game, there’s a strong possibility that’s his last for the Sooners with an NFL draft decision looming. If Mims were to declare for the draft, that would leave Oklahoma with [autotag]Jalil Faroo[/autotag]q and [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] as the only Sooners wide receivers to play significant snaps in Norman.

The Sooners added [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag] and [autotag]L.V. Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag] in the portal late last spring, but they didn’t see the field much, so it’s difficult to know where they stand with the coaching staff. Both have experience from their previous stops and have playmaking ability, but Oklahoma would be wise to add some more depth.

Oklahoma will have quite a few young guys competing for snaps, like [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], and Freeman, along with incoming freshmen [autotag]Keyon Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] (assuming they sign).

We’ll see if Oklahoma’s able to close on either Cephas or Thomas, but it’s clear they believe they need to add some wide receiver depth in the portal this offseason to put them in a better position to contend in 2023.

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LV Bunkley Shelton and J.J. Hester have opportunity for instant impact in 2022

Oklahoma’s additions of LV Bunkley-Shelton and J.J. Hester give the Sooners two options that could have an instant impact in 2022.

Oklahoma’s wide receiver group looked solid before the spring, but [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] were the only wide receivers that played a significant number of snaps in 2021. Coming out of the spring game, the Sooners took advantage of an opportunity to add a pair of wide receivers out of the transfer portal.

Oklahoma brought in Missouri wide receiver J.J. Hester, a Tulsa native. They also added Arizona State wide out LV Bunkley-Shelton. Given their experience, both have added to the competition at wide receiver, and both have an opportunity to make an impact in their first year with the Sooners.

In 2021 as the third wide receiver for the Sun Devils, Bunkley-Shelton caught 33 passes for 418 yards and two touchdowns. 19 of his receptions went for first down. That’s one fewer reception than Mims. Bunkley-Shelton looks primed to play a significant role in the slot for the Oklahoma Sooners, playing 92% of his snaps on the inside for Arizona State last season.

Hester had 12 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 18.8 yards per reception. 10 of his 12 receptions went for first downs, and he averaged 6.6 yards after the catch per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. Among Sooners with more than 10 receptions in 2021, only Mims and Eric Gray averaged more yards after the catch per reception than Hester.

When asked about the two postspring additions, wide receiver Theo Wease shared some thoughts with OUInsider.com’s Joey Helmer at OU media day on Tuesday.

“Oh, yeah, so LV is probably one of the smoothest route runners that I’ve seen ever,” Wease said. “And J.J. is a flier. So, both of them, they’re both gonna contribute to this team in a big way.”

Asked to elaborate on Bunkley-Shelton’s route running, Wease said. “It’s just like it just looks so natural. It doesn’t look forced. He’s clean in and out of his brakes. Y’all will see this season.”

“Yeah, the thing about LV — I continue to talk about it — but from an experience standpoint, he’s lived it,” Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby shared. “The guy has played ball, and he’s caught the football in games, in big games, and he’s had production. So, he’s come in, he’s worked his butt off, he’s done a great job. He’s going to create great depth for us and have the ability to get on the field and go do the same thing right here come September 3. And then J.J., being an in-state kid, being able to come back home, this is a really talented kid, really raw kid that has got great upside. So, I’m looking forward to him and getting on the field with him as well.”

Nothing is set in stone for the Oklahoma Sooners at wide receiver beyond Mims and probably Wease. There are many snaps up for grabs, but in an offense that wants to run the most plays per game in the country, there will be opportunities for non-starters to get significant playing time.

OU’s wide receivers have had to hear about what they’ve lost to the transfer portal and the NFL this offseason, but very little has been discussed about what they’ve added. With Bunkley-Shelton, they’ve added a savvy and experienced route runner who could immediately step in and play in the slot. And in Hester, the Sooners got a big-bodied wide receiver (6-foot-3) that can get down the field and make plays after the catch.

Though nothing is sorted on the depth chart, the Sooners added two players they can feel good about giving snaps to if called upon. Depth and competition are never a bad thing. And Oklahoma’s two transfer additions have the opportunity to have and impact the field for the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners.

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Oklahoma Sooners get commitment from Missouri transfer wide receiver Javian “J.J.” Hester

The Oklahoma Sooners added to their wide receiver room with the addition of Missouri transfer Javian Hester.

The transfer portal continues to give to the Oklahoma Sooners late in the spring as they prepare for the 2022 college football season. After getting a commitment from Pittsburgh quarterback [autotag]Davis Beville[/autotag] earlier this week, the Sooners landed Missouri transfer wide receiver Javian Hester late Wednesday night.

Hester, a former four-star player from the 2020 recruiting cycle, hails from Tulsa where he attended Booker T. Washington High School before going to the Tigers.

He was the No. 3 player in the state of Oklahoma that year and the No. 53 wide receiver according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

After redshirting in 2020, Hester played in seven games in 2021 accounting for 12 receptions, 225 yards, and two touchdowns. He averaged 18.8 yards per reception and 1.76 yards per route run for Missouri last season according to Pro Football Focus. He averaged 6.6 yards after the catch per reception and an average depth of target of 14.7, which was the third-best number for the Tigers last season.

He played primarily in the slot for the Tigers last year with 70% of his snaps coming from the inside. That ability to play on the inside at 6-foot-3 provides the Sooners a big body to play in the middle of the field and allows [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] some flexibility to move [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] back outside where he thrived in 2020 or another big body to play on the outside opposite of [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag].

The depth at wide receiver was already pretty strong, but Javian “J.J.” Hester provides even more options to the wide receiver room for the Sooners to work with.

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