Tag: Laron Stokes

Sooners to the NFL: Where did Oklahoma’s draft prospects end up after the 2022 NFL draft?

Where did each Oklahoma Sooners draft prospect end up after the 2022 NFL draft weekend?

The Oklahoma Sooners had seven players taken in the 2022 NFL draft. That was tied with Alabama for fifth-most draft picks in this year’s draft. Georgia led the way with 15 picks while the SEC continued its dominance of sending players to the draft. They had 17 more draft selections than the Big 10 and 40 more players picked than the Big 12.

The Sooners didn’t hear a name called in the first round, which wasn’t surprising based on the way the players were ranked or being selected in mock drafts leading up to this weekend.

It was a long wait but finally, with the last pick of the second round, Nik Bonitto came off the board to the Denver Broncos. That last pick of the second round also happens to be the same pick in which the Kansas City Chiefs selected Creed Humphrey the year before. Will Bonitto have a similar impact in his rookie season?

In total, 11 of the 12 Oklahoma Sooners prospects have found new teams. Seven draft picks and four as undrafted free agents. The only one left without a new home at the moment is Gabe Brkic. An NFL team will likely bring him in for a tryout in the next few weeks or during training camp to compete for a kicking job.

Let’s look at where each Sooner will be making their new home.

Where Oklahoma Sooners prospects rank heading into Day 3 of the 2022 NFL draft

After Nik Bonitto and Brian Asamoah were taken on Day 2, there are several Sooners still available for the final day of the 2022 NFL draft.

Heading into Day 3 of the 2022 NFL draft, several Sooners have yet to hear their name called. The only real surprise is Perrion Winfrey, who was projected to go in the top 100 picks by nearly every mock draft we’ve evaluated over the last four months.

Whoever takes the talented defensive line prospect is going to get a steal.

But the Sooners have several really good players remaining on the board that could impact teams in Year 1. [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Kennedy Brooks[/autotag], [autotag]Marquis Hayes[/autotag] and [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] would provide solid depth and could develop into starters at the NFL level.

[autotag]Gabe Brkic[/autotag] could kick for a number of NFL teams, but kicker is one of those positions that doesn’t always get drafted. The same goes for [autotag]Jeremiah Hall[/autotag]. He could be a starting fullback in the NFL, but will teams value the position enough to spend a draft pick.

[autotag]Michael Woods[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyrese Robinson[/autotag] can help some teams, but they may have their choice of teams as undrafted free agents.

Let’s take a look at the remaining Oklahoma Sooners draft prospects, and how they ranked according to Dane Brugler, Matt Miller and Bleacher Report.

Which Oklahoma Sooners made ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller’s top 300 for the 2022 NFL draft?

As the 2022 NFL Draft approaches ESPN Draft Analyst Matt Miller released his top 300 prospects with nine Oklahoma Sooners making the cut.

Draft season is about to come to a close when the 2022 NFL draft kicks off next Thursday night. The Oklahoma Sooners will be well-represented over the three day event with anywhere from six to 10 players getting their name called.

Over the last few weeks we’ve looked at where Dane Brugler of The Athletic has the Sooners draft prospects ranked in his draft guide “The Beast” and where they went in his full seven-round mock draft.

CBS Sports followed that up with their own seven-round mock draft and as many as seven Sooners were selected in each of the pre-draft projections.

It’s that time of year where teams and analysts finalize their big boards. What’s notable with Oklahoma prospects is the diversity of thought that’s come to pass on certain prospects. Others have seen a decline or rise in value. In particular it feels like Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey have settled into a mid second to early third round picks.

Brian Asamoah and Isaiah Thomas on the other hand have a wide range of potential outcomes depending on how the draft falls.

Delarrin Turner-Yell looks to have made himself a draftable asset with his work in meetings with teams. His name continues to pop up in rankings and mock drafts. He might be a late-round selection, but he’ll get picked.

Today, we’re taking a look at ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller’s Top 300 prospects for the 2022 NFL draft. Nine Sooners were  ranked inside his top 300.

‘This was my one chance to blow’: LaRon Stokes stands out with performance at Oklahoma’s Pro Day

Looking to impress in his first opportunity in front of NFL scouts, DL LaRon Stokes stood out at Oklahoma’s pro day.

The Oklahoma Sooners sent 11 players to the NFL scouting combine last week in Indianapolis. For several players, it was their first chance to get in front of NFL scouts and front office members to show why they deserved a spot in the NFL. For others like Perrion Winfrey, Brian Asamoah, and Jeremiah Hall, it was another opportunity to build on impressive performances at the Senior Bowl.

Not all of the Sooners’ 12 players declared for the NFL draft had that luxury. LaRon Stokes, who played three seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners, had one chance to test in front of NFL scouts. Stokes left a strong impression at Oklahoma’s pro day.

LaRon Stokes set out to impress, and he did just that. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds, according to SoonerSports.com. The official results also had him reach 33.5 on the vertical jump. He was explosive on a day when he needed to turn some heads.

“I feel good. I definitely (set personal records on) some things. So I was excited to do that. Definitely was my plan going into it. And just to be able to put my best foot forward in front of these scouts because I mean, I wasn’t at the combine like everybody else. So this was my one chance to blow, and I didn’t want to miss it,” Stokes said about his performance.

Stokes saw a decrease in his snap count each of the last three seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners. With bonafide top 100 picks Perrion Winfrey and Jalen Redmond sitting in front of him on the depth chart, making a consistent impact on the field was more difficult. In his best season in 2019, Pro Football Focus credited him with 16 total pressures and a sack. But it feels like there’s more to unlock with LaRon Stokes.

Despite a lack of invites to all-star games of the NFL combine, Stokes didn’t let that get in the way of his preparation.

“The one thing that I want (NFL teams) to take away is that I definitely have improved my explosiveness over these past couple months. That I work hard regardless of what happened and stayed in shape,” Stokes said.

When asked who helped themselves the most during Oklahoma’s pro day, consensus top 50 prospect Perrion Winfrey didn’t bat an eye.

“I probably would say the LaRon Stokes. He didn’t get a chance to go to the NFL Combine and had none of those NFLPA camps, none of that, but he came out here he ran 4.8 (unofficial in the 40-yard dash), he benched 23 reps, and every drill looks smooth and fluid, like he’d been doing it the whole time that we were training,” Perrion Winfrey said following Oklahoma’s pro day.

Even with a strong pro day, LaRon Stokes still has a lot to prove as he meets with teams leading up to the 2022 NFL draft at the end of April. Getting his first opportunity to get in front of scouts, he made a strong impression.

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Oklahoma Sooners to Watch in the Alamo Bowl with opt outs and transfer portal departures

The Sooners have already seen several departures due to opt-outs and transfers, but opportunities abound in the Alamo Bowl for others.

While it’s a bummer to see your favorite Oklahoma Sooners transfer or sit out the bowl game in preparation for the NFL draft, on the bright side, it provides others an opportunity to get more significant snaps.

Nik Bonitto, Perrion Winfrey, Isaiah Thomas and Brian Asamoah are heading to the NFL.

Jadon Haselwood, Austin Stogner and Spencer Rattler are on their way to new schools for the 2022 season.

In their places, the Sooners will reallocate those snaps to players who will help them in the Alamo Bowl and the 2022 season.

As the Sooners take on the Oregon Ducks, who are some players to watch given the departures from their depth chart in the last month.

Best Pro Football Focus Grades from Oklahoma’s win over TCU

Who earned the highest grades from Pro Football Focus in the Oklahoma Sooners 52-31 win over the TCU Horned Frogs?

On Saturday night, the Oklahoma Sooners were in a dog fight in the first half of their matchup against the TCU Horned Frogs. Though the game ended as a 21-point blowout win for the Oklahoma Sooners, it was a three-point game when the Sooners took over with 1:25 left in the second quarter.

Caleb Williams and the offense went 76 yards on five plays, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown strike to Jadon Haselwood on a beautiful back-shoulder throw, to make it 24-14. From that point, the Sooners never looked back.

They forced the Horned Frogs to punt on the opening possession of the second half, and another Williams to Haselwood touchdown essentially put the game out of reach, 31-14.

Though TCU battled to get back in the game, the Oklahoma Sooners had an answer at every corner and never let the game get closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

As we do each week, let’s look back at how Pro Football Focus graded the Sooners in their 52-31 win over the TCU Horned Frogs.

Report Card: Grading the Sooners following their 52-31 win over TCU

The Sooners dispatched TCU relatively comfortably. Let’s take a look at how each position group graded out in the 52-31 win.

For a while, it may have seemed like an afterthought to grade out the offense with A’s and B’s across the board. However, that time has arrived.  The offense was a bright spot, and the defense wasn’t as bad as maybe it appeared.

As we do each week, let’s look at how each position group graded in the Sooners 52-31 thrashing of the TCU Horned Frogs.

Quarterbacks: A

No need to beat around the bush here: Caleb Williams was phenomenal in his first start since usurping Spencer Rattler in Oklahoma’s thrilling come-from-behind win against Texas.

He dazzled the sold-out crowd in Norman and had national media in an uproar. Williams was 18 of 23 for 295 yards passing and four touchdowns, three of which made their way to Jadon Haselwood. He added 66 yards rushing, including the electric 41-yard TD run in the third quarter you can see below.

After that performance, there’s no need to speculate about who will be the quarterback as Oklahoma heads to the state of Kansas again for their second true road game against the Kansas Jayhawks.

The next step for Williams is to continue to mature and grow within the offense.

Up Next: Backs and Pass Catchers

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What can the Oklahoma Sooners do to defend Texas running back Bijan Robinson?

Slowing Texas running back Bijan Robinson is priority No. 1 for the Oklahoma Sooners. What will it take from the Sooners defense to limit his impact?

Oklahoma entered last week trying to solve a Deuce Vaughn problem. It emerged victorious, but it would be a stretch to stay the Sooners solved the Kansas State running back. If they thought that was hard, they’re going to hate what they have to do this weekend when they travel to Dallas, Texas, to take on the Texas Longhorns.

The Red River Rivalry has featured some amazing talents and this next iteration proves no different. The Longhorns no longer are dependent on quarterback Sam Ehlinger to throw and run them to wins. Instead, they have an offense centered around Bijan Robinson, a sophomore running back from Tucson, Arizona.

Robinson, a former five-star recruit, is quite the player. He can lower his pads and get the tough yards between the tackles. He can run the outside zone and stretch plays and beat you to the corner. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, too. Simply put, he can do it all.

He’s north of six feet and more than 200 pounds. A stark difference to Deuce Vaughn, who stood at 5 feet, 6 inches and less than 185 pounds. Robinson offers a different challenge.

Oklahoma’s efforts to stop Robinson will start with the interior defensive line. Without the versatile Jalen Redmond, the Sooners will have to rely upon Isaiah Coe, Josh Ellison and LaRon Stokes. All three have played quite a bit of football and have been a part of this game multiple times.

Challenging them will be a Texas offensive line that has struggled with protections and had to shuffle some new players in after losing Denzel Okafor to a season-ending lower leg injury. Oklahoma’s veteran front will have to impose its will. Expect the rotation of bodies to continue as Alex Grinch’s “Speed D” relies on max effort on every play. Pass protection and consistency sustaining run blocks have been issues as Texas has shuffled its offensive line in the absence of Okafor.

Texas will double Perrion Winfrey and hope it’s enough to spring Robinson into the second level. Awaiting him will be linebackers Brian Asamoah, DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Shane Whitter and maybe Danny Stutsman. These linebackers have looked much better playing downhill and filling gaps in the run game than in pass coverage. However, filling the gaps is one thing. Tackling is another. Robinson will not go down via arm tackling or getting caught flat-footed as they did against Vaughn in space. Contact, wrap up and finish. A team effort. Robinson led the NCAA in missed tackles forced in Week 5 and leads all of the Football Bowl Subdivision this season in missed tackles forced.

DaShaun White or Shane Whitter on tape looks like Oklahoma’s better coverage linebackers. In man coverage, they’ll likely be tasked to follow Robinson on outs, wheels, or the “Texas” route.

Robinson will get his touches whether Texas is winning or losing. He’s their best offensive player. Making Robinson accept tough yards and not giving the chunk plays is where Oklahoma should focus their efforts. If the Sooners cannot contain Robinson, there’s a real chance that Texas walks out the victors.

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Passing Out Grades: Report Card for the Sooners vs. West Virginia

The Oklahoma Sooners played another tight one in their 16-13 win over West Virginia, but how did each position group grade out in the week 4 win?

Without ever having thoughts of being a teacher, passing out bad grades doesn’t seem like a fun time. The Oklahoma Sooners won against West Virginia but it wasn’t pretty and most notably one side of the ball struggled immensely.

At the end of the day, a win is a win. However, things must change offensively if the Sooners are to seriously contend for any trophies this season.

Let’s pass out some grades.

Quarterbacks: C-

This grade is the lowest grade I’ve handed out to this position group this year. It needs to be said that all quarterback grades are products of the offensive line play in front of them.

Spencer Rattler’s offensive line was not good but he has also had moments when he answered the call. Rattler, upon further review, missed a few throws that really would have given Oklahoma some chances to open things up.

He’s still struggling to make better decisions throwing vertically. A contested deep ball to wide receiver Michael Woods could have been intercepted had the defensive back not prematurely celebrated.

He threw an interception as he was targeting Drake Stoops late in the first half, focusing on Stoops the entire route and letting the ball float in the air too long.

At times, he continues to not set his plant foot and drive off of it causing balls to sail or not have the accuracy they need.

At the end of the game, he was 6 for 6 and orchestrated the game-winning drive to lead his team down the field and get them in a position to win. He has to be better and Lincoln Riley has to coach him better.

Most importantly…

Up Next: The Offensive Line

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Under the radar Defensive player to watch for the Sooners vs WVU

This Sooners defensive lineman is flying under the radar ahead of this week’s matchup with West Virginia and is a player to keep an eye on.

Oklahoma’s defense will get a chance tomorrow under the lights to continue solidifying itself as one of the best units in college football. Coming off an excellent performance against an elusive quarterback in Adrian Martinez of Nebraska, the Sooners will look to slow down a more balanced West Virginia offensive attack as they open Big 12 play at home.

The Mountaineers have a more traditional quarterback in redshirt senior Jarret Doege than Adrian Martinez, who was more mobile than prototypical quarterbacks. Senior running back Leddie Brown is the man in front on the ground posting 19 carries for 161 yards and a touchdown last game against a stout Virginia Tech front seven. Wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton presents a challenge outside the numbers due to his height and ability to go and get the ball.

The Sooners will need their big names to show up to put themselves in position for another win. In every game, though, complementary players show up that ultimately help decide the games. For this game, we’re going to look at defensive tackle Joshua Ellison.

Ellison, a transfer from JUCO Blinn College, has had a steady career so far at Oklahoma. He will have an opportunity to cement himself these next few weeks following the announcement of starter Jalen Redmond’s injury. Ellison’s contributions as a rotational defensive lineman have been valuable, but he’ll be asked to contribute more now that the starter in Redmond is out.

Ellison can’t slide outside like Redmond, but he’s solid in occupying gaps, using his hands, and moving interior offensive linemen inside. The defensive line is the foundation for Oklahoma’s defensive success and its deepest unit. Grinch may have to swap out Ellison on passing downs for someone like LaRon Stokes. Still, Ellison’s primary focus should be to eat space and stymie a West Virginia run game that needs to get going to keep Oklahoma from pinning their ears back and rushing the passer constantly.

The Sooners have a lot of depth on the defensive front seven. Joshua Ellison ultimately has to do his job. He doesn’t have to try to be Jalen Redmond but instead play assignment sound and mistake-free football. His talent will take care of the rest. He’s surrounded by some serious playmakers defensively that can pick up the playmaking slack.

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