Tag: LV Bunkley-Shelton

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver enters the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton enters the transfer portal.

The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the better wide receiver rooms in college football heading into 2024.

[autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] was a steady force amid breakout seasons from [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] had a really nice year in a rotation role for the Sooners. The Sooners are losing Drake Stoops, who had a career year.

The quality of Oklahoma’s depth made it difficult for a guy such as [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag] to see consistent playing time. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Bunkley-Shelton plans to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] with two years of eligibility remaining.

Heading into the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag], Bunkley-Shelton was third on the depth chart at one of the wide receiver spots behind Anderson and Gibson.

In his two years with the Sooners, Bunkley-Shelton caught five passes for 57 yards. That performance came after he spent two seasons with the Arizona State Sun Devils when he had 44 receptions for 518 yards and two touchdowns.

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Oklahoma Sooners have the weapons to be great on offense

Though the Sooners lost a lot of talent to the NFL draft, there’s still the talent for the offense to be dynamic in 2023.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a minor retooling on the offensive side of the football. They’re working to replace three starters along the offensive line, their top two pass catchers ([autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag]), and their leading rusher ([autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag]).

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] led the Oklahoma Sooners in receiving yards each of his three seasons in Norman.

Despite all of the turnover, the Oklahoma Sooners are still an incredibly talented offense.

Replacing [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] at left tackle is [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag]. Rouse started 38 games at Stanford, a program known for producing good to great rushing attacks. That should play well in a [autotag]Jeff Lebby [/autotag]offense that wants to run the rock and run it a lot.

At right tackle [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] is replacing one-year starter Wanya Morris. There may not be a player in Oklahoma’s starting lineup that has as high a ceiling as Guyton. Jared Verse, a future top 10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, called Guyton the best tackle he’d faced. Though he doesn’t have a ton of experience, the expectations are high for the incredibly athletic offensive tackle.

[autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] slides over to right guard to replace Chris Murray, and at the moment, it looks like [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] is the frontrunner at left guard. Byrd has just one collegiate start under his belt but was good in the Sooners matchup with Florida State. Byrd helped the Sooners have a fantastic day on the ground against the Seminoles.

Oklahoma is hoping for a similar breakout from [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] that Willis experienced a year ago. In a thin tight end room, Stogner has to have a big season. He has the athletic prowess to be a game-changer in the passing game. His only question is his health. If Stogner can stay healthy for an entire season, there’s a chance he surpasses Willis’ receiving totals from a year ago.

Wide receiver still has some questions. Namely, who will start on the outside opposite [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag]? [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] will likely start in the slot in three or more wide receiver sets. Then it comes down to a host of wide receiver talents that are vying for that No. 2 spot. There are a lot of really good options, like [autotag]Brenen Thompso[/autotag]n, [autotag]Andrel Anthon[/autotag]y, [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. There’s a good chance the Sooners roll two deep at each wide receiver spot in games to keep everyone fresh in the Sooners’ uptempo offense.

But they have a good amount of depth to work with.

Speaking of depth, there’s no position on the offensive side of the ball as deep as the Sooners running back room. Led by [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], the Sooners are loaded with talented runners. In addition to the sophomore running backs, the coaching staff is high on [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] and [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] and the roles they’ll be able to play this year. Throw in true freshmen [autotag]Kalib Hicks[/autotag] and [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag], and the Sooners have six guys they feel can help them run the football.

Featuring guys like Farooq and Barnes provide a physical dynamic that should allow Oklahoma to pick up dirty yards after contact and after the catch.

In addition to becoming a more physical team, the Sooners emphasized adding speed this offseason. Freeman and Sawchuk return and Oklahoma also added Smothers, Thompson, and Pettaway to their ranks. That’s a group of guys that are threats to score from any spot on the field any time they touch the ball because of speed.

At quarterback, the Sooners have an experienced veteran who threw for more than 3,100 yards and 25 touchdowns in Dillon Gabriel last season. 2022 was his first at the Power Five level and he was good. Now, he needs to take a step to improve the Sooners fortunes on third and fourth down and in the red zone.

The Sooners lost a lot of talent to the draft this offseason, but that doesn’t mean their devoid of talent. It’s a deep offensive roster that can help the Sooners be even better than they were in 2022.

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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.

Projecting Oklahoma’s offensive depth chart before summer practice

Summer offensive depth chart projection for the 2023 Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma has started summer preparation for the upcoming season. Currently, the players are getting in their strength and conditioning work. There have been no padded practices, and there will not be any for a while, but that will not stop us from trying to figure out what Oklahoma’s starting offense and defense will look like when the Sooners take the field on Sept. 2 against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Offensively, the Sooners starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel returned to help quarterback an offense that was 13th nationally in total offense last season. Much was made about Gabriel’s performance but a team finishing in the top 20 in total offense is probably doing many things right. Blaming the quarterback for a 6-7 season seems a bit excessive. In the one game Gabriel didn’t play, Oklahoma scored zero points in its biggest game of the season versus Texas.

Outside of that, Oklahoma underwent departures to the NFL by their starting right and left tackles, Wanya Morris and Anton Harrison, respectively. The latter was selected in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Marvin Mims went in the second round to the Denver Broncos. Starting running back Eric Gray was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants. Starting tight end Brayden Willis is a San Francisco 49er after being drafted in the seventh round.

Oklahoma will have holes to fill. We took our best shot at projecting an offensive depth chart while considering transfer portal acquisitions, recruiting, general roster maturation and turnover from last year’s team.

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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Don’t forget about these Oklahoma Sooners for 2023

Though the Oklahoma Sooners have added a lot of talent this offseason, there are several Sooners we shouldn’t overlook for 2023.

The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff has been hard at work this offseason to retool and upgrade the roster. Through a transfer portal class ESPN ranked No. 4 and a recruiting class ranked No. 4 by 247Sports, the Oklahoma Sooners have brought in a ton of talent to compete for jobs in 2023.

And it’s a roster that needed it, considering they are ninth in the Big 12 in returning production for 2023, and they’re heading to the SEC in 2024.

At the same time, the talent they’re bringing back is young and unproven. In particular, the 2022 recruiting class and transfer portal additions. While they didn’t play a ton last year, they’ve now spent a year with Brent Venables and this coaching staff and will have an opportunity to earn some significant playing time.

Despite the additions, there are several returning Sooners we shouldn’t forget about for 2023.

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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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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