The 2021 college football season is fast approaching. It will not be long before parking lots are flooded with tailgates and stands are crowded with exhilarated fans. At the inception of each new season, preseason coverage brings forth evaluation rankings. Which players are slotted to be the best in the country when fall rolls around?
Based on a myriad of factors, including positional value, career production, and proven distinction, 247Sports’ announced their top 50 players in college football entering 2021. Three Oklahoma Sooners fell among the elite compilation of names: quarterback Spencer Rattler (3), edge Nik Bonitto (16), and wide receiver Marvin Mims (35).
All three ignite both sides of the football for OU.
Spencer Rattler took the college football world by storm in 2020 as a redshirt freshman. He mesmerized with an effortless release, rare off-platform throws, and tight-window accuracy. The 6-1, 205-pound signal-caller threw for 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. He completed 67% of his passes and averaged 9.6 yards per attempt in his first year under center.
The Arizona native is the consensus Heisman favorite. With a full year/offseason program under his belt with Lincoln Riley’s tutelage in Norman, his numbers will only improve this upcoming season. Rattler’s ability to create outside of structure is jaw-dropping, and OU’s quarterback will be striving to solidify his high draft status on Saturdays.
Marvin Mims is a standout in his supporting cast. He led the Sooners as a true freshman in 2020 with 610 yards and nine touchdowns on 37 receptions. Mims became the first receiver in OU history to earn FWAA All-America status, and his nine scores established an Oklahoma freshman record. No. 17 consistently made big plays in OU’s vertical attack and was Rattler’s go-to target downfield. His speed and body control make him a threat when he lines up in the slot or out wide. He is poised to make a leap in his second year.
On the defensive side of the football, Nik Bonitto wreaks havoc from the edge. His power and speed combination from a two-point stance is lethal. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has significantly improved the Sooners defense the last couple of years with a focus on physicality and takeaways. The revamped unit begins with Bonitto. His production in the trenches has helped free up opportunities for the second and third levels of OU’s ‘Speed D.’
Bonitto’s explosion from the RUSH LB role earned him the nation’s best pass rush grade (93.5), pass-rush win rate (28.5%), and the top pressure rate (25.7%), according to PFF. In 2020, he accumulated 11.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 10 games. He consistently collapsed pockets and will be hungry for more in 2021.