OU shines at NFL Draft
OU shines at NFL Draft
It was a busy weekend for the Sooners at the 2022 NFL Draft, including a blockbuster trade that will reunite a pair of former OU teammates.
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🏈 Sooners send 7 to draft
Oklahoma enjoyed a busy weekend at the 2022 NFL Draft. Seven former OU players were drafted, while another ex-Sooner was at the center of one of the biggest draft-night trades.
Former OU receiver Marquise Brown (2017-18) will be reunited with former OU quarterback Kyler Murray in Arizona. The Ravens traded the speedy receiver and a third-round pick for the 23rd overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Needless to say, Hollywood seems happy to be joining the Cardinals after three seasons in Baltimore.
It seemed the Cleveland Browns would part ways with 2018’s top-overall draft pick Baker Mayfield this past weekend but a deal never materialized.
On the draft side, OU boasted the most picks of any Big 12 program. Baylor finished with six, Iowa State had four, Oklahoma State had three, both Texas Tech and Kansas State produced two and Kansas had one.
Texas, TCU and West Virginia had zero.
OU tied Alabama with the fifth-most draft picks of any school in the country.
Overall, it was a solid showing for the Sooners, who put five defensive players into the NFL draft for the first time since 2005.
Here are the Sooners who were taken in this year’s draft, plus players that signed as undrafted free agents:
Nik Bonitto, EDGE
Drafted by: Denver (Round 2, Pick 32)
🎥 Watch the Broncos select Bonitto
Brian Asamoah, LB
Drafted by: Minnesota (Round 3, Pick 2)
🎥 Watch the Vikings select Asamoah
Perrion Winfrey, DT
Drafted by: Cleveland (Round 4, Pick 3)
🎥 Watch the Browns select Winfrey
Delarrin Turner-Yell, S
Drafted by: Denver (Round 5, Pick 9)
🎥 Watch the Broncos select Turner-Yell
Mike Woods, WR
Drafted by: Cleveland (Round 6, Pick 24)
🎥 Watch the Browns select Woods
Isaiah Thomas, EDGE
Drafted by: Cleveland (Round 7, Pick 2)
🎥 Watch the Browns select Thomas
Marquis Hayes, OL
Drafted by: Arizona (Round 7, Pick 36)
🎥 Watch the Cardinals select Hayes
Undrafted free agents
RB Kennedy Brooks ➡️ Philadelphia
HB Jeremiah Hall ➡️ New York Giants
OL Tyrese Robinson ➡️ Washington
DL LaRon Stokes ➡️ Arizona
Still waiting: K Gabe Brkic
Let’s make a few predictions that will surely age well.
Most likely to make an instant impact: Winfrey. The Cleveland Browns lack depth at defensive tackle and should be eager to deploy the former Sooner, many of whom expected to go in Rounds 2 or 3. Winfrey dealt with minor disciplinary issues at OU, but he seemed to handle his business well at the Senior Bowl a few months ago and perhaps being around professionals will bring out the best in the monstrous defensive tackle. He’s got a high ceiling at his size and plenty of untapped potential at the rate former OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch substituted his players.
Biggest sleeper pick among draftees: Hayes. An NFL strength and conditioning program will do wonders for the latest OU offensive lineman to go in the NFL draft. Hayes had one of the best offensive line coaches in the country but former OU S&C coach Bennie Wylie was never able to unlock the physicality the Sooners have been searching for in the trenches since Jerry Schmidt, who’s now back at OU in the same role, departed for Texas A&M following the 2017 season. It shouldn’t shock anyone if Hayes, who’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds, carves out a long NFL career with some proper development.
Most likely to succeed as an undrafted free agent: Brooks. The ex-Sooners running back was never the flashiest tailback, but he was one of the most reliable running backs in the country the past few seasons and deserving of an NFL draft selection. He enjoyed three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns and provided stability to a position that easily could have fallen off after Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon left school early after the 2016 season and Rodney Anderson’s college career was cut short two games into OU’s 2018 season. Working with Jalen Hurts again might help make Brooks’ transition even easier.
Around campus
🏈 Rising sophomore hits transfer portal: Defensive end Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge announced he’s entered the NCAA transfer portal on Saturday. The Portland, Oregon, native was a four-star prospect and Class of 2021 signee. He originally chose OU over the likes of Arizona State and Stanford. He did not see any playing time this past season as a true freshman.
🏈 Calcaterra drafted by Eagles: Former Oklahoma tight end Grant Calcaterra, who finished his college career at SMU, was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Calcaterra played at OU from 2017-19 and one season at SMU this past year. His best year at OU came in 2018 when he recorded 396 yards on 26 catches and six touchdown receptions.
🏀 OU men’s basketball lands commitment: Sooners coach Porter Moser landed a verbal from Class of 2022 power forward Luke Northweather, a three-star prospect and Missouri's Gatorade Player of the Year, over the weekend. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward also had offers from Mizzou and Wyoming.
🥎 OU softball dominates Kansas: No. 1 Oklahoma (45-1, 14-1 Big 12) rolled through its final road series of the season, sweeping Big 12 foe Kansas. OU won 7-0 in Game 1 on Friday, 19-0 in Game 2 over five innings on Saturday and 9-1 in Sunday's Game 3. Up next: Bedlam, starting Thursday in Norman.
⚾️ OU baseball takes K-State series: The Sooners (27-15, 9-6 Big 12) won their weekend home series against Kansas State, coached by former OU skipper Pete Hughes, by rolling in Games 1 and 2 at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU rolled to a 14-2 win on Friday and 22-10 win on Saturday over the Wildcats before dropping Sunday's game 8-7. Next up is a midweek contest at Dallas Baptist on Tuesday.
Editor’s note
So, we’re hitting the reset button on Eyes on Oklahoma. We’ve tried a lot of things, but to keep the newsletter at its best, we’re restructuring our weekly operation by giving you more content than before.
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