Entering fall camp, the wide receiver group was the deepest on the Oklahoma Sooners roster. In just a year and a half, Emmitt Jones has significantly enhanced and developed depth at this crucial position.
H owever, this depth is being tested a few weeks into fall camp. Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury, Nic Anderson was injured last week, and Jalil Farooq andEmmitt Jones Andrel Anthony are still working on getting back to game readiness.
These four players were among the top five wide receivers from 2023 and are expected to play key roles in 2024, but the Sooners are currently going through fall camp without them.
Reports from the first scrimmage of fall camp indicate that the offense had a tough day. While the defense looks strong, the first-team offense is struggling without most of its top wide receivers, except for Deion Burks, making things more challenging for Jackson Arnold.
This situation highlights the importance of building depth and development. With Anderson, Farooq, Anthony, and Gibson out, players like J.J. Hester, Ivan Carreon, Brenen Thompson, Jaquaize Pettaway, Zion Kearney, and Burks have the chance to work with the first-team offense.
The Oklahoma Sooners have 17 days before their season opener against Temple on August 29, giving Jones and the training staff ample time to prepare the wide receivers. For the Sooners to have a strong offense in 2024, maintaining their players’ health is crucial.
Oklahoma has reliable depth, but getting players like Anderson, Farooq, and Anthony back to full strength will significantly boost the Sooners’ passing game.
