Seven new freshmen will be involved in the Alamo Bowl practices for Oklahoma.
The latest members of the Sooners won’t participate in the bowl game, but they’re kicking off their college journeys well in advance of the spring semester.
Seven freshman players from Oklahoma are starting their college football journeys ahead of schedule. These individuals, constituting a quarter of the Sooners’ 2024 recruiting class, have kicked off their preparation for the Alamo Bowl by engaging in practice. Eli Bowen, Jayden Jackson, Nigel Smith, Wyatt Gilmore, Jaydan Hardy, Michael Hawkins, and Xavier Robinson, who all signed their National Letters of Intent on the initial day of the early signing period, are actively participating in practices leading up to the Dec. 28 bowl game against Arizona.
In a promotional video shared on social media by OU, Jaydan Hardy expressed his commitment to putting in the effort: “Decided to get that work in.” Although incoming freshmen are typically ineligible to play in bowl games, these seven, known as the “First Seven,” are practicing alongside their future teammates throughout the week.
According to head coach Brent Venables, approximately 20 early enrollees are anticipated for the upcoming spring semester, all of whom will join spring practice. However, only these seven freshmen will be involved in the specific preparations for the bowl game. In the previous year, four Sooners, including Kalib Hicks, Chapman McKown, Ashton Sanders, and Derrick LeBlanc, participated in practices for the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando.
