Oklahoma Sooners Hot Links: Austin Seibert makes the Ray Guy Award watch list, Christian James bulks up, and more!

Happy hump day, Sooner nation! I hope your week is going well. If you haven’t lost your wallet like I have, you’re likely having a better time.

Most of the preseason watch lists have been released, and as expected, there are a wealth of Oklahoma Sooners making their respective positional lists. We already mentioned the Maxwell and Bednarik lists the other day, but the rest are assembled for your reading pleasure here. Earlier today, Austin Seibert was included in the watch list for the Ray Guy Award (given to the nation’s top punter).

One has to think that a few Sooners have a real shot at winning their respective awards. My fictitious money would be placed on Baker Mayfield to win the Maxwell Trophy.

Without further ado, today’s edition of Hot Links:

OU Links:

• We already know about Mayfield’s Heisman potential -- but who will this season’s DeDe Westbrook be?
• Big 12 Media Days are coming up, and with that come the preseason accolades. Baker Mayfield was named the Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year by the media. Well-deserved after a record-breaking year.
• Lincoln Riley could take some inspiration from an in-state contemporary, the Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig writes.
• Junior guard Christian James is looking BIG:

• One player in particular is looking forward to the Sooners’ upcoming trip to New Zealand: Auckland native and sophomore forward Matt Freeman.

National Links:

• If the NCAA Football video game franchise were still around, here’s how each team might be rated. The mourning, plaintive sigh I performed while writing that sentence was something. Miss you, virtual college football.
• A man was arrested after attempting to sneak a prostitute into LSU’s football stadium. I’m sure they were just going to run a few drills and do some conditioning.
• Takk McKinley of the Atlanta Falcons is already well on his way to becoming your favorite NFL player.
• Head over to The Franchise and check out my way-too-early NBA power rankings. And, if you think I’m wrong, I’d love to debate you on Twitter.
• No photoshop required: Paul George looks damn good in Thunder blue.

• The ever-talented Shea Serrano pens a story fit for bed time: The Fairy Tale of Andre Roberson and Russelstiltskin.

‘STICK TO SPORTS!’

• David Bowie is still sorely missed by all. But his legacy still lives on — he apparently helped convince James Murphy to re-form LCD Soundsystem. Thanks, Dave.
• Quentin Tarantino is prepping a new film about the Manson Family murders. If anyone can capture the abject creepiness of Charles Manson, it’s probably Tarantino.