Oklahoma Sooners Football: Projecting OU’s depth chart for the season opener

We’re only 10 days away from football time in Oklahoma, y’all! Unfortunately, this means that “speculation season” or “talking season” are still in full swing. While we’re at it, we might as well embrace it.

A pretty good chunk of Oklahoma’s starting spots are wrapped up. Oklahoma’s starters along the offensive line are set, which tends to be the case when a team returns all five starters up front. Additionally, the picture in the defensive backfield seems to be much clearer now than it was a month ago. However, the depth chart at the offensive skill positions is a bit murky.

Here’s what I think the depth chart will look like when it’s released by OU. I have some notes at the bottom.

Quarterback

Baker Mayfield

Kyler Murray

Running Back

Abdul Adams

Rodney Anderson

Fullback/H-Back

Dimitri Flowers

Carson Meier

H WR

Mykel Jones

Charleston Rambo

X WR

Jeffery Mead

Jordan Smallwood OR CeDarian Lamb

Left Tackle

Orlando Brown

Quinn Mittermeier

Left Guard

Ben Powers

Cody Ford

Center

Erik Wren

Creed Humphrey OR Jonathan Alvarez

Right Guard

Dru Samia

Cody Ford

Right Tackle

Bobby Evans

Ashton Julious

Y WR

Mark Andrews

Grant Calcaterra

Z WR

Jeff Badet OR

Marquise Brown

AD Miller

Defensive End

DJ Ward

Kenneth Mann

Defensive Tackle

Matt Romar

Marquise Overton

Defensive Tackle

Neville Gallimore

Du’Vonta Lampkin

JACK Defensive End

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

Mark Jackson OR

Addison Gumbs

WILL LB

Emmanuel Beal

Curtis Bolton

MIKE LB

Kenneth Murray

Jon-Michael Terry

SAM LB

Caleb Kelly

Curtis Bolton

Cornerback

Jordan Thomas

Jordan Parker

Justin Broiles

Free Safety

Will Johnson

Robert Barnes

Strong Safety

Steven Parker

Kahlil Haughton

Cornerback

Parnell Motley

Jordan Parker

Tre Brown OR Tre Norwood

Nickel

Will Johnson

Jordan Parker

Kick Return

Marquise Brown

Marcelias Sutton

Punt Return

Marquise Brown

Mykel Jones

Kicker

Austin Seibert

Punter

Austin Seibert

Reeves Mundschau

Kickoffs

Austin Seibert

Reeves Mundschau

Notes

RB: Rodney Anderson was long thought by myself and others to be the odds-on favorite to start at running back for the opener. He should still have a huge role and could definitely start at some point, but you have to pay attention to the way in which the coaches talk about Abdul Adams. The carries will be distributed throughout the RB corps this year, so I don’t necessarily see depth chart positioning to be all that important in this instance.

FB/HB: Jeremiah Hall is going to be a hell of a player, and he looked good in the spring game. However, I think we’ll see a bit more of Carson Meier this season because of his ability as a blocker at this point.

JACK DE: If they can figure out a way to get Obo and either Mark Jackson or Addison Gumbs on the field at the same time in certain situations, I’ll be happy, happy, happy.

DE: This situation may look different when Amani Bledsoe comes back into the fold.

MIKE LB: Jon-Michael Terry has missed a good amount of practice this fall, so I picture Murray getting the call on Sept. 2. However, both will get plenty of snaps and have chances to prove themselves, so the situation sort of mirrors the one at RB.

Safety/Nickel: Having Will Johnson as the stater at FS and allowing Robert Barnes to hold down the position in the nickel package seems like a smart idea. It allows Barnes an opportunity to see the field without giving him too much responsibility right off the bat. Don’t be surprised to occasionally see someone like Jordan Parker out at the NB in certain situations, as well.