Happy Friday, friends and fans!

Day one of the on-field workouts at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and the Oklahoma Sooners’ CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Hurts created some buzz with their individual performances. The highlight of Thursday night for the first round hopeful WR was this acrobatic catch on a fade route. If you’re like me, you can’t watch this just once.

After two runs in the 40-yard dash, Lamb’s best official time clocked him right at 4.5 seconds flat. Compared to the other receivers who ran, it wasn’t a blistering number, but it’s clear to anyone who has seen him play that his strength isn’t as a burner. Nevertheless, it was a good enough time for him to likely hold serve as this class’s top option at the position.

The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah gave Hurts some high praise on Thursday. For the most part, his passing looked fluid, and his deep ball was accurate. If he can sign with the right organization and learn under the right staff, he’ll have a real chance to be a successful QB in the National Football League.

Overall, it was a successful combine for this dynamic Sooner duo that should only help each of them when it comes to their respective draft potential. In the links below you’ll find more clips from each of Lamb and Hurts’ workouts.

Now for this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! Hurts impresses Mooch with his football acumen, Oklahoma’s diamond teams are back in action, Bama’s Ruggs is a blur and more!

OU Links

• CeeDee Lamb completely owned the gauntlet drill in Indy. This is exactly how the coaches draw it up. Call me crazy, but something tells me he can do this with his eyes closed. It’s like he has ESPN or something.

• Hurts’ 40 time was quite impressive relative to the other quarterbacks at the combine. Officially, the former Alabama starter recorded a 4.59, good for second-best among all participating QBs.

• Perhaps the highlight of the day for Hurts actually happened at the whiteboard with Steve Mariucci. I highly recommend you watch this featurette. It’s great to see Hurts so loose and having fun, in addition to proving he truly understands this game he loves.

• The Dallas Morning News’ Spenser Davis continues his breakdown preview of the 2020 Oklahoma team, and in his latest inspection he takes a look at the defensive line. OU will have to replace a number of key contributors from a season ago, but there is a lot of young talent Sooner fans should be keeping an eye out for.
• The Sooners are showing a little upward movement in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology report, where they now sit as a projected 11-seed. CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm has Oklahoma one seed higher than that in a 10 slot. Selection Sunday is right around the corner, so from here on out it’s going to be touch and go for Lon Kruger’s crew.
• Sooner Baseball is in Houston this weekend for the Shriners College Classic. Arkansas is on deck today, and the first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT. Check out AT&T SportsNet/MLB to stream the contest, or listen live on Sportstalk 1400 AM.

• We’ve got double-header action for Oklahoma Softball today as the Courtyard Marriott Tournament begins. OU will face Northwestern at 3 p.m. CT before taking on Abilene Christian around 5:30 p.m. CT. Check the links in the tweet below for information on how to watch the games or listen to them live.

• Speaking of softball, head coach Patty Gasso has known about Auburn junior transfer Taylon Snow since she was in middle school, and now that she’s finally recruited her to Oklahoma, the talented infielder is finding her groove. The Norman Transcript’s Joe Buettner has more.

Around the Sports World

• Alabama Crimson Tide WR Henry Ruggs III came .06 seconds away from re-writing the NFL Combine record for fastest 40-yard dash time. Still, it’s always amazing to watch someone clock in with a sub-4.3.

• Arizona State Sun Devils punter Michael Turk stole the show on the bench press, repping out 225 pounds a whopping 25 times. It’s usually embarrassing to get laid out by the punter during a game, but there should be no shame if it’s courtesy of this beast.

• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has not yet ruled out a return signing of WR Dez Bryant or bringing back future Hall of Fame TE Jason Witten.
• The NBA has fined the Minnesota Timberwolves $25,000 for resting shooting guard D’Angelo Russell earlier this week as part of a new policy that prohibits teams from holding healthy players out during nationally televised road games.
• USC Trojans freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu banked in this sensational three-quarter court shot at the end of the first half, and in all reality it could have easily been an and-one opportunity. Also, shout out to the legendary Bill Walton on the call. The Men of Troy went on to defeat the Arizona Wildcats, 57-48.

Stick to Sports!

• Director Bong Joon-ho’s Academy Award-winning film ‘Parasite’ is in the process of being converted into a 304-page graphic novel using the movie’s own storyboards and dialogue. I still have yet to watch this critically acclaimed masterpiece, but the comic geek in me almost wants to check out this unique adaptation before I finally sit down to experience the worldwide phenomenon on screen. The book is set to release in stores May 19.

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