Happy Friday, friends and fans!

Oklahoma Sooners redshirt junior center Creed Humphrey was named a 2020 Preseason First Team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Thursday. Entering his third year as a starter, you can expect to see this talented lineman’s name among most major award watch lists.

In 2019, Humphrey received Second-Team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News. He also finished the year as one of three finalists for the Rimington Award — presented annually to the nation’s top center.

For a program with OU’s prolific pedigree along the offensive line, the Shawnee native is regarded as one of the very best to come through Norman in quite some time. As the leader of a unit that returns its entire starting lineup this upcoming season, the stage is set for Humphrey to have an all-time great campaign, both with his team as well as individually.

Now onto this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! Skip Johnson’s ball players shine in the draft, Sooner Golf gets richer with a quality grad transfer, Myles Garrett working on a huge deal with the Browns and more!

OU Links

• Oklahoma Baseball made program history this week during the five-round 2020 MLB Draft as a total of four Sooners were selected on Wednesday and Thursday, including RHP Cade Cavalli, who went 22nd overall to the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals. Additionally, OU signees Ed Howard (SS, Chicago Cubs, No. 16 overall) and Dax Fulton (LHP, Miami Marlins, No. 40 overall) were high selections.

• While replacing Kenneth Murray won’t be easy, Oklahoma’s linebacker room actually features quite a bit of talent and experience along with the potential for some serious growth, writes SI Sooners’ John Hoover.
• OU men’s golf welcomes even more talent to its already loaded roster with the addition of UNC Greensboro graduate transfer Jonathan Brightwell. The former Spartan was the nation’s No. 13 collegiate golfer in the 2019-20 Golfstat rankings.

• Ever since Trae Young entered the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, the electric point guard is constantly finding ways to give back to his community, whether that’s in the ATL or his home in Norman. Recently, the Young family pledged $4 million toward a multi-sport recreational facility in the heart of OU country, writes The Norman Transcript’s Tyler Palmateer.
• Oklahoma’s methodical approach to bringing back its players for workouts is as much about the players’ safety as it is about the fans’. AD Joe Castiglione and Lincoln Riley have both been steadfast in the steps they’ve taken, but not even they have the answers to what college football could look like this season if there’s a season to be played at all. The Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig has more.
• In case you missed it, check out Allen Kenney’s write-up on the decline in turnovers across college football over the last decade. Which factors have led to this decrease in takeaways, and what does this mean for future underdogs looking to pull off those classic upsets?

Around the Sports World

• After going No. 1 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett is reportedly negotiating a megadeal contract extension with the team.
• The shape of the NBA season’s upcoming return is becoming clearer by the day as the schedule continues to be ironed out. Recently, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that 14 of the 22 teams meeting in Orlando will be eliminated from contention within 53 days. As the field narrows, so too will the risk of catching and/or spreading any potential viruses.
• Texas Longhorns junior CB Anthony Cook posted a tweet Thursday night stating he had played his final snap for UT before deleting said tweet. This is a developing story.
• San Antonio Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV recently underwent a major transformation by getting a haircut for the first time since the fifth grade. He later opened up about why he originally grew it out, citing sexual abuse he endured as a child. Props to Lonnie for sharing his incredible story as a survivor.

• Former Wake Forest Demon Deacons WR Matt James has been named the next Bachelor. ABC tried reaching me first, but I had to respectfully decline due to a scheduling conflict. What, you don’t believe me? Okay, I see how it is. Some friends you are. No, no I’m good. Anyway, congrats Matt.

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