Five Sooner Football Freshman Who Will Be Heard From This Seasom

The 2016 Sooner football recruiting class is comprised of 17 true freshmen, several of whom are likely to see ample playing time this season.

Getting on the field as a freshman used to be an extremely rare occurrence in college football. Times have changed, and talented freshman are seeing more game action in their first season of college ball.

We’ve identified five members of the 2016 Oklahoma recruiting class who are making a good impression on the Sooner coaching staff in preseason training camp and who are likely to be heard from on the field sooner rather than later in the coming season.

Caleb Kelly, Linebacker

The No. 1 recruit in the Sooners’ 2016 class, couldn’t have picked a better time to come to Oklahoma. The Sooners are lean in returning starters at the linebacker position, having lost three starters from last year’s Big 12 championship team, but deep in talent, with incoming reinforcements like Caleb Kelly.

Rated a four-star recruit, the No. 14 prospect overall in the country, according to Rivals.com, and the No. 3 linebacker, Kelly chose Oklahoma over several other top college programs, including Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas.

The 6-foot, 3-inch, 220-pound linebacker made 79 tackles his senior season in high school in Fresno, Calif., along with 10 quarterback sacks.

Kelly’s No. 19 jersey number is one Sooner fans should hear called early and often on defense this season.

Abdul Adams, Running Back

A 5-foot, 10-inch, 208-pound running back out of Durham, N.C., Abdul Adams was rated four stars and the No. 10 high-school running back in the country by Rivals.com. With two of the best running backs in the country (Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon) ahead of him on the Sooner depth chart, Adams’ playing time will be minimal at best, but he has turned heads with his play during preseason training camp.

The Sooner coaches like the fact that he has speed and good hands. Adams rushed for 2,036 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior season in high school and also caught 12 passes for 200 yards.

Alabama, Michigan and Michigan State were among the high-visibility suitors for Adams’ skills and talent.

OU offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley likes to utilize the Oklahoma backs as receiving targets, which could bode well for the freshman Adams.

In addition to Perine and Mixon, Adams also has Daniel Brooks ahead of him. With Rodney Anderson out for the season with a neck injury, that could result in some more playing time for Adams that he might not have seen otherwise.

Parrish Cobb, Defensive Back

One of 10 four-star recruits in the Sooners’ 2016 class, Parrish Cobb was originally committed to Oklahoma, eventually signed a letter of intent with Baylor and is now back at Oklahoma after requesting a release from his LOI following the sexual assault scandal at Baylor that led to the firing of head coach Art Briles. And the Sooners are happy to have him.

Rated the No. 17 prospect in the talent-rich state of Texas, Cobb recorded 45 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups as a senior at La Vega High School in Waco, Texas. last fall. He helped lead that team to an undefeated season and a state championship.

Cobb is listed as a cornerback, but defensive coordinator Mike Stoops announced on Tuesday that senior Dakota Austin would draw the starting assignment at the cornerback spot vacated by the departure of All-Big 12 corner Zack Sanchez. Sophmore P.J. Mbanasor will also see time at cornerback in relief of Austin.

Cobb is sure to see some action this season in the defensive secondary for the Sooners, but his real opportunity will come after this season.

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Mykel Jones, Wide Receiver

The Sooners will have less experience at wide receiver this season following the departure of Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal, two of the team’s top three receivers a year ago, but they certainly will have more hands on deck at the position than the past couple of years.

One of the newcomers is Mykel Jones, rated the 94th overall recruit in the country and the No. 20 wide receiver by Rivals.com.

Because of the number of wide receiver targets that the Sooners have to deploy this season, Jones’ playing time will likely be minimal, but he has made a strong impression during offseason workouts and the past couple of weeks in preseason practice sessions.

Jones is a receiver with speed and an abundance of talent. If that pans out the same in live game action, we are likely to be seeing a lot from this kid over the next several seasons. Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss and others thought highly enough about him to extend a scholarship offer.

Amani Bledsoe, Defensive End

Amani Bledsoe was like a beast of a man playing high school football in Lawrence, Kan. At 6-foot, 5-inches and 280 pounds, he tower over most of the high school players he lined up across from on the defensive line.

Because he was local, Bledsoe was recruited heavily by then defensive-line coach at Kansas, Calvin Thibodeaux. Kansas lost that recruiting battle, to Bob Stoops and Oklahoma. In fact, the Sooners not only got their man in Bledsoe, they also later recruited Thibodeaux to return to his college roots and join the OU coaching staff.

Rivals.com rated Bledsoe as the No. 9 strong-side defensive end in the country and the No. 1 overall recruit from the state of Kansas. In addition to Kansas, Arkansas, Baylor and Oregon also were highly interested in him.

“Some guys break down during camp,” OU junior defensive lineman Charles Walker told Sooner beat writer Ryan Aber of the Oklahoma City Oklahoman. “It’s a lot of pressure on them getting extra reps and getting yelled at and being criticized by the coaches who try and make you better. He’s (Bledsoe) responding great to it.”

Said head coach Bob Stoops about his freshman defensive end:

"“Amani plays with great technique. He’s tough, he’s strong, he’s physical and plays with really good leverage for a young (guy).”"