Three more Oklahoma football players, all three of whom played contributing roles in the Sooners 47-32 Alamo Bowl win over Oregon, will be taking their careers in a different direction after this season.
Running back Kennedy Brooks, H-back Jeremiah Hall and kicker Gabe Brkic announced on Thursday that this would be their final season in an Oklahoma uniform. All three are declaring for the NFL Draft.
Brooks, a redshirt junior, was a monster running the ball for the Sooners against an Oregon defense that struggled to contain him. Brooks ran for 142 yards, his third-best rushing game of the season, and three touchdowns and was named the offensive Most Valuable Player of the game. After the game, he told reporters he had not made a decision on his future status. The decision apparently came clear overnight, and Brooks announced it via Twitter on Thursday.
Thank you so much Sooner Nation! It been unreal! #26 out!❤️ pic.twitter.com/8mEW3hVxCH
— Kennedy Brooks (@kennedyBrooks26) December 30, 2021
Brooks led the Sooners in rushing this season, going over the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his OU career. He will end his Oklahoma career with 3,320 rushing yards, which ranks him ninth among Sooner career leaders.
Hall was a team captain this season and a prime component, both blocking and receiving, this in the Sooner offense this season. He made 32 catches for 334 yards this season and three touchdowns. For his career he was on the receiving end of 68 catches for 757 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Thank you, Sooner Nation ❤️ #Boomer pic.twitter.com/mwyGoKKp8o
— Jeremiah Hall (@Jeremiah_hall27) December 30, 2021
Brkic, a redshirt junior, was successful on 20 of 26 field goal attempts this season and was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, presented to college football’s top placekicker. Five of his 26 field goals were from 50 yards or longer, tying him for fifth nationally. In his three full seasons at Oklahoma, he kicked 57 field goals. He was an All-Big 12 second-team selection for 2021.
ily pic.twitter.com/ntZ20tKsqQ
— Gabe Brkic (@GabeBrkic) December 30, 2021
Seven Oklahoma players have declared for the NFL Draft in the past month. Brooks, Hall and Brkic join defensive tackles Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas and LBs Nik Bonitto and Brian Asamoah, who announced their intentions previously.