Oklahoma football spotlight: Freshman RB Jovantae Barnes

The Oklahoma football program just lost Kennedy Brooks to the NFL, and for the first time in a few years the lead runner for the Sooners is up in the air.

Many assume, Eric Gray, the Tennessee transfer, will step into the role, and he is the most likely to do so. Others have their eye on home-state kid Marcus Major, who has been showered with compliments and even once compared to Adrian Peterson. Freshman running back Jovantae Barnes, from Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, may be the main man, however, once the season is over. This kid is legit! 

Barnes is already enrolled and participated in the Oklahoma spring game on April 23, and he showed out in front of a packed Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.  Since getting to OU, he has already put on about 15 pounds. He was listed at just under 190 pounds during the camp cycle a season ago. Barnes now sits at 6-feet and 203 pounds.

This puts him in a very good spot from a body standpoint, particularly with the summer months remaining, to play and contribute right away.

In the spring game, Barnes carried 17 times for 60 yards and two touchdowns, While the yardage may not blow you away, he showed very nice speed and vision as well as the ability to shake off a tackle or two. He has a one-cut style, which is perfectly suited for offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s system.

You can see the highlights of the Oklahoma Spring Game below, and you will see plenty of No. 2 Jovantae Barnes.

There was once another one-cut back from Las Vegas that graced the Sooner Nation with a similar style of running and the same body type. That man — DeMarco Murray —  just so happens to be the running backs coach for the Sooners. Murray had quite the bevvy of compliments for his young runner,

"“Jovantae has come along every single day for a young guy. He hasn’t been staggering at all. We’re throwing a bunch at him, and he should still be in high school. He’s handling it the right way. He’s a really good athlete, He’s strong, he’s powerful.When you think about a young kid, you always wonder how mature he is and the mindset and you know. Can he play as a freshman? He’s put himself in a great situation since January to have that opportunity if he continues to work hard, grasp the offense and just stay physical.”"

Barnes is known for his skills as both a runner and receiver. He is a complete package at the position and is expected to be big player for Oklahoma as long as he is on campus.

You can see the highlights of the Oklahoma Spring Game below, and you will see plenty of No. 2 Jovantae Barnes.