2022 Oklahoma Spring Preview: CB

Jay Valai will have a trio of experienced Sooners to build his cornerbacks room around in 2022.

Jay Valai may be a newcomer to the OU staff, but he has experience to pick from in his cornerbacks room.

Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham return as Oklahoma’s starters from 2021 with hopes that both can stay healthy throughout the entire 2022 season.

Despite only appearing in six games last year due to injury, Washington was the best corner for the Sooners, pulling down a pair of interceptions against Oklahoma State in OU’s Bedlam loss.

Three months on, Washington has had plenty of time to bond with his new cornerbacks coach, and Valai believes Washington is primed mentally for a big year.

“Work is his number one thing,” Valai said of Washington during his introductory press conference last week. “He’s an uncommon man with an uncommon mindset. He’s always asking questions. He’ll call me at night to go over the playbook. He’s always asking.

“He’s really dedicated to his craft as well. You can tell he’s really, really passionate about what he wants to accomplish in life. He’s not a guy who is gonna waste the opportunity he has. He’s been awesome for me.”

While Washington flourished when he was on the field last year, Graham struggled for consistency at times. Handling the pressure of taking over the starting spot game in and game out, Graham still had plenty of highs last year, punctuated by his unforgettable interception against Nebraska.

D.J. Graham / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Graham possesses the physical tools to be successful at the position, and now he’ll hope to capitalize on having a new cornerbacks coach to help him develop in his third year on campus.

Behind Graham and Washington are a pair of experienced corners, though with two different backgrounds.

Sooner fans are very familiar with Jaden Davis, as the Fort Lauderdale, FL, native is entering his senior year with OU.

Though he battled for playing time with Latrell McCutchin in 2021, Davis still totaled 21 tackles and a pair of pass breakups last year for Oklahoma.

Jaden Davis :: John E. Hoover / SI Sooners

Opposite of Davis should be Wyoming transfer C.J. Coldon.

Coldon announced his intention to transfer to Norman in January, coming off a campaign where he was named second-team All-Mountain West.

Last year Coldon led Wyoming with 67 tackles, and he was credited with 10 pass deflections.

Behind Davis and Coldon will be a pair of guys who haven’t had a ton of on-the-field experience throughout their careers.

Joshua Eaton enters his junior season for Oklahoma ahead of what will be a big spring for the Houston native.

Rated a 4-star recruit out of high school, Eaton has featured in 15 contests for OU where he’s totaled seven total tackles for his career.

Joshua Eaton :: Joshua R. Gateley / OU Athletics

There wasn’t a ton of rotation behind Washington, Graham, Davis and McCutchin at corner last year, so a change in staff may represent a new opportunity for Eaton to impress in 2022.

Louisville transfer Kani Walker is another unproven commodity at corner. Standing 6-foot-2, Walker is a big body, but is inexperienced after only seeing the field five times last year in his true freshman campaign.

Walker was rated a 3-star recruit out of high school, but Brent Venables and his staff will be no doubt familiar with his skillset as they did a nice job canvassing Georgia while recruiting at Clemson.

A talented pair of true freshman could play their way into the rotation if things break right as well.

---

2022 Spring Previews

• March 1: Offensive Line
• March 2: Defensive Tackle
• March 3: Defensive End
• March 4: Tight End
• March 5: Linebacker
• March 6: Running Back
• March 7: Safety
• March 8: Cornerback
• March 9: Wide Receiver
• March 10: Special Teams
• March 11: Quarterback

---

Gentry Williams and Jayden Rowe both arrive on campus after a short two-hour drive from Tulsa, hoping to be the next star defensive backs produced from the city.

Williams has long been one of the most coveted in-state recruits, and the Booker T. Washington product finished the recruiting cycle as a consensus 4-star prospect and No. 1 player in the state.

While Williams has long had the attention of programs across the country, Rowe was a good evaluation by the previous staff who continued to turn heads throughout his recruitment.

The Union High School product finished as a 4-star recruit, and his 6-2, 217-pound frame will allow him to slot all over the field for Valai and the OU defense.

Sporting a healthy blend of new faces and experience, the cornerbacks have a chance to be a position of strength in 2022 for a defense facing so much turnover headed into spring practice. 

---

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the AllSooners message board community today!

Sign up for your premium membership to AllSooners.com today, and get access to the entire Fan Nation premium network!

Follow AllSooners on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest OU news.