Lincoln Riley on Freshmen: Some Are "Ready To Help This Football Team This Year"

In exactly one week, Oklahoma's 2020 prep signees will finally get their first taste of collegiate action.

And though the buzz from Sooner Nation largely revolves around Spencer Rattler, Lincoln Riley isn't looking past the wealth of talent within his 2020 class. In fact, he believes that some of those players could see significant snaps this season.

"I would say this recruiting class as a whole, talking about the new guys that came in, I think one of the exciting things for us right now is that you look at every single player - and some of them are at different points - but every single player has got a shot, no doubt," said Riley. "And even - you’ve got some that are, I think, ready to help this football team this year, and got a chance to continue to prep on and do very well."

Oklahoma's group of 2020 recruits ranks as the 12th-best class in the nation, per 247Sports' team rankings. That group consisted of 20 top high school prospects, as well as three junior college transfers in safety Justin Harrington and defensive tackles Perrion Winfrey and Josh Ellison. Winfrey projects as an immediate starter at nose tackle, and he's not the only one that could provide a meaningful contribution this fall.

"You’ve got some that may be a short time away, but I don’t feel like we’ve got anybody that’s a long ways away," Riley continued. "And so I think... top to bottom of the class, we’ve been very pleased with where that class is at, and the opportunity that they’re all going to have. "

The Sooners haven't yet released a preliminary depth chart, so most players' exact standing in the eyes of the staff is largely a matter of speculation. All that's certain at this point is that Rattler will start at quarterback. However, it's not out of the realm of possibility that one or more of the 2020 recruits might earn a Week 1 nod in the lineup.

"As far as standouts, they all kind of have their bright moments, and then they all sometimes look like freshmen," Riley said. "But there’s definitely been some guys on the roster that have really stood out."

Offensive lineman Andrew Raym and running back Seth McGowan are among the players that have earned specific recognition from the coaching staff in recent weeks. McGowan may have a better chance to make an immediate impact than any of his class of 2020 compatriots, as the Oklahoma backfield must replace the significant production lost with the departures of Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks.

Other freshmen who should garner consideration for playing time in 2020 include H-backs Mikey Henderson and Jalin Conyers, wide receiver Marvin Mims and defensive end Reggie Grimes.

To get the latest OU posts as they happen, join the SI Sooners Community by clicking “Follow” at the top right corner of the page (mobile users can click the notifications bell icon), and follow SI Sooners on Twitter @All_Sooners.

Add us as a preferred source on Google