All Sooners

Oklahoma 2022 Report Card: Tight End

After a big season from senior leader Brayden Willis, Oklahoma turns to a pair of talented freshmen and a familiar face in the transfer portal to pick up the production.

Ross Lovelace

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Oklahoma utilized the tight end position a good amount over the course of the 2022 season. 

Joe Jon Finley's unit was the Swiss Army Knife of the offense, as a certain tight end had to fill in at quarterback in Oklahoma's biggest game of the season. 

All-in-all, the Sooners' star power in Brayden Willis carried the tight end room to a solid season.

As we dive into grading the tight ends 2022 season, AllSooners' report card series is in full swing below:

2022 OU Report Cards:

Senior Brayden Willis was one of the team’s most consistent players all year long, and while he filled in at multiple spots offensively, his home base was tight end. The veteran led the group with 39 catches for 514 yards and seven touchdowns. Willis was the second leading receiver on the team.

His grade alone holds up the position group as a whole. Because of how versatile he was, it left minimal field time for anyone else.

Outside of Willis, Daniel Parker was the only other tight end to receive significant playing time. Parker caught just four passes for 28 years this fall, but was utilized almost exclusively in a blocking role. 

The transfer from Missouri was briefly suspended after a protective order was filed against him, but Parker was reinstated for the bowl game after the EPO was dismissed.

Willis, whose eligibility expired, announced his declaration for the NFL Draft earlier this week. His expected departure leaves a big hole in the tight end room next season. Oklahoma has two highly touted freshmen waiting in the wings in Jason Llewellyn and Kaden Helms, and both will have chances to see the field.

Grading the tight ends

  • Hoover: B+
  • Chapman: A-
  • Callaway: A-
  • Lovelace: B+

Jeff Lebby has added outside talent to bolster a few spots offensively, and tight end happens to be one of those positions. Additional help is on the way through the transfer portal.

A familiar face announced his return to Norman, as South Carolina tight end Austin Stogner is once again a member of the Sooners after playing a year with the Gamecocks.

The tight end spent three seasons in Norman before transferring in last offseason. His best season for Oklahoma came in 2020, where he caught 26 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns. 

This fall, Stogner added 20 catches for 210 yards and a touchdown to his career totals. He's a big weapon for Dillon Gabriel on the field and has proven capable of blocking in Oklahoma's scheme. His addition should help lighten the loss of a player like Willis.

If Llewellyn and Helms take individual leaps this offseason, the Sooners could have loads of depth in the tight end room next season.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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