Oklahoma Freshmen: Getting a Jump on College Football — RB Jovantae Barnes

Playing time for freshman running backs is not unusual, and Barnes will have opportunities to jump into the lineup after he goes through winter workouts and competes this spring.

John E. Hoover | Jan 24, 2022

Jovantae Barnes / Photo via Jovantae Barnes' Twitter

Editor’s Note: Oklahoma welcomes 17 freshmen (so far) in the 2022 recruiting class. This is Part 2 of a 10-part series introducing Oklahoma’s early enrollees in the 2022 recruiting class.

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RB Jovantae Barnes

6-0, 190
Desert Pines HS, Las Vegas
247 Sports: 4-star, No. 110 overall, No. 10 RB
Rivals: 4-star, No. 108 overall, No. 4 RB
Background: After losing Jase McClellan and Camar Wheaton to Alabama late in the recruiting process, Oklahoma finally beat the Crimson Tide for a running back. Barnes visited Oklahoma on Nov. 19, and less than two weeks later, Lincoln Riley was gone. But Barnes, who signed with the Sooners in December but officially committed to OU at the Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 2, was patient throughout his recruitment and chose OU over offers from Alabama, Florida State, USC, Utah and others.
2022 Projection: Barnes has the kind of physical tools that can translate to immediate playing time. He's fast and powerful, explosive, initiates contact, can be a tremendous one-cut runner and is a good target out of the backfield. He even stands out in pass protection. His game translates immediately to the major college level, and that's good for OU. Kennedy Brooks is off to the NFL, and while Eric Gray and Marcus Major will get the most snaps at RB, Barnes is electrifying and teams with June arrival Gavin Sawchuk to give the Sooners a dynamic duo in the backfield for possibly the next 3-4 years. Freshman running backs play all the time at this level. Barnes will get a real shot.

Meet Oklahoma's 2022 Early Enrollees

Sunday, Jan. 23: WR Nicholas Anderson
Monday, Jan. 24: RB JOVANTAE BARNES
Tuesday, Jan. 25: QB Nick Evers
Wednesday, Jan. 26: WR Jayden Gibson
Thursday, Jan. 27: TE Kaden Helms
Friday, Jan. 28: LB Jaren Kanak
Saturday, Jan. 29: LB Kip Lewis
Sunday, Jan. 30: TE Jason Llewellyn
Monday, Jan. 31: LB Kobie McKinzie
Tuesday, Feb. 1: DB Robert Spears-Jennings

Published Jan 24, 2022

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.