Takeaways From Oklahoma's First Depth Chart of the 2024 Season

The No. 16-ranked Sooners released their first depth chart of the 2024 season on Sunday afternoon.

Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Jovantae Barnes (2) runs with the ball against the Florida State Seminoles in the first quarter during the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Game week brings a lot of firsts. 

Sunday, Oklahoma released its first official depth chart of the 2024 season. 

Much like the Constitution, a college football depth chart is a living, breathing document. Battles will rage on throughout the season, and where one player starts is no guarantee of how much they will play — especially in Week 1. 

But every depth chart has to start somewhere. 

First, the No. 16-ranked Sooners offered a first peek at who will get the first crack to protect Jackson Arnold along OU’s offensive line. 

Team 130 depth chart as of Aug. 25#OUDNA pic.twitter.com/oFsvsMgfC9

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) August 25, 2024

USC transfer Michael Tarquin won the left tackle battle out of fall camp, allowing Jacob Sexton to bump inside and start the year off at left guard. 

SMU addition Branson Hickman was only able to link up with the Sooners in the summer, but he did enough to edge out redshirt freshman Joshua Bates at center, though both were banged up throughout fall camp. 

The right guard spot should come as no surprise as Febechi Nwaiwu has seemed set there since the spring, but Jake Taylor and Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown were both listed as co-starters at right tackle, which will likely have to be sorted out on the field throughout OU’s first three non-conference contests. 

Jovantae Barnes getting slotted beside Gavin Sawchuk at running back should come as no shock, neither should Taylor Tatum’s appearance, but UT-Martin transfer Sam Franklin earned an “or” with Tatum to back up Barnes and Sawchuk. 

Similarly, the tight end position shook out as expected with Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts sharing the starting spot on the first depth chart. 

At wide receiver, Jalil Farooq and Deion Burks locked down spots with the starters, but speedster Brenen Thompson is listed as a co-starter with Nic Anderson after Thompson enjoyed a strong performance in camp. 

Andrel Anthony starts out behind both Thompson and Anderson, but his appearance on the first depth chart of the year is great news as he is working back from last year’s season-ending knee injury. 

On the defensive side of the ball, true freshman Jayden Jackson was listed as the starting defensive tackle, while TCU transfer Damonic Williams and Da’Jon Terry were listed as co-starters at nose tackle. Jackson’s teammate at IMG Academy, David Stone, is slotted behind Gracen Halton, as he works to earn snaps throughout his first year in Norman. 

Ethan Downs and R Mason Thomas will start at defensive end for Oklahoma, which would have been OU’s starting defensive end pairing a year ago in Week 1 before Thomas sustained an ankle injury in camp. 

Danny Stutsman locking down one spot at linebacker is a given, but Kip Lewis, Lewis Carter and projected cheetah Dasan McCullough were all listed as co-starters at will linebacker, which is a great sign for Carter’s performances throughout the offseason as well as McCullough's preseason foot injury. 

OU’s secondary is projected to be deep, which is evidenced by Robert Spears-Jennings and Peyton Bowen sharing duties at safety, and Jay Valai essentially naming five starters — Kani Walker, Woodi Washington, Dez Malone, Gentry Williams and Jacobe Johnson — at cornerback. 

The first depth chart offered no clarity on the kicking situation as both Tyler Keltner and Zach Schmit are listed with an “or”, but it will be Bowman and Farooq on kickoff return and Bowen returning punts, which should give the Sooners a dynamic return game. 

True freshman defensive lineman Danny Okoye did make his way onto the first depth chart, though he’s listed down the pecking order at defensive end. He’s an incredibly explosive athlete and should get plenty of time against a down Temple team on Friday to show why he should play a role in the defense in 2024. 

A host of freshman defensive backs — Eli Bowen, Reggie Powers III and Michael Boganowski — also made it onto the depth chart, which is a great sign for the impact the 2024 recruiting class is hoping to make as true freshmen. 

Along those lines, true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. won the backup job over Casey Thompson for Week 1, which is impressive given Thompson's experience even if the former Texas, Nebraska and FAU quarterback is coming off an injury.

A pair of third-year linebackers in Kobie McKinzie and Jaren Kanak will back up Stutsman at linebacker, too, as the duo enters a crucial year. McKinzie played a much larger role down the stretch last year while Kanak lost snaps to Lewis. Those two, along with Carter and Lewis, will be looked to in 2025 to lead Brent Venables' linebacker room after Stutsman departs and closes out his incredible career in Norman.

The Sooners will finally get this historic season underway against the Temple Owls at 6 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.