NORMAN — OU football unveiled its initial 2024 depth chart on Sunday, ahead of the team’s Week 1 game against Temple on Friday.
The offensive line protecting sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold includes USC transfer Michael Tarquin at left tackle, junior Jacob Sexton at left guard, SMU transfer Branson Hickman at center, North Texas transfer Febechi Nwaiwu at right guard, and either redshirt sophomore Jake Taylor or Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown at right tackle.
The depth chart lists running backs Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes as co-starters. At slot receiver, Purdue transfer Deion Burks is set to start, with senior Jalil Farooq occupying one of the outside receiver positions.
Notably, the other outside receiver spot is a competition between redshirt sophomore Nic Anderson and junior Brenen Thompson. Anderson had an impressive 2023 season with 10 touchdown catches.
The tight end position remains undecided, with Southeastern Louisiana transfer Bauer Sharp and Baylor transfer Jake Roberts both listed as potential starters.
One surprise on defense is the inclusion of true freshman Jayden Jackson as a starting defensive tackle.
“Jayden has shown remarkable maturity since arriving,” head coach Brent Venables said during his weekly radio show on Sunday. “He consistently makes good decisions, maintains discipline, and lives a clean, focused life, which has earned him this starting role.”
Jackson, a standout from IMG Academy in Florida, was ranked as the No. 190 overall player and No. 29 defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports. Venables likened him to a young Dusty Dvoracek, a former All-Big 12 performer for the Sooners.
“He knows what he wants and is willing to make sacrifices to achieve it,” Venables added. “His disciplined lifestyle is a key factor in his consistent performance, and he’s earned this starting position through hard work.”
Other notable defensive selections include the weakside linebacker spot, where Kip Lewis, Lewis Carter, or Dasan McCullough could start. Senior Kendel Dolby will start at the Cheetah position.
In the secondary, which is expected to be one of OU’s strongest units, some positions are still undecided. Outside of senior Billy Bowman Jr., most positions have multiple players listed as potential starters.
The left cornerback position is between redshirt junior Kani Walker and redshirt senior Woodi Washington, while the right cornerback spot could go to San Diego State transfer Dez Malone, junior Gentry Williams, or sophomore Jacobe Johnson.