Dallas Cowboys New Rookie Tight End, James Hanna

After the first three players were selected in rounds 2-3, the Sooners had a productive NFL draft day on Saturday. Strangely enough, Detroit seems to be on the radar for quickly becoming a Sooner fans favorite.

In the second round, Ryan Broyles was drafted to Detroit and the Lions later drafted linebackers Ronnell Lewis (4th) and Travis Lewis (7th). They also picked up Sam Proctor after the draft in free agency. So that’s 4 Sooners heading to Detroit together.

The Dallas Cowboys drafted tight end James Hanna in the 6th round. Hanna, like Donald Stephenson who went to Kansas City, gets a chance to play in front of a hometown crowd. Hanna is rom Flower Mound, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth.  DE Frank Alexander was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 4th round. And as I mentioned on Saturday, Jamell Fleming is headed to Arizona.

After the 2012 NFL Draft, the Sooners have had players drafted in 75 of the 77 drafts, missing only 1962 and 1995. The only 2 schools close are Notre Dame with 74 and USC with 72. Bob Stoops has sent 59 players to the NFL. The only NFL team in history to not draft a Sooner is the Houston Texans.

Fun Draft facts from SoonerSports.com:

*Since the first NFL draft in 1936, 357 Sooners overall have been selected.

*Oklahoma’s 357 all-time picks rank OU first in the Big 12 and fourth overall nationally.

*Forty-two Sooners have been selected in the first round (including a program-record four in 2010).

*OU has three overall No. 1 picks: Sam Bradford (2010), Billy Sims (1980) and Lee Roy Selmon (1976).

*OU’s Brian Bosworth was the No. 1 pick in the 1987 supplemental draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

*OU supplied the first overall No. 1 pick (Sam Bradford, 2010) in Big 12 Conference history.

*The first Sooner ever drafted was All-American J.W. “Dub” Wheeler by the Packers in 1936.

Congrats to all the players who made it to the next level. The real work is about to begin! Boomer Sooner

Travis Lewis and Frank Alexander photo credit: Getty Images

Starting tonight, the lives of 10 Sooners could change drastically. The NFL Draft has finally arrived, and we get to see what NFL teams we will have to semi-tolerate due to picking up a member of the Sooner Nation.

During the Bob Stoops Era at Oklahoma, 52 players have been drafted, with 98 players actually entering the League. Out of the 350 players Oklahoma has sent to the NFL Draft, 42 were selected in the 1st round. Oklahoma has the fourth-highest total of players entering the draft out of all the schools.

Sooners who are waiting for the possible phone calls of a lifetime include: Stephen Good, Sam Proctor, Jamell Fleming, Ryan Broyles, Frank Alexander, James Hanna, Ronnell Lewis, Travis Lewis, James Winchester and Donald Stephenson.

A couple of those names are most likely going to enter Free Agency before landing with a team, but at least seven (by my count) will get put on a team immediately.

Some NFL.com analysis on players who most likely will get selected:

Frank Alexander – Positives- Alexander is a lengthy athlete and uses his arms well against the run. He sheds blocks well, is instinctual from a three-point stance or standing up, and is a natural player on the edge. He can make plays once in the backfield and is a solid all-around edge prospect. His energy and work ethic would be good for any team looking to add versatility to their rotation. Negatives – He struggles when double-teamed. He might be a better fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme; Takes time to get back on track when stopped due to his size.

Jamell Fleming – Positives - Prototypical athlete and great on man coverage. His speed and ability to backpedal is a plus in his coverage. When the ball is in the air he has the body control to turn and make a play on it. He has the speed to catch up to receivers if beat and the ability to run down plays from the backside or provide help in zone. Negatives -  At the next level, he will need to work on his technique when using his hands and feet to jam receivers and turn at the line of scrimmage. He can be undisciplined in various aspects of his play, but it usually hurts him more in zone coverage than it does in man, where he is a natural cover corner.

Ryan Broyles – Positives – As all of Sooner Nation knows, Broyles is a workhorse. He may be smaller, but can get off the line of scrimmage well when given a free release, or if he has the chance to use a jab step, and can get upfield quickly. He can make catches across the middle but is most effective in space or when covered man-to-man, showing an uncanny ability to get open. An incredible catcher, he can move his body in any way necessary to get whatever is thrown his way.  Based on his consistent production in the Big 12 and Oklahoma, his overall football savvy and his athletic ability, Broyles should be able to smoothly and quickly transition to the NFL. Negatives – Size.  If cornerbacks get their hands on him at the line, he can struggle to break away and get into his route. He worked with a relatively basic route tree at Oklahoma, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to an NFL system. The injury he suffered at the end of the 2011 season may limit his already average straight-line speed, and could raise concerns about his durability.

» Continue reading “Sooners And The NFL Draft: Waiting For The Phone Call Of A Lifetime”

Wednesday was Pro Day in Norman and several Sooners got a chance to show the NFL scouts what they are made of.

Ryan Reynolds

It was good to see Ryan Reynolds, who played for the Sooners from 2005-2009. Reynolds, a linebacker, suffered several knee injuries during his Sooner career. In 2009 after the NCAA denied his request to come back for a 6th year, he stated he was not interested in continuing his football career in the NFL. He had a change of heart, and today looked to be in great shape.

Cameron Kenney, another former Sooner from the class of 2010, also performed today for the scouts. if you don’t remember, Kenney was a JUCO WR transfer from Garden City CC and was ranked the No. 3 JUCO WR and No. 16 JUCO player in the Nation by Rivals.com in 2007.

If you are wondering who Jesse Bell is, you are looking in the wrong place. Honestly, I have never heard of the guy before Sooner Pro day. And when I researched him to find some stats or more information. All I found out was that he was a DB.

From the footage that I actually got to watch, it looked like Travis Lewis improved some since the combine; still wasn’t stellar, though. Dejuan Miller had a decent day along with Sam Proctor and James Winchester. As expected, several Sooners did not participate in the drills, like Ryan Broyles and Donald Stephenson.

The NFL draft is coming up April 26-28 and for these Sooner hopefuls, it’s now a waiting game.

Official stats from SoonerSports.com

Over the weekend, some of the Sooners impressed in Indianapolis at the NFL combine. Tight End, James Hanna posted the fastest 40-yard dash time out of anyone else in the position. Offensive tackle, Donald Stephenson accomplished the same feat. I was able to keep up with the action quickly from the speed of the new Droid Razr, which Verizon sent to me for being a part of their Ambassadors program.

Ryan Broyles had the 2nd most repetitions on the bench press out of all the wide receivers with 21.  Ronnell Lewis came out on top of all the linebackers with 36 reps.

Monday was linebackers and defensive lineman, including Ronnell Lewis, Frank Alexander and Travis Lewis. Tuesday, Jamell Fleming made a major impact on several NFL scouts: Fleming ran the 40 in 4.43 secs and had 23 reps on the bench press, the most in the CB position.

They now Fleming projected as a round 2 pick with a rating of 83.5, which is in the “Eventual Starter” category.

A quality player who will contribute to the team early on and is expected to develop into a starter. A reliable player who brings value to the position.

What they are saying about Fleming:

Jamell Fleming

Fleming lines up in the boundary for Oklahoma and has a great combination of size, speed and technique that makes him a premier prospect at corner. His speed and athletic ability allow him to recover quickly off the line of scrimmage. He can get caught looking at the quarterback at times, but he usually can stay with receivers in man coverage. He is a physical and explosive athlete who can jam receivers and bring down running backs with ease. Fleming has played at a high level for the past four years and projects to start early at the next level as a second-round selection.

Ronnell Lewis

The NFL scouting combine begins tomorrow, and seven Sooners are looking to take their talents to the next level. The scouting combine runs from February 22-28 and as always, fans can catch a glimpse of the future NFL stars on the NFL network and online.

Sooners who were invited include:  Frank Alexander, Ryan Broyles, Jamell Fleming, James Hanna, Ronnell Lewis, Travis Lewis and Donald Stephenson.

Even with the injury, scouts have Ryan Broyles (100) as a top-100 pick. Also on the top-100 is Jamell Fleming (52), Travis Lewis (62), and Ronnell Lewis (70).

Due to issues, the Sooners didn’t get to see as much out of Ronnell as expected this season, and at the end of the year, Stoops said Ronnell’s time as a Sooner was over. Shortly there after, he announced he was going to go pro. Several NFL analysts are excited to see what he has to offer this week. Many are saying he is a hybrid-type player, who could work well in many different situations. Depending on how the combine goes, Ronnell could go as high as the second round and would be an asset to many teams in need of an athletic defensive end.

The NFL scouting combine will start with player interviews on Wednesday with kickers, punters and offensive lineman arriving to Indianapolis first. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers will arrive Thursday, defensive lineman and linebackers arrive Friday, leaving the defensive backs to arrive on Saturday.

The schedule  is staggered so all players will go through this standard procedure on the day of arrival:

Day 1
Arrive in Indianapolis, Register, Exams and X-rays, Orientation Interviews

Day 2
Measurements, Medical Examinations, Media Session, Psychological Testing, Interviews

Day 3
NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, PK/ST Workout, Interviews Saturday,

Day 4
Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), combine over

This is a big moment to over 300 NFL hopefuls. Dreams are crushed and made over the next week, so good luck to everyone who made the combine cut.

No surprise here, Oklahoma LB Ronnell Lewis has come out and declared for the NFL draft.

Lewis, when he was eligible, was a great player and the junior DE is built for the NFL. Being that Bob Stoops announced before the Insight Bowl that Ronnell’s playing days at Oklahoma are most likely over, he will most likely approve. Lewis had academic issues all throughout the 2011 season.

Lewis on his choice:

I would personally like to thank the University of Oklahoma and Coach Stoops for giving me the opportunity to be a Sooner and play on Saturdays in front of the best fans in the country.

Mel Kiper recently had Lewis ranked No. 17 in his overall draft picks.

Kiper said, “For me, Lewis is a little like Aldon Smith from last year, a guy who will benefit from a change of scheme. A defensive end at Oklahoma, he’ll take his elite athleticism to outside linebacker at the next level. Speed fits the 3-4.”

Good luck to Ronnell, from all of Sooner Nation. It will be Hammer Time for some lucky NFL team, preferably the Dallas Cowboys, cause ya know, they do need some defensive help.

UPDATE: After I hit publish, of course, Landry Jones decides to declare he is STAYING. One more year of the “Stache in Norman.

Hey guess what, you know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that won’t go away when you feel like something else is going on and can’t put a finger on what it is. I have that right now. Why? Things just keep getting worse and worse when reading about news from Stoops and what is going on with the football team right now.

Head coach Bob Stoops held his weekly press conference this morning and dropped more bombs on Sooner Nation and the state of this football program for the rest of the year, and the 2012 season. For starters, Ronnell Lewis will NOT be playing in the Insight Bowl due to an academic issue. He also said that he believes that Ronnell’s football days at Oklahoma are over. To add to the drama, TE Austin Haywood will not be back on the team. Oh, TE Max Stevenson had just up and decided he doesn’t want to play football anymore. So that leaves us with no one at TE for 2012, that should be fun.

He did put a stomp on the rumor that Brennan Clay would be transferring, which at this point is major relief. We started out 2011 with way to many RB’s, we are now down to bare-bones personnel. As far as Landry going pro, Stoops commented that he will most likely make a decision after the bowl game and that the Blake Bell package will not have any affect on Landry’s final decision.

On the offensive play-calling, Stoops said he was disappointed in not running the ball more, but he isn’t the play caller. And as for him trying to monitor the plays that are being called during the game….”You can’t get into a guy’s mind (Heupel)”. He also said he would not interfere with any of the play-calling.

“I’m happy with my staff, but we’ll see.” Stoops said. Room for his brother Mike, perhaps? He also went on to say that the transfers had a lot to do with playing time and other issues that no one knows about.

Stoops did say that there was some great JUCO transfers that will most likely commit in December…

If Stoops’ presser was to make people feel better about the state of football in Norman, he didn’t do a very good job. I usually am one to take things in stride but my gut is telling me something else is going on. Breathing in and out of a paper bag is helping, though.

Players and assistant coaches are scheduled to talk tomorrow, this should be fun.

The question of the off-season for Sooner football has been mainly focused around the eligibility of Ronnell Lewis and Trey Metoyer.

Defensive End Ronnell Lewis

Head coach Bob Stoops did say Thursday after the scrimmage, that Defensive End Lewis, has not been practicing with the team.

Lewis did say before camp that it wasnt up to him anymore, he has to wait to see what the outcome would be. He also admitted to academic troubles.

Stoops on Lewis:

He just has some personal matters he’s tending to, which we’re in support of. Once those are taken care of, we’ll see.

Metoyer on the other hand, has been taking classes at Tyler Community College to get his grades squared away. Reports on Wednesday from the Tyler Morning Telegraph stated that Trey had NOT passed his required classes and would not be attending Oklahoma in the fall. Metoyer is a highly antcipated incoming Freshman wide reciever.

News is that Metoyer passed 9 out of 12 hours, and failed to even qualify to play JUCO football at the moment.

But Stoops says he still isnt discouraged about the situation:

As far as I understand, it’s still not totally resolved.

So hang tight Sooner Nation. As soon as more news is released we will all know what the situation is. A lot of people have been very upset/mad/irritated with the academic situation of both players and the lack of info coming out of Norman. When Stoops knows, we will know.  Until then, lets relax and get ready for some football.

So I asked some of Sooner Nation and a couple of my Big 12 cohorts what was on their must-see list was for the Sooners Spring Game tomorrow. I got some pretty good feed-back. And I have to say the general consensus was, Williams, Williams and did I mention BRANDON WILLIAMS?

Picture Credit The University of Oklahoma Athletic Dept.

Here’s what Sooner Nation had to say…

» Continue reading “I Asked, You Answered – Sooner Spring Game Must-See”

It’s finally here, Spring Game week in Norman. Second best to kickoff weekend in September. But unless you are there in person, you are out of luck. Stoops and Co have decided to keep the goods under wraps.

When asked about why the game will not be on TV Stoops replied with “We’re on TV enough”. “Obviously we’ve been asked to do it and we don’t prefer to do it,”  “I don’t need to give those reasons, I just prefer to not have it on. Why would I let everybody we’re gonna play early see what we like to do?”

Arrogant? Hell Yes. But that’s how things are done in Norman.

» Continue reading “Sooners Spring Game Saturday, But this Revolution will NOT be Televised”