Projecting the Depth Chart for Oklahoma's Offense Heading Into the Summer
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As Oklahoma's softball enters the offseason much sooner than expected, many OU fans are turning their attention to the dog days of summer.
The Sooners' football team are a week out from beginning their summer workout sessions. These grueling practices prepare the players' conditioning for the gauntlet of the season to come. Luckily for OU, it appears they will start those sessions at full health.
Brent Venables, who was at the SEC Coaches Meeting in Destin, Fla., told reporters that four players who missed spring practices will be full participants as the Sooners begin their summer. Those four players – David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson, are high-impact pieces for 2026.
The question now becomes what will OU's depth chart look like as we get closer to fall camp in August? From offensive line to running backs, here is your projected depth chart for Oklahoma's offense.
Offensive Line
- Starter LT: Michael Fasusi
- Deacon Schmitt
- Fred Hinton
- Starter LG: Eddy Pierre-Louis
- Caleb Nitta
- Peyton Joseph
- Starter Center: Jake Maikkula
- Noah Best
- Owen Hollenbeck
- Starter RG: Ryan Fodje
- Heath Ozaeta
- Peyton Joseph/Caleb Nitta
- Starter RT: E'Marion Harris
- Ryan Fodje
- Deacon Schmitt
Ryan Fodje experienced a minor injury that kept him in and out of availability during the spring. The injury won't affect him heading into spring, but it did re-insert Heath Ozaeta into the starting lineup to bolster OU's rather thin depth on the line.
Fodje proved that he can play inside and outside last year in a pinch. Ozaeta has experience and talent when healthy. If both are capable, Fodje would get the nod over Ozaeta.
Noah Best's name kept coming up during spring practices from players and coaches. Best is better suited for the interior and given OU's lack of depth at center, if Jake Maikkula ever misses time, look for Best to get slotted at center as a true freshman.
Transfers Caleb Nitta and Peyton Jospeh were neccesary depth additions for the offensive line. They will no doubt play early in the season – if they succeed, they could be key rotational players or climb towards a starting position should disaster strike.
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Tight Ends/H-Backs
- Starter: Hayden Hansen
- Rocky Beers
- Jack Van Dorselear
All three tight ends will play a lot for Oklahoma. "Starter" may have more to do with the gameplan that particular game.
Hayden Hansen is known more for his physical nature and blocking in the run game, but OU did use him a bit as a pass catcher during their Spring Game. He had three catches for 34 yards during the Red-White Game.
Rocky Beers is the most natural skill tight end. John Mateer found him on multiple occasions during the spring game where Beers was able to showcase his abilities with the ball in his hands. He led the red team with four catches for 65 yards.
Jack Van Dorselear ended spring with a club on his hand which limited him. The Tennessee transfer played a lot for the Volunteers as a true freshman in 2025 – experience that will bode well for Oklahoma in 2026. He may not be ready to be as impactful as the two ahead of him, but he will have his opporunities.
Quarterbacks
- Starter: John Mateer
- Whitt Newbauer
- Bowe Bentley
Oklahoma's quarterback depth is growing in Ben Arbuckle's second year, but it's not in the most comfortable spot just yet.
Mateer is the unquestioned leader of the offense. OU's ceiling will be as high as he plays – or as low.
Whitt Newbauer impressed during the spring in his second year in the system. His size and surprising speed give him the edge over Bowe Bentley in the event Mateer has to leave a game for a few plays.
If a nightmare scenario happens – Mateer is injured and has to miss significant time – despite Bentley's inexperience and lackluster outing int he Red-White Game, Oklahoma may opt to build for the future and give their true freshman signal caller a baptism by fire.
Wide Receivers
- Starter: Isaiah Sategna III
- Jer'MIchael Carter
- Mackenzie Alleyne
- Jacob Jordan
- Starter: Parker Livingstone
- Manny Choice
- Jayden Petit
- Starter: Trell Harris
- Elijah Thomas
- Jashier Rogers
A combination of Isaiah Sategna III, Parker Livingstone and Trell Harris will be the Sooners' best receiver trio in 2026.
The hope is that Harris provides a better secondary role to Sategna than what Deion Burks provided in 2025. Livingstone adds a big body possession receiver with good speed for the shaky accuracy (at times) of Mateer.
Jer'Michael Carter dealt with a lower leg injury during spring but isn't expected to miss much time. He proved that he belonged in big moments last year.
Newcomers Mackenzie Alleyne and Jashier Rogers were the big winners of spring. Both may very well force their way onto the field if their Red-White Game performances were indicative of their talents on the field.
Running Backs
- Starter: Xavier Robinson
- Tory Blaylock
- Lloyd Avant
- DeZephen Walker
- Jonathan Hatton Jr.
With Robinson healthy heading into spring, he should be penciled in as the starting back considering his experience and production in 2024 and 2025. Robinson has suffered minor injuries here and there during his career, but when healthy is a capable starting back in the SEC.
Blaylock gets the nod due to experience as the second back, but Lloyd Avant appeared to be a very good compliment to whoever starts.
DeZephen Walker was one of the big Spring Game stars with long runs and tough yards after contact. OU has played true freshman at running back two years in a row heading into 2026. Walker and Jonathan Hatton Jr. provide Oklahoma with talented options at running back.
There's no doubt that OU will use multiple backs a game. New running backs Deland McCullough doesn't want to run someone into the ground. Considering how lackluster the running game has been, Oklahoma has the talent in the room to get the job done at a high level.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahoma as Projecting the Depth Chart for Oklahoma's Offense Heading Into the Summer.
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