Dean Blevins: 4 Players The Oklahoma Sooners Are Making A Priority

The Oklahoma Sooners have a short list of players currently in limbo or who have yet to announce whether they’ll be on OU’s 2025 opening-day roster.

RELATED: Who's Leaving The Sooners? Here Are The OU Players Who Have Entered The Transfer Portal So Far

I rank them:

#1 QB John Mateer

The expectation is that he will be OU’s starter under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle (his OC at WSU) — but the keyword is expected. It’s too dicey for me because the downside is enormous if Mateer: is badly injured in the WSU bowl game, decides he’ll remain in Pullman, or signs a funny-money deal with an Oregon, OSU, Bama, Georgia, or fill-in-the-blank.

#2 & #3 The Bowen Brothers

Cornerback Eli Bowen is destined for stardom, and the same is true — if not more so — for his older brother, defensive back Peyton Bowen, provided he’s healthy. Many in the OU camp feel good about how this will end. But these days, anything is possible. Case in point: Meet UNC Head Coach Bill Belichick.

#4 Deion Burks

An invaluable slot receiver, after losing Nic Anderson and the rest of the top six receivers from the ‘injured-in-’24’ group (still awaiting Gibson). Sources tell me he’s leaning more toward leaving via portal or NFL than remaining at OU.

Keep in mind, by not hiring Georgia Tech’s OC Faulkner — reportedly because he wanted to bring several of his offensive coaches with him — OU put all its eggs in the Wazzu basket. The Arbuckle hire immediately resulted in the portal entry of the immensely talented Jackson Arnold, who would (and now probably will) thrive at a new place that employs a strong OC and a group of healthy receivers, tight ends, and offensive linemen to showcase his skills.

In the end, in this ridiculous Wild, Wild West world of college football, OU fans must hope Mateer remains healthy, stiff arms high-dollar Suitors at Stout programs, signs with Oklahoma, and proves that with the advantage of a much better surrounding cast than his predecessor, he wins enough games, against what will be the most difficult schedule in OU history, to keep Brent Venables as the Big Man On Campus, in Norman.

The decisions of these four Sooners are intriguing and impactful.