Farrell filling out athletic frame

SULPHUR — For an imposing offensive tackle, Jacob Farrell initially did not have the typical strength usually seen at such a critical position.

At 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, Farrell resembled more of a basketball power forward than an offensive linemen early in his career. He was agile and could move quickly, but he hadn’t quite filled in his athletic frame.

That changed this past year.

Farrell is now an imposing anchor on Sulphur’s offensive line and is No. 15 in The Oklahoman’s 2018 Super 30 class.

Sulphur coach Jim Dixon said Farrell could only lift 150 to 180 pounds on the bench press 18 months ago. Farrell now benches more than 300 pounds and can squat almost 500 pounds.

Such physical progression and maturity is common at the high school level. But maintaining speed and agile movements with the added weight is not, and Farrell has kept his quick-twitch muscles.

“Jacob was a sleeper, and it depended on how quick he came around,” Dixon said. “The past year, he’s matured a bunch physically and mentally. He’s smooth.

“He’s always been a good kid and worked hard, but he is so tall and his arms are so long. When you are that tall, you can come a long way. He’s always been able to run.”

Along with his offensive line duties, Farrell is expected to play snaps at defensive tackle. Dixon said Farrell could easily play defensive end, but Farrell is moving inside because the team already has two talented defensive ends.

Farrell’s physique and speed caught the attention of Oklahoma State coaches. After failing to sign a high school offensive linemen in the 2017 recruiting class, OSU has made offensive line an emphasis for the ongoing recruiting cycle.

OSU already has five offensive linemen committed for its 2018 class, including Farrell, who committed on June 15.

“It’s pretty exciting to be in this situation and getting to know the guys in my class,” Farrell said. “Hopefully, having the opportunity to come in and have a chance to play early in my career is every young guy’s dream coming into college.”

Dixon, who has 301 career wins, said Farrell is one of the best players he has coached during his long-standing career.

“I’ve been here forever, 43rd as head coach. Jacob is maybe the seventh college player we’ve had,” Dixon said. “He’s become a leader on this team.”