DEFENSIVE BACKS BREAKDOWN
The Oklahoman examines the Sooners' secondary as the 2019 season nears
Here's a look at Oklahoma's defensive backs:
Starters
Cornerbacks
Tre Brown (Jr., 5-10, 185) Parnell Motley (Sr., 6-0, 178)
Safeties
Pat Fields (So., 5-11, 196) Delarrin Turner-Yell (So., 5-10, 193)
Nickelback
Brendan Radley-Hiles (So., 5-9, 180)
Key backups
Robert Barnes (Jr., 6-2, 207) Justin Broiles (RSo., 5-10, 189) Jaden Davis (Fr., 5-10, 172) Miguel Edwards (RFr., 5-11, 171)
Austin Jackson (Sr., 6-1, 215) Jamal Morris (Fr., 6-2, 192) Jordan Parker (RJr., 5-11, 180) Chanse Sylvie (RJr., 6-0, 192) Woodi Washington (Fr., 5-11, 182)
Scouting ahead
This season: The recent loss of Tre Norwood, who could play virtually any position in the secondary, dealt a blow to the Sooners' depth. Brown and Motley look like definite starters at corner while Fields and Turner-Yell are well ahead of the competition at the safety spots, as defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said last week. In the short-term, Norwood's absence figures to mean much more playing time for Radley-Hiles, who was the nickel for much
of last season before being replaced late in the year. Depth behind the starters is a big question mark, though Barnes, Broiles, Parker and Sylvie have plenty of experience. Freshman corners Woodi Washington and Jaden Davis have drawn strong reviews for their camp performance and could be ready to play significant roles early.
The future: Motley and Jackson (the graduate transfer from Clemson) are the only seniors on the back end, so the Sooners figure to return plenty of experience next year. The Sooners have a pair of defensive back
commitments in safety Bryson Washington and cornerback Ryan Watts. Both are four-star prospects, according to Rivals, with Washington ranked No. 132 nationally in the 2020 class. Getting players who are ready to play recently hasn't been the Sooners' problem, though. That's been developing players after their arrival. After the arrival of Alex Grinch and Roy Manning to coach in the secondary, development will be a major factor, as will bringing in players that fit into Grinch's “Speed D” philosophy.