This time last year, Oklahoma’s current tight end group had experience from North Texas, Southeastern Louisiana (where one played quarterback), and Allen High School (where another played as a sophomore).
Despite that, the Sooners’ tight end position seems to have improved in 2024. OU quarterback Jackson Arnold expressed strong confidence in the tight end group, noting their ability and the impact of portal additions.
After a relatively weak performance from tight ends last year, Arnold might rely more on them this season, even with significant talent at the wide receiver positions.
Is the tight end group prepared for the challenge? Are Oklahoma’s tight ends ready for the SEC?
Senior Jake Roberts, a Norman North alum who spent three years at North Texas before transferring to Baylor, says, “We know the SEC is a high level of play. The biggest difference will be the weekly challenges. I’m excited to face top competition every day, which is why I chose Oklahoma.”
Roberts, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 252 pounds, is one of three new tight ends expected to enhance the team’s talent and provide quarterback Jackson Arnold with more options in his first collegiate season. Although Roberts missed spring practice due to injury, he has shown promise during the first week of preseason training camp after transferring from Baylor in January.
“It’s been a long journey with unexpected challenges,” Roberts said after practice on Saturday night. “But it’s great to be back out there with my teammates. I feel blessed and excited to play for my dream school, and I’m ready to get things rolling this year.”
Last season at Waco, Roberts caught 23 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown. Over his three years at North Texas, he started 22 games and totaled 44 receptions for 542 yards and three touchdowns, including 29 catches for 394 yards and three scores in 2022.
Another notable transfer is Bauer Sharp, a 6-4, 247-pound former quarterback who was a standout tight end at Southeastern Louisiana last year. Sharp caught 29 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed 25 times for 133 yards and five scores. His impressive performance at the FCS level quickly made him one of the Sooners’ most dynamic offensive players in spring practice, showing he has adapted well to FBS football.
Quarterback Jackson Arnold highlighted the significance of having Roberts back and Sharp’s impact: “Having both of them adds versatility to our offense. Jake’s experience and Bauer’s dynamic playmaking are invaluable.”
The tight end with the most potential might be true freshman Davon Mitchell. Although he should be starting his senior year at Los Alamitos High School, Mitchell is now preparing to face SEC linebackers and edge rushers. A former MaxPreps Sophomore All-American with impressive stats (33 catches, 731 yards, 9 TDs) and accolades from his time at Allen, Mitchell relocated to Los Alamitos, where he helped his team achieve a deep playoff run and earned first-team All-Sunset Conference honors, district Offensive Player of the Year, and Under Armour All-America status (45 catches, 748 yards, 7 TDs).
Mitchell might need some time to develop further, but he could still be a significant contributor in Seth Littrell’s offense. At 6-3 and 250 pounds, Mitchell is fast, explosive, and a natural athlete with excellent hands. As a former 5-star recruit (now a 4-star in the 2024 class), he seems poised for a standout college football career.
“To achieve the balance we want between running and passing, the tight end position must be a strength, not a weakness,” head coach Brent Venables said.
Last season, Austin Stogner returned from South Carolina for his final year and made 17 catches, ranking seventh on the team with 196 yards and a touchdown. In contrast, other tight ends—Blake Smith, Kade McIntyre, Josh Fanuiel, Kaden Helms, and Hampton Fay—combined for just three catches, 56 yards, and one touchdown.
“Stog did a great job last year,” Venables noted, “but we didn’t have much depth behind him.”
The issue wasn’t necessarily with Jeff Lebby’s offensive scheme, which had successfully utilized tight ends in previous years. For instance, in 2022, Brayden Willis was second on the team with 39 catches, 514 yards, and seven touchdowns. Lebby had also featured tight ends prominently at his previous positions. However, the tight ends at OU struggled to make an impact in 2023.
Stogner, at 6-6 and 258 pounds, saw a decline in productivity. He had been a promising player in his first four seasons, with stats including 7 catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman, 26 catches for 422 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore, and 14 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. His decline followed a serious leg injury that led to a severe infection, costing him muscle and strength and causing him to miss the end of the 2020 season. Despite transferring to South Carolina, where he caught 20 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown in 2022, he never fully returned to his previous level of performance.
“To achieve the right balance between our running and passing game, the tight end position has to be a strength, not a weakness,” head coach Brent Venables stated.
Last season, Austin Stogner returned from South Carolina for his final year and had 17 catches, ranking seventh on the team with 196 yards and a touchdown. In comparison, other tight ends—Blake Smith, Kade McIntyre, Josh Fanuiel, Kaden Helms, and Hampton Fay—combined for only three catches, 56 yards, and one touchdown.
“Stog did well last year,” Venables said, “but we lacked depth behind him.”
The problem wasn’t with Jeff Lebby’s offensive scheme, which had effectively used tight ends in the past. For example, in 2022, Brayden Willis was the second-leading receiver on the team with 39 catches, 514 yards, and seven touchdowns. Lebby had also utilized tight ends well at his previous stops. However, the tight ends at OU did not make a significant impact in 2023.
Stogner, who stands 6-6 and weighs 258 pounds, experienced a drop in productivity. He had been a standout player in his first four seasons, with 7 catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman, 26 catches for 422 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore, and 14 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. His decline followed a severe leg injury that led to a dangerous infection, causing him to lose muscle and strength and miss the end of the 2020 season. Although he transferred to South Carolina and caught 20 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown in 2022, he never fully regained his previous form.
“All successful offenses have that capability. After three days of preseason camp, we’ve seen a significant transformation in this group compared to the last couple of years,” said the coach.
Roberts added, “Getting back and relieving some of the workload from those who had to do a lot in the spring has really added depth. We can now rotate more players effectively. It’s been beneficial.
“Our role is to be versatile. In this offense, tight ends are expected to block, run routes, catch passes, and pass protect. Our strength lies in our ability to perform these tasks at a high level, so you can expect us to do a lot of different things this year.”