How Oklahoma RB Tory Blaylock Has Steadily Climbed and Gotten Better

The Sooners' freshman running back has elite speed and NFL DNA, but it's his work ethic, maturity and readiness that have impressed OU coaches and teammates.

Oklahoma running back Tory Blaylock | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

With such sharp movement at the top of the running back depth chart at Oklahoma this past offseason, it’s been easy to overlook what’s going on at the bottom.

And that has allowed true freshman Tory Blaylock to make his move.

All eyes this summer have been on Cal transfer Jaydn Ott, who inherits the Sooners’ RB1 spot following Gavin Sawchuk’s transfer to Florida State. Sawchuk finished 2023 with a flurry, then began last season as OU’s starting running back.

Sawchuk didn’t keep the job, however, as running backs coach DeMarco Murray cycled between him, Jovantae Barnes, Taylor Tatum and Xavier Robinson. 

Now, with the 2025 season opener just two weeks away, Ott is expected to be RB1 when Illinois State comes to Norman on Aug. 30 — if he’s healthy. Ott banged up a shoulder in practice and has been limited for the last week or so.

And that has given Blaylock an opportunity to impress Murray and the rest of the OU coaching staff. There was even a short stretch in early August when Blaylock and Barnes were the only running backs healthy enough to take practice snaps.

“Tory Blaylock has been as impressive as a freshman as I've been around,” head coach Brent Venables said on Friday. “We'll see what the season brings, but he's been fantastic.”

No doubt those are uplifting sentiments for Blaylock to hear. He arrived on campus in January as a 4-star prospect out of Atascocita High School in Humble, TX — he chose OU over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas and others — and immediately went to work. 

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When the 5-foot-11 Blaylock ran track as a junior, his weight was around 175 pounds. But since then, he’s been steadily building toward a college football career (and beyond), and opened training camp this year at 203.

“It’s been a good process. I’ve been learning a lot; I’ve been working hard,” Blaylock said last spring. “I’m already transforming. (Strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt)’s program has been getting me faster, stronger, and I’m trying to just be the best version of myself.”

“He’s been here since January,” Venables said. “A lot of times, those young players run into a wall at some point in time. If it's happened (with Blaylock), none of us have witnessed it. He's handled it quickly and well.”

As a senior at Atascocita, against some of the best defenders Texas high school football has to offer, Blaylock rushed for 1,262 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 9.6 yards per carry. He also caught 22 passes for 304 yards and threeTDs.

247Sports, ESPN and Rivals rated Blaylock as a 4-star prospect, while On3 had him as a 3-star. Rivals ranked him as the No. 9 running back in the Class of 2025.

Speed to Burn

Oklahoma running backs Jaydn Ott and Tory Blaylock | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

As a junior, Blaylock ran the opening leg for the Atascocita 4x100 relay team that shattered the national record. He and Landon Fontenot, Jordan Parker and Jelani Watkins finished with a time of 38.92. 

Less than a week later, he committed to Oklahoma — with no small amount of fanfare. He opened his reveal ceremony by placing a Texas hat on his head — then a family member behind him held up a sign with a downward facing arrow while Blaylock switched to an OU ball cap and his dad flashed the horns down.

On National Signing Day last December, Venables described Blaylock as “one of the most dynamic and explosive running backs in the country” and revealed that Murray had identified him “a long time ago” as a prospect who could play at Oklahoma.

“He’s a home run hitter,” Venables said. “Wonderful family. Athletic family and we’re incredibly excited about Tory.”

Blaylock’s dad, Derrick Blaylock, hails from Atlanta, TX, near Houston, played college football at Stephen F. Austin and was a fifth-round draft choice of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001. Derrick Blaylock played in 51 NFL games with the Chiefs and the New York Jets, got seven starts and finished his seven-year career with 198 rushing attempts for 820 yards and 10 touchdowns. His best season was 2004, when he ran 118 times for 539 yards and eight scores and also caught 25 passes for 246 yards and a TD. In all, he finished with 1,340 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns across five seasons. 

After his playing days ended, Derrick Blaylock began a career as a performance trainer and speed coach. He owns and operates Armed Sports Performance in Humble and goes by the nickname “Speed Guru” — a big reason why his three sons have thrived on the athletic field. Travian was a safety at Wisconsin (2018-2023), Taylen is a senior safety at Furman (who played previously at Sam Houston and Lindenwood), and now Tory is already leaving an impression at Oklahoma.

Before he transferred to FSU in April, Sawchuk said he too had been impressed by young Blaylock’s initial spring semester in Norman.

“He’s doing really well,” Sawchuk said. “It’s hard for a freshman to come in like that, but he stepped up. He’s a great athlete. Great player. Tough, smart mentally. He steps up and he gets the job done when he needs to get the job done. I’m impressed. As a young guy, he’s come in and done really well.”

Blaylock’s best 100-meter time in high school was 10.62 (he also owns a wind-aided 10.56) — certainly not record-setting in itself, but combined with his football DNA and a lifetime of professional training, it’s more than fast enough to turn heads as a freshman competing in his first training camp.

Sometimes young running backs just never get the opportunity they hoped for early in their career — a big reason why Venables signees like Daylan Smothers and Kalib Hicks transferred. But other times, they make plays in practice, stay focused and get a lucky break, then perform well in games — like Tatum and Robinson did last year.

The future certainly isn’t set, but there’s no doubt that Blaylock has already begun his path.

“He’s been really good,” Venables said. “His physical maturity, his explosiveness, his durability. He's taken a lot of snaps.”