Next Generation, Part 4: Which Five Freshmen Will Impact Oklahoma in 2023?

Part four of a series in which AllSooners examines five true freshmen who should make an impact on Oklahoma’s 2023 football season:

Jaquaize Pettaway

Jaquaize Pettaway, a long-time commit to Oklahoma, is finally in Norman and ready to make an impact.

In a system like OU's that heavily favors speed and the deep ball, he'll certainly have a chance to prove his worth early on. Playing time is never a guarantee, but his playmaking ability could help the Sooners in a big way right off the bat.

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In Jeff Lebby’s second season running Oklahoma’s offense, the Sooners are hoping for a big jump. OU ranked No. 13 nationally in total offense, but the number dipped to No. 42 in passing offense. The Sooners relied heavily on now-Giants running back Eric Gray, and found ways to get creative out of the backfield.

There’s plenty of room for improvement in year No. 2 — especially through the air. As Dillon Gabriel settles into his second season, there are plenty of options that could step up for the Sooners across the field. Oklahoma brought in plenty of playmakers through the transfer portal and its 2023 recruiting class. One obvious option is the highly rated recruit from Houston, Texas, Pettaway.

“I’m most excited about competing and being with the best of the best in the nation,” Pettaway said in December. “Just showing off my skills and what I got and just seeing a different perspective of what other people got too.”

Pettaway was a consensus 4-star recruit, ranked in the top-100 on every major scouting service available. The 5-foot-11 speedster was a 2022 Under Armour All-American and a 2021 Texas District 16-6A unanimous first-team selection as a junior. He was the highest-rated wide receiver in Oklahoma’s 2023 class and picked the Sooners over Texas, Baylor and Ole Miss. He stuck with his Oklahoma commitment through thick and thin, hanging on throughout the 6-7 season.

“We want to win,” Pettaway said. “Bring Oklahoma back to where it was. I know this past season was not what we wanted, but you can’t be all positive all season. You’re gonna have some adversity. It’s all about how you come back and do better the next year, the next time, whenever you have that next shot.”

He didn’t arrive on campus until the summer time, but it was clear the Sooners needed extra depth in the spring. Oklahoma brought in former Texas 4-star Brenen Thompson to add speed and extra depth when the coaches saw wide receiver as a position of need after the first semester with a new team. Pettaway will certainly have to develop quickly to secure playing time, but if the spring is any indication, it’s more than possible for a talented player like him.

“I think we've created depth in there,” Lebby said after Oklahoma’s spring game. “We’ve got guys in the room who are very capable. We're looking to add a couple more pieces to the puzzle as we get into this summer, and I'm excited about that part of it too.”

It’s no secret Oklahoma is looking for playmakers to step up at receiver. Marvin Mims was the team’s go-to star a season ago and has since departed for the NFL. Losing Mims, the Sooners will be tasked with replacing 1,083 yards and six touchdowns worth of production.

With Gabriel returning to lead the offense, he’ll need new weapons to step up and make an impact through the air. Jalil Farooq is expected to take a big step after amassing 466 yards and five yards a season ago, and Drake Stoops has been a steady hand on offense the last three seasons. Those two players will lead an inexperienced room, waiting for someone to break out and run with a starting spot.

“Again, we’ve got two receivers that had production last year in Jalil and Drake,” Lebby said. “We don’t have a ton of production outside of that. I think we’re in a position to where we’ve got guys that are really capable.”

Both Farooq and Stoops are sure-handed, do-it-all receivers — with Farooq being the jack of all trades. With those top spots occupied, the Sooners will need a burner to take the top off of defenses. Especially considering how often Gabriel likes to throw the deep ball.

If he can adjust to the physicality of college football throughout the course of summer workouts and fall camp, Pettaway can be that guy. In addition to starring on the football field, he was a blazing track star too. The Langham Creek product posted three sub-10.50 100-meter times as a junior, including 10.41, 10.43, and 10.47. He possesses elite straight-line speed and is an all-around athlete, which could make him a nightmare for defensive coordinators in the Big 12.

“I’m enrolling late,” Pettaway said. “I would love to start, I’m always coming with that mindset, of like, coming to take someone’s starting spot. But, it just comes down to the playbook, it’s gonna take some time to learn the playbook. I’m gonna get it, but I’m not gonna rush into anything. All I gotta do is study that playbook.”

From his sophomore season on, Pettaway compiled over 1,800 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, proving he’s more than just a speedster on the field. He's an ultra-talented player.

Like Pettaway himself said, if he can learn the playbook on the fly, Oklahoma could count on his contributions sooner rather than later.

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