Oklahoma 2020 Report Card: Cornerbacks

SI Sooners Publisher John Hoover and Deputy Editor Ryan Chapman look back on the 2020 season, handing out grades for every position group

Author:
Ryan Chapman
Publish date:
Jan 10, 2021 8:00 AM EST

Hoover's Grade: B+

Let’s start out by saying the corners — and the safeties, for that matter — were bad at Iowa State. They overslept and missed that exam. F-minus. But once Woodi Washington was inserted into the lineup, and after Tre Brown’s game-saving INT against Texas, they scored almost all A’s.

Jaden Davis was probably still a year away in 2020, but he got plenty of experience and growth that’ll help him fight for a spot in 2021. The most encouraging thing was the trust that Alex Grinch and Roy Manning showed in D.J. Graham and other young DBs throughout the year. That paid off when Graham started the Cotton Bowl and played well.

Don’t obsess over OU’s passing yardage numbers. Remember, the Sooners outscored opponents 151-20 in the first quarter this year. Teams had to throw early and often. And when they did, OU corners punished them with five INTs. From where this group was, this year was a rousing success.

Freshman D.J. Graham was a welcome addition to the Oklahoma secondary in the back half of the season.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Chapman's Grade: B-

Replacing Parnell Motley, surely this group of cornerbacks would take a step back, right? Not so fast.

A young core of Jaden Davis, Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham emerged behind Tre Brown, and the 2020 group of corners became yet another feather in the cap of Roy Manning.

Cutting down on the penalties in the back half of the season, Brown logged a pair of game sealing interceptions against Texas and then Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship game. Brown’s growth meant he felt comfortable skipping the season finale all together, declaring early for the NFL Draft.

The Sooners didn’t flinch in his absence, as the freshman duo of Washington and Graham played at a high level against the Florida Gators. The pair represent the next evolution of Oklahoma defensive back, and have fans and coaches alike excited for what this group could be in 2021.

The pass rush generated by the defensive line did paper over some coverage busts and made the secondary look a bit better than maybe it actually was, but overall a great season for the corners that will lay the foundation for years to come.