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Oklahoma DL Tank Carrington is Going to Be 'Truly Special'

The freshman defensive tackle earned quite the compliment from one of the faces of the program.
Brady Trantham|
Oklahoma defensive lineman James Carrington, defensive tackles coach Todd Bates
Oklahoma defensive lineman James Carrington, defensive tackles coach Todd Bates | OU Athletic

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Rarely do you see such established and talented players heap praise upon and 18-year-old.

That's what happened Friday after the Sooners wrapped their third practice of Fall Camp when David Stone spoke to the media. There are two names of the assumed immediate reserves to Stone and Jayden Jackson on the OU interior defensive line — Nigel Smith II and Trent Wilson.

But he didn't say that they were going to be "special." Now, Stone had plenty of compliments to bestow upon Smith and Wilson, but true freshman James "Tank" Carrington?

Hey, if Stone thinks so, who's to argue?

"Tank, he’s going to be special," Stone said on Friday. "I can’t lie. Tank is going to be a dude for this school."

At 6-2, 295 pounds, Carrington lives up to his nickname. He looks like he belongs when surrounded by his fellow defensive linemen — which, considering he’s only a freshman, is a compliment.

But Stone saying he's special isn't just because he's as "strong as an ox" or because he shadowed him during summer workouts lifting weights. Stone deems him special because, despite his inexperience, his football IQ is already miles ahead of his class designation.

"The biggest thing for me is the block rec," Stone said. "Being able to recognize what you see and vocalize it. You’re actually really processing the game. And his hands. He plays with his hands very well. Very technical kid. I noticed that right off the rip."

Oklahoma Sooners, David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein
Oklahoma defensive linemen David Stone, Jayden Jackson and Taylor Wein look on during a drill at practice. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Stone even went as far as to say that Carrington is ahead of where he was as a freshman coming off a five-star ranking in high school. "He’s a very technical player. He’s more like Jayden when it comes to that. But he’s as fast as me when I was a freshman player.”

But like most inexperienced players, Carrington still has a ways to go to earn the trust of his coaches. It's the typical reason — consistency.

"The biggest thing for him right now is trying to get him to learn how to do it all the time. He’s showing flashes as a young guy, and that’s what young people do. They show the flashes. But once they show the consistency and the levels to it is when they really take their game to the next level and that’s all we’re looking from him right now," Stone said.

No one will be upset if someone wants to go ahead and buy stock on Carrington. Stone already has.

"He’s truly going to be special. When I say that, I mean that.”

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Brady Trantham
BRADY TRANTHAM

Brady Trantham covered the Oklahoma City Thunder as the lead Thunder Insider from 2018 until 2021 for 107.7 The Franchise. During that time, Trantham also helped the station as a fill-in guest personality and co-hosted Oklahoma Sooner postgame shows. Trantham also covered the Thunder for the Norman Transcript and The Oklahoman on a freelance basis. He received his BA in history from the University of Oklahoma in 2014 and a BS in Sports Casting from Full Sail University in 2023. Trantham also founded and hosts the “Through the Keyhole” podcast, covering Oklahoma Sooners football. He was born in Oklahoma and raised as an Air Force brat all over the world before returning to Norman and setting down roots there.

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