Why Oklahoma WR Jalil Farooq is a Threat With the Ball in His Hands
NORMAN — Heading into the 2023 season, Oklahoma's wide receiver room was one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Sooners' offense.
Three games into the year, however, Emmett Jones' group has been one of the most impressive units on the team.
So far, going into this weekend's Big 12 Conference opener at Cincinnati, OU has gotten production from a few players who had never made a catch in Crimson and Cream prior to the season, such as Andrel Anthony and Nic Anderson, while also getting solid production from veteran receivers like Drake Stoops and Jalil Farooq.
Farooq in particular has had a great two-week stretch after recording zero catches in Oklahoma's opener against Arkansas State. Following a quiet performance in week one, many fans believed that Farooq was going to see his target share take a steep decline in 2023, especially with the emergence of players like Anthony, Anderson and Jayden Gibson.
Against SMU however, Farooq scored his first touchdown of the season on a 21-yard catch and run that saw the junior wideout toss one defender off of his back before cutting back to avoid another would-be tackler on his way to the end zone.
The former 4-star recruit finished the Sooners' contest against the Mustangs with two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. While Farooq's score against SMU would silence some of his doubters, the Lanham, MD, native's week-three performance turned even more heads.
First, Farooq returned the opening kickoff 62 yards, weaving through defenders as he made his way from the middle of the field up the sideline. While the third-year pass catcher did lose a fumble on the play, Farooq's tremendous run-after-catch skills were on full display.
After an interception from Oklahoma's defense gave the Sooners' the ball back, Dillon Gabriel hit Farooq for a 34-yard touchdown pass on which the 6-foot-1 receiver broke another tackle to keep his balance to reached the end zone to give OU a 7-0 lead over Tulsa.
Farooq finished with six catches for 126 yards and a touchdown, making history along the way. After a stellar performance as a receiver and return man, Farooq became the first Oklahoma player to record 100 receiving yards and 100 kick return yards in the same contest.
"I’m taking a lot of pride in that, being one of the first guys at Oklahoma to do that," Farooq said after the game. "It’s a blessing to even be here, so just being one of the guys that made history, it feels phenomenal, so I’m glad to be in that category."
Part of what makes Farooq so dangerous as both a returner and receiver is his ability to break tackles, read his blockers and find space in the open field. After complimenting how explosive a ball carrier Farooq is, OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby talked about what makes the junior so good with the ball in his hands.
"The biggest thing is you look at his high school tape," Lebby said on Monday. "This is a kid who played a ton of running back. Naturally this is a strong-bodied guy who can win one-on-ones and be able to run through some trash. Those are things that stick out for sure."
This experience as a tailback has given Farooq great vision when setting up his blocks, which is partially what makes him such a good kick returner.
Lebby isn't the only person to see some running back traits in Farooq's game. On the most recent episode of the "Oklahoma Breakdown" podcast hosted by Gabe Ikard and Teddy Lehman, Ikard mentioned that he believes Farooq could be the best running back on the Sooners' roster.
At 208 pounds, the Wise High School (MD) product is one of the stronger receivers on the team and is listed one pound heavier than Anderson, who is 6-foot-4. This size and strength make it easier for Farooq to break tackles and get extra yards, especially when he is matched up with a smaller defensive back.
On Monday night, Anthony also mentioned that Farooq's skill set reminds him of another position.
"He's just a different type of breed of athlete," Anthony said after practice. "He's like a running back, to me, that plays receiver with all the receiver abilities. He can run routes. He can catch. He can block. He's a tank. That's how I look at it."
Last season, Farooq tallied 37 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns. Now in his second year with Lebby and Gabriel, Farooq should be in for an even bigger role, especially after his tremendous outing against Tulsa.
As the season progresses, the Sooners will need their veteran wide receivers to step up and make plays in key moments. With Marvin Mims now in the NFL, much of the responsibility will fall on Anthony and Farooq.
If the two are able to keep up their impressive starts to the season, OU's offense should continue to hum in 2023.
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