Oklahoma Football: Analyzing the 5 Most Skilled Athletes on Sooners' Roster

The Oklahoma Sooners have never had a problem bringing in the top athletes in the country. That is, as long as you don't count the "Dark Ages" during the 90s, like me.

Their impressive lineage of running backs rivals that of USC, known as "Running Back U," and their strong tradition at linebacker gives Penn State, known as "Linebacker U," a run for their money as well. The string of Heisman-worthy quarterbacks under head coach Bob Stoops is nothing to shake a stick at, either.

The 2012 squad is not different, with talent and athleticism bursting from the seams. Let's take a look at the Sooners' five most skilled athletes for the upcoming season.

FB Trey Millard

Junior Trey Millard has the ability to stretch the role of a fullback to new heights next season. A linebacker's size, a tailback's moves and a quarterback's understanding of the game all combine to make Millard one of the top overall athletes in the conference. 

He handles his blocking duties as well as any coach could ever dream of, but excels when he has the ball in his hands. In the above video, Millard puts together one of the most complete runs of the season from any OU player—hitting the hole, making several cuts and out-running the Kansas State secondary.

This isn't even my favorite Millard highlight, however. That came against Missouri last season when a 160-pound defensive back got caught in Millard's line of fire and learned his lesson. Please, be my guest.

Everyone in Sooner Nation is clamoring for a bigger role in the offense next season, and judging by spring practices, the coaches are listening. Millard spent time at fullback, running back, H-back and tight end along with his role as a punishing special teams member.

DT Jordan Phillips

Jordan Phillips wasn't expected to grab much playing time until next season, after a trio of experienced seniors graduate from the interior of the defensive line. But the 6'6", 330-pound redshirt freshman has all but forced his way into the defensive tackle rotation come this fall.

Phillips got a ton of snaps in the spring game in April and was extremely disruptive going up against an offensive interior that could be tops in the nation.

He is not just another big body, though. Phillips made his presence known on the first day of practice when he did a standing back flip in front of the entire team in full pads.

His athleticism was enough to impress fellow defensive tackle Jamarkus McFarland, who told reporters, "He’s amazing to watch. He can do whatever, honestly. I’ve seen him shoot from half court like they’re free throws and he can dunk with two hands. He’s the only 300-pound guy I’ve ever seen do a standing back flip in his pads."

OT Lane Johnson

Poor Lane Johnson just never stopped growing.

The high school quarterback was originally recruited by OU as a tight end, a position his 6'6", 250-pound frame, above-average athleticism and high football IQ were perfectly suited for.

But once he got to Norman and was put on a college-level strength and nutrition program, Johnson quickly outgrew the position and moved to defensive end where, again, his size and athletic ability could be best used.

Johnson kept getting bigger, however, and moved to the offensive line for his junior year where he started 12 games at right tackle and consistently graded out very high.

Now Johnson is listed at 296 pounds and is the projected starting left tackle for next season, the most important position on the offensive line.

The experience and knowledge gained on his journey through the depth chart pair perfectly with his size and overall athleticism. Watch for the senior's NFL draft stock to slowly rise this season as he catches some national attention.

DB Tony Jefferson

For some reason, it feels like Tony Jefferson's sophomore campaign was sort of a regression for the 2010 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, even though he improved statistically in almost every category.

Maybe it was because he set the bar too high with his three-interception masterpiece against Ball State in Week 2, or maybe it was because he had a pesky knee injury, or because he was essentially left out of the lineup against Texas A&M, favored to the bigger, more physical Joseph Ibiloye.

Whatever it is that is clouding my judgement of last season, the big-hitting, ball-hawking, space-closing defensive back still had a great year and is the most versatile defender on the team.

His move to free safety from nickelback for next season will take advantage of his speed and intelligence and will greatly improve a defensive secondary still nursing its wounds from last season.

WR Trey Metoyer

A lot has been said about talented freshman Trey Metoyer. Now that we have had a chance to see him in action in practice and in the spring game, the myths are turning into facts.

Metoyer is no ordinary freshman, though. He spent last year getting stronger and working on his game while getting his grades up to snuff at a prep school and came into Norman focused and ready to make an impact.

He is already being coined as the most complete receiver that Stoops has brought in. Malcom Kelly's hands, Marc Clayton's tenacity, Ryan Broyles' work ethic... its all there with this one.

In the video above, Metoyer puts it all together. He runs right by senior Lamar Harris, makes a one-handed grab in traffic and slithers out of a Tony Jefferson tackle with impressive balance. Many have compared his just-throw-it-up-and-let-him-go-get-it ability to the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson.

While this kind of hype can be dangerous for a youngster, Metoyer keeps on impressing everyone and will likely play a pivotal role in the offense next season, especially after the dismissals of Trey Franks and Jaz Reynolds.

Honorable Mentions

Here are five guys that have the potential to dominate the game with their broad set of skills, but have yet to erase all of the "but's" from their resume, a task easily done this season.

WR Kenny Stills: Is great in the air, especially on the corner fade, but needs to show better ability to create space in the open field using speed or route-running.

LB Corey Nelson: Can excel at any position in the front seven, but struggled under the complex Venables system and never found a comfortable spot. Could shine under new defensive coordinator Mike Stoops.

RB Dominique Whaley: Great combination of strength and quickness make him an ideal back, but we only have a seven-game sample size. Could go All-Conference with a full season.

DE David King: Very crafty for his size (6'3", 250 pounds) but has been crammed deep on the depth chart until this year. Could be very influential at an important position for the Sooners next year.

QB Blake Bell: He is an absolute monster in the Bell Dozer package, but with four career pass attempts, we still aren't sure what he can do with his arm. If he can effectively pass the ball, Bell could do big, big things for OU over the next three years.