The NFL Combine gets all the hype, but it’s not the last opportunity for NFL Draft prospects to put up good testing numbers. The pro day circuit comes shortly after, and the 2022 Oklahoma Pro Day is one of the first on the list. Here’s a preview of the event and what to watch for.
When is the Oklahoma Pro Day in 2022?
The 2022 Oklahoma Sooners Pro Day takes place on March 9, 2022. It’s set to start at 8:30 AM CT (9:30 ET). Most Sooners players bypassed at least one event at the NFL Combine, so the pro day on Wednesday will be a good chance to complete their athletic profiles. Here are dates and times for pro days across the nation.
Top NFL Draft prospects working out at Oklahoma Pro Day
The Oklahoma Sooners have a dozen NFL Draft prospects in 2022, almost all of which attended the 2022 NFL Combine. Here’s a list of the top Oklahoma prospects set to attend the Sooners’ 2022 Pro Day.
Perrion Winfrey, DT
The top-rated prospect for the Oklahoma Sooners is undoubtedly defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey. Winfrey joined the Sooners via the JUCO ranks in 2020 and immediately emerged as a contributor in the trenches. He came back in 2021 and took his play up a notch, amassing 5.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble over the course of the 2021 season.
Since then, Winfrey’s stock has only gone up. The Oklahoma DT dominated the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, but he also used the Combine to his advantage. He measured in at 6’4″, 290 pounds, with massive 35 1/8″ arms, and he also ran a 4.89 40-yard dash with a searing 1.68 10-yard split. He’s one of the best DTs in the NFL Draft and a potential first-round pick.
Nik Bonitto, EDGE
Incredibly, the Sooners have three legitimate NFL Draft prospects who played on the same defensive line last season. Nik Bonitto is another potential early-round pick — his explosiveness and bend helped him amass 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons.
Bonitto measured in at a strong 6’3″, 248 pounds at the Combine and put up stellar numbers — among them a 4.54 40-yard dash, a 35.5-inch vertical, a 120-inch broad jump, and a 7.07 three-cone.
Isaiah Thomas, EDGE
The third of Oklahoma’s vaunted defensive linemen, Isaiah Thomas also has intrigue as an NFL Draft prospect. After accruing 7 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2021, he flashed a few times at the Senior Bowl.
He then put up a solid Combine showing, scoring an 8.91 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). His 4.7 40-yard dash was strong for his 6’5″, 266-pound frame, and Thomas will have a chance to expand on his explosiveness numbers at his pro day.
Brian Asamoah, LB
Brian Asamoah is one of the more underrated defensive prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he’s quickly rising up boards. He was a Butkus Award semifinalist in 2021 and had a good Senior Bowl showing. His NFL Combine performance only kept his ascent steady.
Asamoah earned an 8.26 RAS, with his size (6’0″, 226) being the lone deflating factor. He still put up a 4.56 40-yard dash, a 36.5-inch vertical, and a 124-inch broad jump. Asamoah clearly has the talent — and the ambition —Â to be a standout in the NFL.
Marquis Hayes, G
Teams with power-oriented mindsets should have their eyes on Marquis Hayes, who has a chance to expand on middling Combine numbers at his pro day. Athleticism isn’t the defining trait for Hayes. Rather, it’s his mean streak and absolute physicality in the trenches.
His natural power, channeled by arms over 35 inches long, can be a lot for defenders to deal with. Still, Hayes likely aims to improve on a 5.31 40-yard dash, 23.5-inch vertical, and 102-inch broad jump.
Kennedy Brooks, RB
Many in the draft community expected Eric Gray to take a leading role in Oklahoma’s backfield in 2021. Instead, Kennedy Brooks took charge, recording 198 carries for 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2021.
Brooks wasn’t an out-of-this-world tester at the Combine, with a 4.59 40-yard dash, 31-inch vertical, and 120-inch broad jump. But elite athleticism has never been necessary for Brooks, who wins with vision, patience, and contact balance. Even so, his pro day could help his numbers.
Other prospects to watch at 2022 Oklahoma Pro Day
The players listed above are likely the ones that will go earliest from Oklahoma’s camp. Even so, there are other names to know on the Sooners’ draft roster, some of whom were present at the NFL Combine.
Defensive back Delarrin Turner-Yell is one of the more recognizable names, as he was a veteran in Oklahoma’s secondary. He logged a solid 4.47 40-yard dash and a 122-inch broad jump at the Combine, turning some heads with his visible upside. There’s also kicker Gabe Brkic, who did not participate in testing. Aside from those two, however, the rest of Oklahoma’s prospects rest on the offensive side of the ball.
Wide receiver Mike Woods also earned some fans at the Combine, both with his measurements and testing. The Oklahoma WR came in at 6’1″, 204 pounds, with long 33-inch arms. He then logged a 4.55 40-yard dash, a 34.5-inch vertical, and a strong 125-inch broad jump. Woods did a lot to help his stock at the Combine, and he could keep that going at the Oklahoma Pro Day.
Other prospects to watch from Oklahoma include offensive lineman Tyrese Robinson and fullback Jeremiah Hall.
