One of Oklahoma's top returning wide receivers will be out for an extended period of time after suffering a significant leg injury. Coach Lincoln Riley confirmed on Thursday that sophomore wideout Jadon Haselwood has a lower leg injury and will miss the early part of the season.
Riley told reporters that Haselwood's injury was not football or workout related. Athletes across the country have been separated from coaches and trainers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big 12 updated its guidelines for virtual interaction on March 29 and a statement released by the conference said that "Virtual or on-line supervised physical workouts and skill instruction, regardless of location, are not permitted."
It marks a major blow to the Sooners' offense for next season. With CeeDee Lamb taken by the Cowboys in the first round of the NFL draft, the Sooners' top returning wideouts were Charleston Rambo (43 catches, 743 yards, 5 TDs) and Haselwood (19 catches, 272 yards, 1 TD). Though Haselwood didn't have massive numbers as a freshman, he showed plenty of flashes of being a part of the next great Sooners receiving corps. His season high for catches came in the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech when he hauled in six balls for 59 yards. He also had three catches against LSU in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Rambo and Haselwood were penciled in as starters, but the Sooners also return a young, talented wideout in Theo Wease and have added UCLA transfer Theo Howard. However, Howard has been dealing with an Achilles tendon injury that also leaves his season in doubt.
Haselwood was expected to take a major step forward in 2020. He was a five-star prospect and the No. 4 overall player in the Class of 2019 out of Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia.
