We now have a little bit of clarity when it comes to an injured Oklahoma football player. Very little, but still.
In late April, it was reported that Jadon Haselwood sustained a major injury while working out on his own. One report had the wide receiver suffering a torn ACL. Another stated it was a significant knee injury.
Thursday, Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley confirmed that Haselwood did indeed suffer an injury. A lower-leg injury. According to Riley, though, the injury wasn’t related to football or workout activities. Other than it being a “freak accident,” he declined to provide further details.
According to Riley, Haselwood will miss the early portion of the 2020 campaign. If/when said campaign kicks off.
Lincoln Riley: Jadon Haselwood has a lower-leg injury and he'll miss the early part of the season. It was non-football related and non-workout related. #Sooners
— Eric Bailey (@EricBaileyTW) May 14, 2020
Haselwood was one of the top recruits in the Class of 2019. The Georgia native was the No. 1 player in the state regardless of position. He was also the top receiver in that class. On the 247Sports.com composite, he was the No. 4 prospect overall.
As a true freshman, Haselwood was tied for third on the Sooners with 19 receptions. His 272 yards were fifth on the team.
Given the significant departures at the position, Haselwood has been viewed as a likely candidate to replace the lost production.
The Sooners lost 99 receptions, 1,932 yards and 16 touchdowns to the NFL. To be fair, most of that came from one player. This past season, All-American CeeDee Lamb totaled 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns on 62 catches. Lamb was selected in the first round of the NFL draft, 17th overall, by the Dallas Cowboys.
With a statline of 43-743-5 last season, Charleston Rambo will be the leading returning receiver for Oklahoma football. OU also added a graduate transfer at the position in Obi Obialo. In three seasons at Marshall, Obialo caught 79 passes.
Oklahoma, incidentally, is set to open the 2020 season against FCS Missouri State Sept. 5 in Norman.