Bothroyd is an almost perfect match for OU

There was one thing the Oklahoma defensive backs kept saying. This is a layup. This is a layup.

Because when it comes to defensive lineman transfers Roundel Bothroyd and his ability, there are expectations for many layups in 2023.

Bothroyd, who was a star and captain at Wake Forest, is joining Norman for a season to make the most of it in every way.

When he met with the head coach Brent Venables and defensive line coaches death Bates And Miguel Chavisthey have emphasized that again and again.

“They kept pointing out that you can do the games here,” Bothroyd said. “All the plays you’ve made at Wake and here are some more layups you can make.”

It will be interesting to see how the defensive end position shakes out at OU. There’s promise and potential for a five-star mid-year contender PJ Adebawore. Then there is the increasing development of types like Reggie Grimes And Ethan Downsamong other.

But OU went big in the portal to bring in Bothroyd and former Oklahoma State defensive end Trace Ford. The more the better. The better the competition, the better the group.

“You could see Coach Venables is a genius,” Bothroyd said. “Their track record is great, just as they talk about football. Their track record is the most telling.”

Interestingly, Bothroyd said the coaches showed a lot of Clemson’s film. It’s another indicator that while 2022 was a starting point, it wasn’t the standard these coaches want at Norman going forward. He remembered this from playing against Clemson at Wake.

“They dominated the people,” Bothroyd said. “It felt like you got off the field and the next thing you know you’re back on the field. It was cool to see the other side of that when I watched movies with them. You just see dominance, which I think will be the best part of my game once I’m here.

Bothroyd had 30 tackles and six sacks with two forced fumbles last season and he was in a position some Portal lads will find themselves in. Are you entering the NFL Draft and think you’ve done enough work to be selected? Or test out the portal waters and see what else is out there?

Bothroyd chose the latter. And in a quick, accelerated process, OU became a spot.

“I didn’t have to come back for that last year,” Bothroyd said. “But there is that trust, a mutual trust and honesty. I was about to jump to the draft, but I’ve had a lot of people talk about how this one year can help your name get higher in the draft.

“I didn’t have much time to make a decision. It was instant, got in touch and texted and worked out a visit. That made the process a bit tough, but it worked.”

He said he was a little surprised at how beautiful the Normandy campus is. After watching a movie and talking to the coaches, he knew. After talking to his mother and grandmother, everyone agreed. Time to be an early one.

“They were very honest with us. My family liked that,” Bothroyd said.

Honesty is the best policy, and the honest truth might be to see what else Bothroyd can do. The perception will be that Bothroyd is a defensive end but he knows if he can show the ability to play tackles it will help.

The more diverse, the better the chances of getting to the next level.

Bothroyd checks the boxes for what Venables has been tracking in the portal. A mix of high character and production in the field. It’s not always easy for a transfer to walk into a dressing room and try to command them, but Bothroyd is open to it when the need arises.

“I think it’s expected,” Bothroyd said. “I was a captain at Wake. I have that in my pocket. I think that’s another reason we’re all getting closer. We all expect to be great.”