Comeback Players To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're only a couple weeks away from game week in Oklahoma as another season kicks off and Prep Redzone Oklahoma will have you covered from start to finish. For the last six weeks, we've been pumping out a ton of preview content with over 100 team previews. If you missed any of them, you can check them out <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/team-previews/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RIGHT HERE</a></strong>. This week, we put more of a spotlight on the individuals that are going to shine brightest this season. Earlier this week, we released our Preseason All State Teams. Links below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/08/preseason-all-state-1st-team-2/">Preseason All State 1st Team</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/08/preseason-all-state-2nd-team-2/">Preseason All State 2nd Team</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/08/preseason-all-state-3rd-team-2/">Preseason All State 3rd Team</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this post, we're taking a look at five players that had season-ending or season-altering injuries last year that are primed to not only bounce back in a major way this season, but these five could all have a major impact on their team's overall success. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["211555"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Choctaw expects to contend for the state championship once again this season and having 2025 standout [player_tooltip player_id='211555' first='Cash' last='Williams'] returning to the lineup will certainly help matters. Choctaw is going to look a little different this fall as they have to replace three-year starters Steele Wasel and La'Trell Ray in the backfield. Williams has the ability to be the swiss army knife for the Yellowjackets this season. He can line up at multiple positions on offense and then he provides more depth to the defensive side of the ball. Last season, Williams had his sophomore year cut short around the halfway mark of the regular season and he missed out on their run to the state championship game. As we look at Choctaw heading into this fall, we could see Williams lining up at quarterback in certain packages or at a few other spots on offense. Williams is back to 100 percent after last year's arm injury and we're excited to see how creative Choctaw gets to make the most of his overall athleticism. Williams is also a standout on the baseball field and he's very clearly one of the best athletes on the team when Choctaw take the field each Friday night.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["215207"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"After suffering a leg injury prior to the 2022 season, Stillwater 2024 running back [player_tooltip player_id='215207' first='Holden' last='Thompson'] is back to 100 percent and ready to pick up where he left off in 2021. Now, where he left off was outstanding as he led the Pioneers in rushing during a breakout season as a sophomore. Thompson expected to split carries with fellow Stillwater running back Noah Roberts last season before his junior year ended before it could even get started. Thompson would actually suit up for the state championship game but when the Pioneers take the field in a few short weeks, it will be the first meaningful snaps that Thompson has gotten in a game since 2021. Thompson was one of the top breakout stars from the 2021 season and as the Pioneers break in a new quarterback this fall, we think that his return is going to give this offense a boost. In fact, the Thompson twins with Holden and brother Heston at wide receiver give Stillwater one of the better 1-2 punches in terms of skill players in 6A-2 this fall. The defending champs will look to utilize that firepower as they attempt to go back to back as state champions.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["110751"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"We could have gone with a couple Jenks Trojans right here as they had one of their worst seasons in terms of injuries in recent memory. But 2024 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='110751' first='Jett' last='Calmus'] takes the spot heading into this season because the senior linebacker was primed for an outstanding junior season and it was cut short in the first few weeks of the season. Calmus had a devastating leg injury in their week two win over Owasso and would miss the rest of the year. Calmus is back to full strength and is ready to earn his spot as one of the top linebackers in the Tulsa area. The potential is certainly there and we think that Calmus is going to have an outstanding senior season, leading a Jenks defensive unit that could be among the best in 6A-1 this season. Over the last five years, the Trojans have routinely had outstanding linebackers that are always near the top of the charts in 6A-1 in terms of tackles and we think that Calmus fits that role heading into this season. Right now, Calmus is a top ten linebacker prospect in the state's 2024 rankings but we can see the potential for him to jump into the top five with a strong season.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["360245"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"We wrote about the return of Sapulpa 2024 running back [player_tooltip player_id='360245' first='Marco' last='Smith'] in the Sapulpa team preview last month so some of this may sound very repetitive. But we're still very excited to see Smith back on the field and ready to make an impact for the Chieftains on offense. Last season Smith only played in three full games before getting hurt in the fourth and missing the rest of his junior season. Despite only playing in three and a half games, Smith ran for nearly 700 yards and we are fired up to see what Smith can do with a full season. Like we mentioned in that Sapulpa preview, we think that the Chieftains are a team that can absolutely make some noise and contend in Class 5A. They come into this year as a top five team in our preseason rankings and despite finishing fourth in the district last year, we think they can contend with district favorite Del City for that crown this year. Having a healthy Smith back is a big reason behind that and the Chieftain offense will benefit from being incredibly balanced. They have a legitimate three-headed monster at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. We think they'll be among the best in 5A.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["840303"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Star Spencer has one of the best wide receivers in the state's 2025 class and it's only a matter of time before the rest of the state catches up to what we saw this past spring. At the Choctaw team camp, we saw [player_tooltip player_id='840303' first='Lehmantre' last='Olds'] consistently dominate against opposing defensive backs and it didn't matter what team he was facing. Last season as a sophomore, Olds was incredibly productive, making the most of his limited opportunities. Olds only made ten catches on the season but those ten catches went for over 300 yards and four touchdowns. Out of the five players on this breakdown, Olds played in the most games as he only missed three games and was able to get out there for the majority of Star Spencer's 2022 season. But it was very clear that Olds just wasn't 100 percent and it was eventually realized that the Star Spencer sophomore had been playing on a ripped meniscus and it would get surgically repaired following the regular season. And if the team camp in Choctaw was any indication of what the Bobcats could look like with a healthy Olds at wide receiver, we're primed to see some fireworks this fall.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64d3ecfd5f77f"} /-->