Oklahoma football: 1 offensive and 1 defensive player poised to break out in 2021
By John Buhler
![Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma Sooners. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F7a9d857559b9e65334d85aac0dc27b636216e778039bb319b2efeab767fbfcd0.jpg "Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma Sooners. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]")
This could be the best Oklahoma football team of the College Football Playoff era.
With one of the best quarterbacks in the Power Five, the Oklahoma football team can potentially win the College Football Playoff with Spencer Rattler leading them to the promised land.
While it remains to be seen if Oklahoma can do enough defensively to hang tough with the Alabamas, Clemsons and Ohio States of the world in the four-team format, the Sooners should be favored over Iowa State to win the Big 12 for the seventh year in a row. If Rattler can get big-time contributions from a handful of his teammates, Oklahoma may have what it takes to win it all.
If Oklahoma wants to win its first national title in over 20 years, these players have to break out.
Oklahoma football: 2 breakout stars for Sooners in 2021 college season
Wide receiver Mario Williams could be an instant impact freshman for OU
While it may be a tad much to put this must hype on a true freshman, that is a testament to the talent Mario Williams possesses. According to the 247Sport Composite, Williams is a four-star recruit from Plant City, Florida. He is the No. 4 wide receiver in the 2021 class, the No. 10 prospect from Florida and the No. 42 player in the nation. Williams picked Oklahoma to hopefully play early.
He enrolled early on the Norman campus back in February. With this being a considerably more normal offseason, look for Williams to be in a much better position to contribute as a true freshman than those who committed to the Sooners a year prior. Plus, he will have a Heisman Trophy front-runner rifling him the pigskin in Rattler. This could be big time for the true freshman.
Because Oklahoma runs the Air Raid offense under head coach Lincoln Riley, this will shorten the learning curve for Williams to get acclimated. He may only be able to run a few routes in this offense initially, but he has the playmaker to get him the football and plays in a conference where his team should have no problem going 8-1 during his freshman year. Be ready for the breakout.
While Williams could be Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year, Oklahoma needs a star on defense.