During the summer months, ESPN.com will take a closer look at each scholarship player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we will analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term projection. Starting with No. 1 Dominique Alexander, the series will follow the roster numerically through our final analysis of No. 98 Chuka Ndulue.
No. 5 Devante Bond, linebacker, 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, junior
Impact thus far: None. Bond, who transferred from junior college, is an early enrollee who went through spring football.
Impact in 2014: Bond impressed enough during the spring that he could be an impact player with the Sooners during his first season in crimson and cream. He could provide another quality pass-rushing option for defensive coordinator Mike Stoops.
Long-term upside: He only has two seasons to play for the Sooners, but he could become a starter and key piece in the defense alongside Eric Striker.
Evaluation grade for Bond: B. It was only spring drills, but Bond already looks good enough to help a defense that returns several starters and, quite frankly, doesn’t necessarily need help at linebacker, particularly on the outside with Striker returning as an All-Big 12 performer. Nonetheless, it appears possible that Bond is simply too good to leave on the sideline this fall. He already looks like a quality evaluation by the coaching staff.
Development grade for Bond: Incomplete. He hasn’t played a game yet, thus hasn’t been on campus long enough to grade his development.
Quotable: “Another guy that can run fast and rush the quarterback, and you can’t have enough of those guys. He is very fast and he is a physical player and he is learning. We have not seen his best yet, but that is what the spring is for.” -- defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, during spring football, on what Bond brings to OU’s defense.
