During the summer, ESPN.com is taking a closer look at each scholarship player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we 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 follows the roster numerically through No. 98 Chuka Ndulue.
No. 14 Cody Thomas, quarterback, 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, redshirt freshman
Impact thus far: Thomas redshirted as a freshman, running the scout team for much of the season.
Impact in 2014: Thomas is in the battle to back up starter Trevor Knight. He had solid moments in the spring but needs to take some steps forward to secure the backup job and give the the coaching staff some peace of mind.
Long term upside: Thomas, who also plays baseball for the Sooners, is talented and his athleticism is underrated, largely due to his size. He’s the ideal dual-threat type of quarterback the Sooners have tried to secure in recent years on the recruiting trail. But Knight stands between him and a starting role -- not to mention Baker Mayfield’s arrival -- so Thomas has plenty of work to do before he sees the field. But if and when he does, he should be productive.
Evaluation grade for Thomas: C . It’s too early to know just how good Thomas can be, but his talent is unquestioned. If he’s able to handle playing two sports and excel behind center to provide a quality backup for a couple of seasons until he gets his opportunity, this grade will rise.
Development grade for Thomas: A. A redshirt season was perfect for Thomas even though the Sooners were playing musical chairs in 2013. No matter how inconsistent the Sooners passing game was a year ago, Thomas wasn’t ready to help.
Quotable: “Cody’s an excellent athlete, he does a really good job, throws some good balls and is moving well. He’s running that scout team really well right now.” -- OU coach Bob Stoops during Thomas’ redshirt season.
