During the summer, ESPN.com is taking a closer look at each scholarship player on the Oklahoma Sooners' 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. 74 Adam Shead, guard, 6-foot-4, 339 pounds, senior
Impact thus far: Injuries have handcuffed a promising career yet Shead enters his senior season as one of the Sooners’ most experienced offensive linemen. He’s started 28 games in his career despite nagging injuries. As a redshirt freshman in 2011, he forced his way into the starting lineup as the season progressed, starting five games and playing in nine contests. He started all 13 games as a sophomore then started 10 games in 2013. All the while Shead has dealt with shoulder, knee and back injuries at various points during his career.
Impact in 2014: If healthy, Shead should be a key contributor along the Sooners' offensive front. His health could be a big "if" however, as a back injury forced him to miss the spring game.
Long term upside: Shead had the ability to set the tone with his aggressive nature early in his OU career. Unfortunately for him, an injury-free season has been difficult to achieve. If he somehow returned to his pre-injury form, he has all-conference potential.
Evaluation grade for Shead: A. If he starts a game this fall Shead will be a three-star recruit who started at least one game for four straight seasons at OU. Productive and trustworthy, Shead was a stellar evaluation, the type of recruit the Sooners should strive to secure every single time.
Development grade for Shead: A. Without a redshirt season, Shead would not be around to add to his 28 career starts this fall. Injury or not, it’s unlikely Shead would have made a bigger impact as a true freshman than he can in 2014.
