Spencer Rattler topped the list, obviously.

Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

With just over a week to go before the start of the upcoming college football season, ESPN’s Todd McShay unveiled his rankings of the top 50 players eligible to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. In total, three Oklahoma Sooners made the cut, including redshirt sophomore QB Spencer Rattler, who McShay considers the No. 1 overall prospect.

In addition to Rattler topping McShay’s 2022 list, he also ranks junior EDGE LB Nik Bonitto at No. 12 and senior DT Perrion Winfrey at No. 29. Based on the raw numbers alone, OU is potentially looking at three first round picks in next year’s NFL Draft.

A trio of Iowa State Cyclones (LB Mike Rose as No. 20, DE Will McDonald at No. 36 and RB Breece Hall at No. 38), as well as TCU Horned Frogs CB Noah Daniels (No. 37), also represented the Big 12 in McShay’s rankings.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Andrew Raym is leading by example, the H-back room at Oklahoma is second-to-none, Nebraska breaks the rules and more!

OU Links

• ESPN’s Chris Low recently shared his take on college football’s 2021 Preseason All-Americans, and both Spencer Rattler and Nik Bonitto were picked as First Teamers.
• Scary moment for former Mackey Award winning tight end Mark Andrews during the Baltimore Ravens training camp on Thursday. Reportedly, the Pro Bowler was dehydrated, which led to some cramping issues, according to his head coach John Harbaugh. Fortunately, it appears that he’ll be okay moving forward.

• Replacing Creed Humphrey at center will be no small task, but likely starter sophomore Andrew Raym is set on creating his own legacy at the position. OU Insider’s Joey Helmer has more.
• Senior Brayden Willis recently spoke about how he believes the Sooners could boast the top group of H-backs and tight ends in college football. OU Daily’s Chandler Engelbrecht has more.
• Speaking of H-backs, the first episode of the Podcast on the Prairie has dropped. Check out seniors Jeremiah Hall and Brayden Willis as they talk some ball and give some insight into Oklahoma Football from the perspective of the players themselves.

• In case you missed it, NFCA Freshman of the Year and 2021 NCAA D-I Softball champion Tiare Jennings tossed the first pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week. The California product was sensational for the Sooners in her first collegiate season, and she’ll be looking to raise the bar for herself and her team next spring. Boomer!

Around the Sports World

• Earlier this week, the Big 12 Conference made an announcement detailing how the league will handle potential spikes in COVID-19 cases this season. Instead of postponing and rescheduling games like last year, teams will now have to forfeit if they fall below the threshold of available players, meaning an official loss in the W/L column for them and a win for the other team.
• On Wednesday, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football program was placed under NCAA investigation for alleged improper use of team analysts as well as unauthorized off-campus workouts.
• The Philadelphia 76ers have signed center Joel Embiid to a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension.
• In other signing news around the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Terry Rozier to a four-year, $97 million max contract extension.
• The Green Bay Packers will don a newly-designed throwback uniform in Week 7 against the Washington Football Team. Check out these neat 50s inspired threads.

Follow Crimson & Cream Machine on Twitter!