Brent Venables is having a hard time trying not to get excited about a second-year player who’s got a shot to make a difference
The Oklahoma Sooners have a variety of players going into their second season who can be playmakers, and Manny Choice is one of them.
Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables made a point to single out sophomore wide receiver Manny Choice during SEC Media Days, and the buzz around the 6’4, 210-pound wideout continues to build heading into the 2026 season.
Choice, one of the bigger and more athletic receivers on the Sooners’ roster, has drawn attention from OU’s coaching staff and media alike since spring camp. With Oklahoma entering a season where a College Football Playoff win feels like the expectation, Choice could be one of those under-the-radar contributors who makes a real difference.
“Manny Choice has had a fabulous offseason. He’s had a fabulous spring, this summer, really excited about where he is as well,” Venables said at SEC Media Days.
Some might dismiss that as standard coachspeak. But Venables has shown he won’t hand out empty praise. If a player still has work to do before earning a productive role, Venables will say so. He’s done it before. The fact that he went out of his way to highlight Choice by name carries weight.
Choice’s path to playing time at Oklahoma
The Sooners’ starting three wide receivers appear locked in. Trell Harris holds the X, Parker Livingstone is set at the Z, and Isaiah Sategna fills the H receiver role. Behind them, Elijah Thomas, Jer’Michael Carter, and McKenzie Alleyne look like the next options. That doesn’t mean Choice can’t fight for a spot among that group.
Carter came on strong at the end of last season and enters 2026 as a junior. Alleyne had a productive offseason and spring filled with explosive plays. Thomas earned attention as a true freshman last year, though his contributions came primarily on special teams. Ivan Carreon, a junior, figures to compete with Choice for reps as well.
What separates Choice is his frame. At 6’4, 210 pounds, he has the size to be an end zone target in the SEC. Venables noted during spring camp that Choice was one of the team’s best scout team players last season, which earned him a real opportunity to climb the depth chart. His route running also stands out. Despite his size, he has the ability to create separation, which makes him a mismatch problem for defensive backs who give up height and weight.
Sooners need depth at wide receiver after injury-plagued 2025
Oklahoma’s receiver room feels significantly deeper than it did a year ago. Injuries thinned the group at times during the 2025 season, creating stretches where the Sooners lacked reliable options beyond their top targets. That shouldn’t be the case this fall. Guys like Choice are the reason.
The Sooners need that depth because the stakes are higher. Oklahoma reached the College Football Playoff last season and lost to Alabama in the first round in a game that could have gone either way. The expectation now is to win that game. Venables and his staff know it. The players know it. Oklahoma has the second-hardest schedule in college football this year, but the talent on this roster suggests the Sooners should be legitimate contenders.
Choice may not be the first name fans think of when they picture the 2026 Sooners offense. But he has the physical tools, the work ethic Venables has publicly praised, and a roster situation that could open real playing time. Breakout players come from somewhere, and Choice has all the ingredients to be one of them.