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Oklahoma CB Courtland Guillory 'Learns Fast', Giving Him a Shot to Make an Impact in 2025

Originally posted on Oklahoma Sooners on SI
By Ryan Chapman | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 3:00 PM ET

ATLANTA — The lack of activity in the transfer portal at cornerback this past spring leaves a path for Courtland Guillory to work his way onto the field as a freshman at Oklahoma.

The Sooners found a young star last year in Eli Bowen, who punctuated a phenomenal freshman campaign with a strong performance against Alabama receiver Ryan Williams.

Jacobe Johnson returned to full-time duties at corner, allowing him to focus on making an impact for the defense, and the return of Gentry Williams from injury will be a boost to the rotation.

But with Williams’ unfortunate track record of getting banged up, OU cornerbacks coach Jay Valai needs another piece he can rely on.

Enter Guillory.

The 6-foot-0, 183-pound freshman impressed throughout spring football. He signed with the Sooners, rated as a 4-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals and a 3-star prospect by On3.

The Houston, TX, native earned 2024 District 15-6A Most Valuable Player plaudits for Klein Oak High School, and he was willing to do whatever it took throughout the spring to earn Valai’s trust.

“(He’s) a corner that loves to compete,” OU coach Brent Venables said last week at SEC Media Days. “That's probably his best quality and trait. Long, super athletic. He loves to compete, shows up every day. He's a dog. Plays with tremendous effort, lets you coach him hard.”

Safety Robert Spears-Jennings said the team could immediately tell that Guillory arrived in Norman intending to turn heads.

“He attacks the workout, attacks the meetings, practices like a pro,” Spears-Jennings said.

Learning Venables’ defense can be a chore for any new face, but the Sooners now have veterans in place who can help speed the process up.

Both Spears-Jennings and Williams have played their entire careers under Venables, and have three years of expertise to pass along to OU’s underclassmen.

Bowen was able to pick things up quickly a year ago, and Spears-Jennings is impressed with Guillory’s ability to grasp the playbook.

“I feel like he learns fast,” Spears-Jennings said. “That's a big thing. Like a lot of freshmen, it's hard for them to understand the terminology that we use, stuff like that. I feel like he learned very fast.”

If the Sooners stay healthy at corner, Guillory won’t be thrust into action immediately.

Williams has four career interceptions, and he was one of the Sooners’ best defenders in 2023. The only barrier for Williams so far in his career has been the time he’s had to spend recovering from injuries.

Spears-Jennings, who arrived with Williams in Venables’ first recruiting class and rooms with the cornerback, is confident that Oklahoma will get the best version of the dynamic cornerback in 2025.

“That's my dog. I feel like last year, (the injury) took it from him,” Spears-Jennings said. “So I think he has a lot of weight on his shoulders, chip on his shoulders, trying to prove everybody wrong and prove himself right as well. So I think he's coming in hot.”

Bowen finished last year with 30 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception and four pass breakups in 11 games, and Johnson is a fluid athlete with size and physicality.

Oklahoma’s cornerback room has the potential to be a versatile group with multiple skillsets in 2025, especially if the Sooners can tap into Guillory’s natural athleticism this fall.

“He just does a lot of things (well),” Spears-Jennings said.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma Sooners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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