Oklahoma may be getting the Elijah Thomas breakout the fan base has been waiting on, and Parker Livingstone’s injury has opened the door.
Thomas was listed as a co-starter with Livingstone at X receiver on the Sooners’ first depth chart of the season ahead of Friday’s 7 p.m. CT opener against UTEP in Norman. Livingstone is in concussion protocol, and if he can’t go, Thomas would get his first career start along with the kind of extended receiver run he’s spent two fall camps building toward.
That’s a big moment for a player who has been one of the most talked-about names around the program without yet getting the on-field runway to match. No one wants to see Livingstone sidelined, especially with the buzz that followed his transfer from rival Texas, but this is the opening Sooner fans have been asking for with Thomas.
Thomas arrived as one of the most intriguing players in Oklahoma’s 2025 signing class. He was a consensus four-star recruit from Checotah High School and the No. 5 athlete in the class, per the 247Sports Composite.
He also finished as the top overall player in Oklahoma. As a senior, he piled up 72 catches for 1,803 yards and 26 touchdowns while also spending time at quarterback, running back, linebacker and defensive back.
The excitement around him didn’t come from recruiting rankings alone. Last fall camp, the reports were glowing, the highlight clips were everywhere, and wide receivers coach Emmett Jones even compared him to New York Giants star Malik Nabers.
Elijah Thomas...buy stock now #Sooners: pic.twitter.com/t5VgimBcjQ
- Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) August 4, 2025
Then came a freshman season that didn’t match the noise. Thomas was a steady presence on special teams, but he barely got work at receiver. He finished with just one five-yard catch, and that left plenty of fans wondering why he wasn’t getting more chances.
The hype returned again this summer, though with a little more caution after last year’s tease. Thomas says the difference this time is what he’s done behind the scenes, leaning on special teams work and a second offseason to build trust with the staff and show he can handle more responsibility at receiver.
“I changed my process up. My mindset is all different," Thomas said during fall camp.
"I’m coming for it. That’s it.”
Now, with Livingstone potentially out, Oklahoma may not have a choice but to find out exactly what Thomas can do.
In Other News...
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The conference is opposing the decision and could appeal, while Louisiana officials have voiced support for the ruling, setting up a familiar kind of late-summer legal standoff with real football consequences. For Oklahoma and the rest of the SEC, it is one more reminder that the leagues path to opening weekend may still run through a courtroom before anyone gets to the field. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger concern is what that means when the Sooners eventually move past Mateer and into 2026. Arbuckles scheme still has the shape of something dangerous, but the numbers point to fewer explosive passing plays than he produced before, dropping from 35% to 25% in the comparison the article examined. If the running game remains ineffective, the offense could become increasingly predictable at the very moment Oklahoma needs it to stay ahead of defenses that will have a full year of tape on how Arbuckle wants to build drives. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Be Closer To Another Proven Defensive Line Boost
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Braxton Felys situation also adds another layer to a defensive front that already looks like one of the more promising parts of Oklahomas roster outlook. The Sooners were already expecting a strong 2026 line, and Felys availability now comes alongside the possibility of fifth-year lineman Danny Saili, who is dealing with eligibility issues, giving Oklahoma a chance to deepen a unit that could shape the defense for next season. [Read more 🡒]