OU 2010 Player to Watch, Day 10: Tom Wort

Oklahoma Sports brings you the 10th day in a 15-part series detailing what players to keep an eye on next season.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:31 am

By: News On 6

OU 2010 Player to Watch, Day 10: Tom Wort

Originally Published: Feb 24, 2010 4:52 PM CDT

More on Oklahoma Sports:
-OSU Player to Watch, Day 10: Justin Blackmon
-Tulsa Player to Watch, Day 10: Jameel Owens

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

LB Tom Wort

Background:

From New Braunfels High School in Texas, Wort was ranked the No. 3 middle linebacker in the nation by ESPN. As a junior in 2007, he recorded 213 tackles. He then had 62 tackles in seven games as a senior, but missed the rest of the season because of injury. After Wort arrived at OU, he started turning heads during practice and created rumors that he could see significant time as a true freshman. But he tore an ACL before the Sooners’ season opener and never saw the field.

Why he’s on the list:

Luckily for Wort, his ACL injury took place before his freshman season. He only had to use his redshirt and did not lose a year of eligibility. Wort is a promising pure middle linebacker who will replace the talented but injury-prone Ryan Reynolds. Wort is 220 pounds and has been clocked running a 4.45 40-yard dash. That kind of speed at the middle linebacker position could turn him into a star.

Best-case scenario:

Wort steps into the starting lineup and instantly becomes a leader in the middle of the defense. His speed allows him to run sideline to sideline, which makes him particularly great against the run. Opposing running backs are unable to break any runs to the outside, which funnels running plays back toward the Sooners’ athletic defensive line.

Worst-case scenario:

Wort either sustains another major injury or proves unable to adjust to the speed of the college game. The middle linebacker is the core of the defense, and if Wort struggles the entire unit could fall apart. Just look at the OU-Texas game two years ago to see how important the position is. Once Ryan Reynolds left that game, the Sooners’ defense was never the same.

My take:

Wort is supremely talented and incredibly athletic, but he has already sustained season-ending injuries in two consecutive years. That is a big concern, especially since Wort will be taking the place of Ryan Reynolds, who struggled to stay healthy almost every season.

But if Wort can stay healthy, he is almost assured to be a fixture in the starting lineup until he leaves for the NFL. He possesses the perfect combination of strength and speed to be a great linebacker. Ryan Reynolds was the emotional leader of the defense, so it will be interesting to see how much of that responsibility Wort shoulders. With the emergence of Travis Lewis as a dominant outside linebacker, Wort won’t have as much pressure in the middle. He will have the freedom to read the offense and use his physical ability to react quickly, which should help the OU defense remain one of the best in the nation.

Other OU players to watch (click on the names below to read the full stories)
Day 1: WR Jaz Reynolds
Day 2: OL Stephen Good
Day 3: S Sam Proctor
Day 4: CB Jonathan Nelson
Day 5: OL Tyler Evans
Day 6: RB Jermie Calhoun
Day 7: QB Drew Allen
Day 8: DT Jamarkus McFarland
Day 9: OL Ben Habern