DeMarco Murray is quietly bringing Gemini Man to life in Oklahoma.
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The best part of drafting in February is finding the diamonds while they are coal knee-deep in the twentieth round of a college fantasy best ball draft. While going through rosters and transfer portal reports trying to find the next man up at some small program ranked 133 of 134, a certain running back has really caught my eye.
At UT-Martin this 5’10” 200lb former Skyhawk is moving up from the FCS to the FBS with 315 totes 2,129 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. With a breakout trFR season, his career year was 2023, where he put up an impressive 6.2 yards per carry on 223 carries. He finished with 1,378 yards and 11 touchdowns and was a top-five back in the FCS.
Once he entered the portal, “Game Changer” received multiple offers from big-time programs looking to secure his talents; some of the teams in on him were USC, South Carolina, Arkansas, Memphis, Indiana, and Texas Tech (source: the man himself). He chose Oklahoma because he saw his future when he looked into the eyes of DeMarco Murray.
I’m talking about Samuel Franklin, a player who enters an Oklahoma backfield that is full of guys who can do the job; Gavin Sawchuk should be the lead back, finishing the year last season with a stretch of consecutive 100-yard games; Jovantae Barnes is still there trying to find his way, and they have 2024 recruit 4-star Taylor Tatum.
What will separate Franklin is the explosion he possesses, with a 52.5% breakaway run rate. When Franklin finds the space, he quickly gets downfield and is always a threat to break one off, and you see it there in that clip. He has multiple breakaway touchdowns, his longest, this 81-yard bounce off to the outside.
In a game where teams roll multiple running backs, and let’s be honest here, Oklahoma only has one in Gavin Sawchuk, and you play teams like Alabama and LSU late in the season, a team is going to cherish a player with qualities like Franklin, and I only compare him to DeMarco because I’ve seen it, the will to win, the speed, the strength it’s there. There is no hesitation in his game, and I’m excited to see what spring games and practices bring!
