Baker Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017. Kyler Murray did the same in 2018. Jalen Hurts was the runner up for the award this year.
All three of these highly touted Oklahoma quarterbacks have one thing in common — they threw to CeeDee Lamb.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Sooners star has been one of the most productive receivers in college football since signing with Oklahoma in 2017.
He caught 46 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns his freshman year and has improved each season despite playing with a different quarterback in each of his campaigns.
And that’s no coincidence.
“I wanted people to see, like, it doesn't really matter who's at quarterback. At the end of the day, we kind of have a common denominator, and that's me,” Lamb said.
While he may be a consistent part of Oklahaoma’s quarterbacks’ success, those watching Lamb play say there’s nothing common about his game.
“He's one of the best receivers we've seen,” LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said. “We've faced some really good receivers. We see some really good receivers every day in practice. But he's different.”
Orgeron particularly pointed to Lamb ability to run after the catch, which is a big reason the junior has posted 1,208 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on just 58 catches this year.
Lamb’s current quarterback said has a natural ability to make special plays once he touches the ball..
“He’s a different type of athlete,” Hurts said. “He plays with an edge. He’s very passionate in what he does. He works his tail off to ultimately be in this position he’s in right now.”
Lamb said his goal is to make sure he makes plays no matter who gives him the ball.
“I feel like with that mindset, I've definitely got to this point I am today," he said. "I just wanted to show people, obviously, you could have a great quarterback, but a receiver can do a lot. It doesn't matter who you put back there.”
Lamb said his mindset was partly inspired by watching Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Pro Bowl receiver has posted five 1,000-yard seasons in his seven-year career despite the franchise having 10 different quarterbacks start a least a game in that stretch.
“When I kind of saw that growing up, I was in like high school when he just started getting different quarterbacks, and I was like, ‘Wow! That kind of proves the kind of receiver he is,’” Lamb said. “I just kind of wanted to have that same label.”
Lamb’s teammates say he demonstrates what he’s that kind of receiver daily in practice.
“He practices how he plays," Oklahoma cornerback Parnell Motley. "He's relentless he gets to the football.. it's no difference to how he does in practice."
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said that effort is why Lamb is such a special player.
“That’s why he gets the opportunities that he does and why he makes a lot of the plays that he does,” Riley said “That’s the only way you get better. You build the quarterback’s trust, you build coach’s trust, you improve yourself as a player. You keep doing those things as a receiver you are going to keep commanding the ball and keep commanding opportunities.”
Lamb said he simply treats every practice like it’s his last play and that that mindset is all he knows.
“Growing up my pops instilled that in me,” he said. “My mom is a hard worker, so I figured why not me add to the bloodline. This year I feel like I definitely took full advantage of that and did that every day in practice.”
LSU’s defensive backs are set to see what Oklahoma’s see daily basis Saturday at 3 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and said they expect Lamb and the other receivers to present a tough challenge. One member of the Tigers secondary has known for a while though just how tough playing against Lamb can be,
“ I played with CeeDee little league, a lot of people don't know that, in Texas, sixth to eighth grade,” LSU’s Jim Thorpe Award winning safety Grant Delpit said. “We played on the same team, so I know all about CeeDee. We talk all the time. He's a great player.”
Delpit said Lamb was the team’s running back and receiver and that they “never lost a game in three years.” The two also shared a bond as player originally from Louisiana that ended up living with their families in Texas -something that caught Orgeron’s attention.
“Well, I was just talking to the coaches, He’s from Opelousas, “ Orgeron said with a laugh. “Wonder how that one got away.”
Lamb admitted that he grew up and LSU fan and said he’s excited to take the field against the Tigers.
“I'm ready,” he said. “Can't wait. I've always wanted to play for LSU, but now that I'm playing against LSU it's a little different approach.”