Louisiana Monroe wide receiver De'Vonte Haggerty (8) is brought down by Oklahoma defensive end Amani Bledsoe (72) and linebacker Caleb Kelly (19) during an NCAA college football game between Louisiana Monroe and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Former Lawrence High football standout Amani Bledsoe didn’t finish his freshman season at Oklahoma the way he wanted.

Bledsoe was suspended by the NCAA for the final six games this past year for failing a performance-enhancing drug test. He is expected to remain suspended for the first four games this fall.

Despite being forced to sit on the sidelines for an extended period, Bledsoe, a defensive end, hasn’t wasted any chances to improve in practices and continued to showcase his strong work ethic.

“He’s handled it good,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said last week at Big 12 media days in Frisco, Texas. “It’s a tough situation, one that they don’t let us sit here and delve into all of the details. A lot of times things like that, for what you guys see, aren’t exactly how they are. But he’s handled it well.”

During his freshman season, Bledsoe, 6-foot-4, 279-pounds, played in six games and recorded three tackles and one pass breakup.

Bledsoe’s teammates and coaches think he has an opportunity to make up for lost time when he returns to the field. If he is allowed to play in the team’s fifth game, he will make his season debut against Iowa State on Oct. 7.

“He’s going to be a really, really good player for us,” Riley said. “He’s one of the more talented defensive linemen that we have in the program.”

In his final season of high school football, Bledsoe was named the Sunflower League’s most valuable player, registering 11 sacks and 89 tackles. He led Lawrence to a 10-1 record and its first league title since 1995.

Many of the skills that made Bledsoe, a four-star recruit who picked the Sooners over his other finalist, Kansas, such a dominant player in high school have only grown during his time at Oklahoma.

“I’m not even sure if Amani has a wrestling background, but almost kind of plays like a wrestler,” Riley said. “Like he understands pressure on pressure. He’s great off of the ball. He’s just got a great feel for what move to use when, and really disruptive.”

Oklahoma safety Steven Parker added: “He just knows how to use his hands and he’s real good, basically, by getting under people’s pads. He really specializes in that.”

Once Bledsoe returns from his suspension, he’s expected to immediately compete for playing time in the rotation of the team’s defensive ends.

Riley, who was named head coach when Bob Stoops retired in early June, watched Bledsoe make things tough on his offense while playing on the scout team defense in 2016 practices.

“He’s a guy that I think he’s going to make a lot of plays here in the future,” said Oklahoma offensive tackle Orlando Brown, a unanimous preseason All-Big 12 selection. “He’s definitely came along. He’s got a lot stronger and he’s got a lot bigger.”

Even with the ups and downs in his freshman season, including the suspension, Bledsoe has impressed his teammates with his ability to focus on improving himself for his eventual return.

“He’s been very mature about it,” Brown said. “He wants to be on that field when he gets back and it seems like he’s doing what he has to do.”