The Football Brainiacs

– Brandon Bowen: Getting information on Brandon Bowen can be difficult, as he has never been one to do a lot of talking with the media. In spite of that, we’ve been trying to get a sense of a possible decision timeline and a firmer grasp on what schools he is considering after Baylor granted his NLI release last week.

Our own Brandon Drumm mentioned TCU and OU are a couple schools that are very much involved. We have also exchanged a few texts with Bowen’s father, though he did not disclose which schools his son is considering. Bowen’s father also wouldn’t give a firm timeline but did allow that a decision would be announced “soon.”

I (K) chatted with a coach over at Byron Nelson, where Bowen played in high school, and this person seemed to think the decision isn’t quite as imminent. “I believe Bo (Bowen) would like to take some official trips. Not sure how many he has left…maybe two. So I’m not 100% on when he will announce.” The coach went on to say, “I spoke with Bo before the July 4th break, and he mentioned visiting UCLA. My guess is that he won’t report until late July wherever he ends up.”

I wish I could offer something from Bowen, or at least a second source to corroborate the coach’s take on things, but unfortunately I cannot at this time. – (Super K)

– July visitors: The Sooners have been working the Peach State for years, landing the likes of Antoine Savage, Duke Robinson and several other top prospects over the years. And OU is once again mining Georgia for elite talent, most recently in the form of 2017 RB commit Trey Sermon. However, Sermon certainly isn’t alone in terms of who the Sooners have their eye on.

2017 DB Deangelo Gibbs and 2018 QB Trevor Lawrence both hold offers from OU, and the Sooners are already targeting a number of 2019 (yes, 2019) prospects out of Georgia as well. Many of whom are planning to be in Norman over the weekend of July 29th, where the OU coaching staff has planned an ‘invite only’ recruiting/BBQ event for some of their top targets and commits. – (Brandon)

* Trey Sermon –  Sermon visited OU for the Red/White game and committed shortly thereafter. He has since become close with his fellow #SoonerSquad17 members as well as current Sooner, Joe Mixon. Evidently the two hit it off on Sermon’s unofficial visit during the spring.

Sermon is set to return for July 29th BBQ and when TFB spoke with him over the weekend, it was clear just how excited he was about the prospect of returning to Norman. Sermon also told TFB that he plans to give his best sales pitch to the contingent of other GA recruits also planning to be in Norman that weekend.

Sermon admitted he didn’t know most of those who are expected to attend, but said that should change by the end of the weekend. Needless to say, having Sermon on campus with all of the other kids from Georgia can only be a good thing for OU. – (Brandon)

* KJ Wallace – The 2019 athlete out of Atlanta (GA) already holds offers from Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee & Vanderbilt. So Wallace is used to attention, but when TFB spoke with him over the weekend he mentioned being well aware of OU’s prestige as a program.

“ That’s a big boy program and would be a big boy offer if I got one.” And with Wallace’s ability, an offer very well could be extended during his visit. – (Brandon)

* Kenyatta Watson – The 2019 defensive back (Loganville, GA) doesn’t have a ton of film from his freshman year as a result of a broken collar bone that caused him to miss considerable time. But even having suffered that injury, Watson can still claim offers from schools like Tennessee, Nebraska, Boston College & Maryland. Watson is already a big, physical kid who could very well be considered one of the top safeties in the country for his class by the time it’s all said and done.

In speaking with Watson, it’s clear he has an affinity for OU and even admitted to cheering for the Sooners against Clemson in the Orange Bowl this past season. Another interesting tidbit when it comes to Watson is that his father, Kenyatta Sr., was recruited by Bob Stoops while he was defensive coordinator at Kansas State. Waston Sr. eventually played at Boston College, but he did take an official visit to Kansas State. The younger Watson said, “It is kind of crazy to think he (Stoops) recruited my dad and now is recruiting me.”

Watson has strong interest in the Sooners, so this visit on the 29th is something that could go a long way with respect to OU’s chances. – (Brandon)

* Owen Pappoe – Yet another 2019 stud prospect expected to be making the trip west from Georgia, LB Owen Pappoe is quickly becoming one of the top players in the country for his class. At The Opening regional event in Atlanta, Pappoe scored the highest ever SPARQ rating by any linebacker in the event’s history. It was impressive enough that it earned him an extremely rare underclassmen invite to The Opening Finals later this week in Portland, Oregon.

Pappoe has long been interested in the Sooners. As a matter of fact, WRs coach Dennis Simmons was set to visit Pappoe during the spring evaluation period, but when Simmons showed up at the school they were in the process of annual testing so the two were unable to meet at that time. Unfortunate timing aside, when when TFB spoke with Pappoe recently he spoke highly of the Sooners. “I’ve got nothing but great things to say about Oklahoma. This is a visit I’ve looked forward to for a while.”

If the Sooners decide to offer Pappoe, they have a legit chance to get in the chase. Add to the fact that Pappoe will be headed up to The Opening, where several other OU commitments will also be in attendance, and it would give everyone involved that much more time to sell Pappoe on OU. – (Brandon)

* Jadon Haselwood – 2019 Cedar Grove High School wide receiver Jadon Haselwood already has offers from Georgia, Illinois, Louisville, LSU & Michigan just to name a few. However, there is one offer that could change everything and that’s an offer from the University of Oklahoma.

“My dad is from there (Oklahoma) and I have family there. I know a lot about OU. My family are really big fans. I really want to meet Coach Bob Stoops,” Haselwood explained. But he wasn’t done there. “I grew up an OU fan. We used to go to all the OU alumni games down here in Georgia. I love their offense, and they breed receivers like Kenny Stills, Ryan Broyles and Sterling Shepard.”

So this seems like more than your standard ‘connections to the state/program’ we’ve heard in the past. And Haselwood has even admitted an offer from OU would be a “game-changer” and quickly move the Sooners to the top of his list of schools. So we asked him about exactly that were an offer to be extended while he’s in Norman later this month, to which he said, “me being excited isn’t even the word I’d use to describe my reaction.”

If OU was to offer Haselwood, one source close to the 2019 WR admitted to TFB “a commitment on the spot wouldn’t shock me at all.”

Haselwood is projected, by many, to be the top receiver in Georgia for the 2019 class. Which is saying something with the likes of Jashawn Sheffield and Dominick Blayock in his same class. – (Brandon)

* Dominick Blaylock – We all the know the last name. Blaylock’s father, Mookie, lives in OU basketball lore. But did you know that his mom, Janelle Blaylock Woods, was a star volleyball player at OU as well? So needless to say, being around OU fans isn’t new to Blaylock, a 2019 WR out of Marietta (GA).

As child he visited OU, on occasion, with his mother and stepdad, John Woods. Later this month, however, will be Blaylock’s first visit to Norman in a long time when he joins the rest of Georgia prep stars on that weekend of the 29th.

Blaylock was visited at Walton High School by Dennis Simmons during the spring eval period, at which point the OU coach officially extended a scholarship offer. Oklahoma is trying to make it a trifecta with a third Blaylock making his name in Norman, this time of course on the gridiron as opposed to the hard wood. – (Brandon)

* Charles Thomas – The 2019 linebacker from Langston Hughes HS (Fairburn, GA) has been garnering attention from some of the top D-I programs in the country. In March, he was offered by Florida State. Following that initial offer, several other schools like Michigan, West Virginia, Tennessee, Clemson & Maryland have also joined the fray in Thomas’ recruitment.

Expect Oklahoma to do the same with Thomas yet another of the GA prep stars expected in Norman on July 29th.

TFB had a chance to speak with Thomas over the weekend and like many of the others expected to make the trip, Thomas seemed excited about being in Norman. The appeal for Thomas is one that OU fans have heard a lot over the years. “OU is a proven winner. The tradition is rich. And I can’t wait to see the campus.” – (Brandon)

* Joshua Moore – Wide receiver seems to be a concern for OU, at least in regards to depth, but with a top notch class committed to the Sooners for 2017 that worry is mitigated to some extent. But when it comes to recruiting one has to always be looking to the future, and as such the Sooners have already started to focus on the position in the 2018 class and beyond.

To that point is OU’s pursuit of 2018 Yoakum (TX) wide receiver Joshua Moore, who possesses the size and speed that outside WRs coach Dennis Simmons covets.

TFB spoke with Moore late Monday night, who shared that he is also planning to attend the event in Norman on the 29th. Which of course only adds to the star power expected to be on campus. This visit, though, will be a little different than his previous as Moore will be making the trip without his twin brother Jordan, a highly coveted defensive back in his own right. His brother plans to visit Texas A&M that weekend.

TFB asked Moore if not his brother not holding an offer from OU would be a deciding factor with regards to his recruitment. “It doesn’t affect me with Oklahoma at all. I’m a little different (in my thinking) because I know, wherever I go, they (my family) will support me.” A very refreshingly candid and mature take from Moore. He went on to add, “It’s the overall environment at OU and the way they get the ball to their receivers. Of course, OU has a lot of academic success. That’s what has caught my eye the most.”

Moore has continued to pick up offers almost daily, however it has had very little effect when it comes to his relationship with Simmons. “We speak everyday. It’s pretty crazy how often,” Moore said regarding the OU wide receivers coach.

Getting Moore on campus, again, continues to set the tone for 2018 class. With Southmoore offensive lineman Brey Walker being the lone commitment at this time, the more (no pun intended) OU can get other top targets on campus the greater their chances of giving Walker some company in this class. – (Brandon)