The Football Brainiacs

– Additional Visitors for OU BBQ: Our guy Alex King has been helping me get more names together for the huge BBQ that OU is putting on next week. Here are the names we have come up with so far. To see the previous list of names, please refer to Monday’s Open Post, which also includes some notes about some of the players. As the BBQ gets closer, we will likely compile all the names into one list. – (Brandon & Alex)

2018

Dashaun White: North Richland Hills HS ( Richland, TX) LB – OU offer

Brian Asamoah:  St. Francis DeSales HS ( Columbus, OH) LB – This was a name we reported a few weeks back but forgot to mention it in Monday’s OP.

Treveon Johnson: Brenham HS (Brenham, TX) WR – OU commit

Calvin Avery: Bishop Dunne HS (Dallas, TX) DL – OU offer

2019

Jalen Catalon: Mansfield Legacy HS (Mansfield, TX) DB – OU offer

Cole Mashburn: Norman North HS (Norman, OK) ATH

Branson Bragg: Crandall HS (Crandall, TX) OL – OU offer

2020

RJ Mickens- Southlake Carrol HS (Southlake, TX) DB – OU offer

– Ronnie Perkins: Oklahoma is really pushing to get another elite defensive lineman or two in the 2018 class to go with the already committed Ron Tatum and Jordan Kelley. One of the Sooners main targets is Lutheran North HS (St. Louis, MO) weak side defensive end Ronnie Perkins. If you haven’t listened to my (TFB’s) latest podcast, do so. In it, Perkins and I spoke about his recruitment. Perkins told me that he had originally planned on visiting Texas this upcoming weekend followed by a trip to OU for the BBQ the next weekend, but those plans have changed. Perkins added that he is trying to narrow down his list of top five schools, but his sole focus right now is his upcoming season.

Perkins says he wants to visit an OU game (specifically OU/Texas) this upcoming season.

The other thing I got from the interview was that he wants to take a few a visits before his decision, and that decision may not come until the February signing period. I will add that I don’t think his recruitment makes it that far. Perkins seems very heady and plays it close to the vest. He seems to have an idea of what and where he wants to go. Perkins has a really good relationship with OU commits and Texas commits, but the OU commits give more of a group concerted effort, whereas Texas is Ayodele Adeoye.

With Perkins having tried to get down to Norman on numerous occasions, you can tell the interest is strong and the relationship with the Sooners staff is strong as well. Perkins will most likely visit OU, Ohio State, Texas, and Missouri, and I’d bet the decision is made between one those schools in the end. Having said that, I think OU is in a good spot and, once Perkins finally makes it Norman, OU could push themselves further in front. – (Brandon)

– Jaquayln Crawford: Wanted to pass on a quick note on newly committed Rockdale (TX) wide receiver, Jaquayln Crawford. Crawford is another that I had on the podcast yesterday; he told me that he fully intends to sign early and be an early enrollee at Oklahoma this upcoming year. Crawford also told me that he will for sure make the BBQ next weekend. It will be good to have another commit on campus with so many top targets there for the BBQ next weekend. – (Brandon)

TFB Note: If you’d like to listen to Brandon’s interviews with Crawford and Perkins you can do so via Sound Cloud here. For iTunes users you can navigate through the list of Brandon’s podcasts here which includes his interview with Crawford and Perkins.

– Emmit Gooden: As many of you already know, the Sooners top JUCO DT target committed to Arkansas earlier this summer. I caught up with Gooden to see just how final things are and it’s pretty clear the Sooners still have a shot here.

With Gooden so clearly considering the Sooners, I asked him when he’d make what would be considered a truly final decision, to which he tells me that won’t happen till signing day. – (Super K)

– Team Notes: I was able to catch up with some of my sources this week so I’ve got some team notes. I’ll drop a few quick notes here and then a few, most likely, tomorrow or Friday.

Tre Norwood – I continue to hear really good things about Norwood. The staff loves his length and athleticism, but also a source tells me that the word on Norwood around the program is he incredibly sharp in the film room. Source noted that Norwood is very far ahead of where they normally expect guys to be in terms of his understanding. Another source compared Norwood to Motley, but added that Norwood is even more athletic. It’s obviously hard to be certain till the pads come on, but the early reviews about this young man continue to be good.

Front Seven: Some specific names that were mentioned to me as guys in the front seven who have had good summers are Addison Gumbs, Kenneth Murray, and Caleb Kelly.

I was also told that Isaiah Thomas has “freakish athleticism”. He has the twitch that the Sooners have been missing on the defensive line. But, source also noted, as expected, that he is raw; “the twitch and the explosion, it’s there but he has a lot to learn.” Source emphasized that it’s too hard to predict just how quickly Thomas will be able to pick things up once the pads come on, but even if Thomas isn’t on the field this year, I think OU loves what he can be down the road.

Was also told that Kenneth Mann “has really stepped his game up” this summer. Source added that he’s gotten better in the weight room and that he’s moving better overall. Mann isn’t necessarily the freakish twitchy athlete, so I don’t want to give anyone the impression that my source is saying Mann will be all-world. However, it sounds like he’s moving towards being a productive defensive lineman and that, as the source put it, “the light’s coming on…sometimes it takes guys two or three years to figure it out and I think he’s starting to figure it out”. – (Super K)