Open Post | Weekend May 24th – 26th

‘Rush’ Linebacker | Targets | Numbers
– Super K

As I mentioned last week, the Sooners are looking to only take one ILB. I’m told they would also like to take one OLB (Rush Linebacker).

What the combination of those two players will look like depends on who they are. Names of guys I’ve heard via my sources that OU thinks can play the outside position are, among others:

Phillip Webb – I mentioned Webb last week. Webb is a borderline 5-star freak out of Buford, GA. I actually went and saw him in person a couple months ago.

Webb did say he is considering an OU visit. I don’t know how good OU’s chances are here. I had initially counted them a bit out but I was told by a source that OU has some kind of connection to Webb. Webb didn’t mention that to me but folks on the OU side seem to think they’ve got an in that’s giving them the confidence to continue pursuing him.

Antoine Powell – Charlie has followed his recruitment so I’ll let him chime in here…Powell made the trip out to Norman for an official visit for the Spring Game weekend. He and his family came away very impressed by what the Sooners had to offer.

Powell has a number of visits set up this Summer which he will take before he makes a decision. He plans on getting to Maryland, VA Tech and Michigan, Once those visits are done, he will sit down with his family and come up with a timeline for his announcement. He did mention he would like to get back to Norman for a game so he may take his recruitment into his senior year. – Charlie

Jordan Banks – Banks is interesting because his build reminds me of Marcus Stripling’s. Banks is a bit leaner. But when I spoke to Banks he told me Oklahoma is recruiting him as a linebacker and my sources on the OU side confirmed that.

As you know, Banks did OV to Oklahoma and said he’s going to try to make it back out during the season.

Jason Harris – Harris was supposed to make the trip in from Arizona for the Spring Game but had a basketball conflict come up. I checked with his father and he said they haven’t rescheduled the visit just yet. But I’ll be a bit surprised if they don’t make it on campus. I know when Harris’ older brother was going through the process, the family was really hoping for an OU offer. That BTW, is starting to look more and more like a miss by the old staff

Antonio Doyle – We’ve already mentioned him. The Sooners hosted him recently for an unofficial and that went really well. OU is in this one. He’s another guy we are told that OU believes can play all the LB positions.

***What I’ve heard is that at the Rush position Oklahoma is looking for a defensive end that doesn’t necessarily appear to be a guy who is going to put on enough weight to put his hand in the dirt. Should that person happen to prove them wrong and get big enough then they can move them down the line. Jordan Banks strikes me as someone who *might* be someone like that. But generally speaking, I don’t think you’re going to see many Mark Jackson, Corey Nelson, Eric Striker type bodies playing that position. You’re going to see guys who would be a 4-man front DE. The Rush guy is going to pressure 80% of the time so coverage ability, while awesome to have, isn’t the big emphasis.


Update | Pair Of 2020 Linebackers Planning June Visits
– Charlie S

Touched base with a pair of recent OU Linebacker offers and they both confirmed they are planning unofficial visits to Norman in June

*** Edgerrin Cooper (6’1.5″ 195 lbs) reconfirmed his intentions to visit Norman in June, but there is still no date set in stone for the visit. The Covington, Louisianna product tells me OU has been very good at keeping up with communication and the relationship is building nicely. Cooper was offered by the Sooners last week.

*** Rodney Groce Jr (6’2.5″ 235) out of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, also reiterated his plans on getting up to Norman with his family for an unofficial visit in June, again, no date has been confirmed at this point. If you recall, when Groce was offered earlier this month, he mentioned that the offer meant a lot to him and he immediately included them in his top group of schools.

The fact that both of these recruits are planning on getting up to Norman in June is a very good thing for OU obviously, however, the fact that neither of them have the dates of their visits set in stone yet could be a reflection of how the Sooners feel about their chances with Brynden Walker (6’3″ 230 lbs) out of Oklahoma City (Bishop McGuiness) who is currently committed to Oklahoma State. As we have mentioned previously, the new defensive staff has been working very hard on flipping Walker and we believe OU will know their fate with him Sooner…rather than later.


Defensive Backs | Updates | Covington, Burns & the Numbers
– Super K

First, the number in terms of defensive backs continues to be four. However, I am hearing that this number could increase based on a couple of possible factors.

***Who gets in the boat first. There are certain guys like Bryson Washington who are takes regardless. So if Oklahoma lands a couple of DBs before his commitment date (currently set for July 4th) then Washington is still a take and that would bring the number up to five.

***The other possibility of adding a number is if there are any departures. I wasn’t told that it would happen but I have heard that given Grinch’s no-nonsense attitude, it remains a possibility.

A few updates on some key targets…

***On the Jacobe Covington front, I’m told the Sooners still want Covington and are pursuing him. But you’ll recall that a while back Covington’s mother told me that there are some folks around Jacobe advising him to take his time.

I get the sense that mom would like Jacobe at OU and OU would like that, as well. But he continues to wait. Nothing OU is doing wrong. Again, he is being advised by people to to wait.

***Major Burns took an official to Florida this weekend with his teammate, Joel Williams. Williams committed to Florida.

I am told that Torrian Gray and company made quite an impression on Burns, as well. Burns is set to announce this summer.

Going into the Florida visit, we believe OU was leading. We believe that’s still the case but again, Florida gave him something to think about. And, he will no doubt have his teammate in his ear.

***Already noted that OU is working to get Bryson Washington up for a return visit in June. Washington tells me he is working on that.

***Also, Kitan Crawford (one of my absolute favorite DBs) is trying to make it up to OU this summer.

It sounds like OU will try to get him on campus in June and/or the BBQ in July.

Right now, teams to beat for Crawford are Texas and Baylor.

Crawford really might be the best DB in Texas. He’s something fierce. My feeling is OU needs to try to get him up before Texas has their big June 22nd pool party to give themselves a chance at a return visit.

The Sooners are obviously working from behind as he’s already been to Texas and Baylor on multiple occasions. So, it would be ideal for them to get him on campus for two summers visits.


Sooners Make Top List For 2020 OL Sedrick Van Pran
– Charlie S

2020 offensive lineman (Center) Sedrick Van Pran out of New Orleans, LA, put out his Top Eight on Twitter a few minutes ago and to nobody’s surprise, the Sooners made the cut…

So while that is great news for the Sooners, Van Pran has told me he will not be committing until the fall at the earliest and as of right now, he plans on taking his recruitment all the way to signing day. He did leave a little wiggle room in his timeline in regards to (silently) committing to a school and making it public at an All-Star game, so there is that possibility.

The reason I am making this post though is that with the Sooners picking up commitments from Nate Anderson and Noah Nelson recently, the spots along the offensive line are actually starting to get a bit thin as OU is in a very good spot with multiple other linemen. The question is, will there be room for Van Pran should he choose to wait that long.


Decision Timeline | Visit Updates | Lathan Ransom
– Super K

I checked in with the father of 4-star AZ DB, Lathan Ransom to get a sense of where things are in Lathan’s recruitment and what kind of decision timeline they are looking at.

Found it interesting that Lathan tweeted this out, Wednesday…

So far, Lathan has taken official visits to Oklahoma and LSU. His remaining visits, per his father, are…

***May 31st to June 3rd they will be in Austin for an unofficial visit to Texas. They have friends in the Austin area and this visit was planned earlier in the year.

***On June 8th to the 10th, Ransom will make a return visit to Notre Dame for his official visit.

***Then on June 14th to the 16th, Ransom will go right back to Austin for his Texas official visit.

***Then, finally, he will take his last remaining official visit to Ohio State on June 21st to the 23rd. This will also be his second trip to Ohio State.

***So, it seems safe to say that Texas, OU, LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State are in his top group.

***In terms of a decision timeline, Lathan’s father says, “he hasn’t planned that yet. Should be around July or August time frame”.

In other words, he will finish his OVs in June and then make a summer decision, most likely.

***Depending on how quickly Lathan brings things together after those visits and depending on who OU has landed by then, I could see them try to push Lathan for a return visit for the BBQ. Again, that would depend on at least a couple of factors.

***It’s very possible that by the time July/August roll around, OU has four defensive backs in the boat. I don’t know yet what that would mean for Lathan’s status with OU. As I mentioned yesterday, there is still the possibility that the number four could expand a bit.


Quick-Hitters | Mookie Cooper & Chris Tyree
– Super K

***Chris Tyree made it official by committing to Notre Dame, today. It was, as we mentioned, expected.

Wish him the best but would have been amazing to see what Riley could’ve done for his career with that unique speed Tyree holds.

I am told that Oklahoma does want to make sure they get a burner in this class so you’ll continue to see them push for Gary Bryant (USC is making a move with him).

***Also, chatted with someone close to Mookie Cooper and I was told that they will take a visit to Oklahoma. The when is the question. The family member said that he will either be this summer and if not, then the first game of the season.

There are just too many people around Mookie that believe in what Riley can do with a player like Mookie so I believe they are going to make sure he makes it on campus.

Once he does, I think it’s going to make it very frustrating for teams like Texas, Ohio State and Illinois who have worked so hard to recruit him for so long and have had him on campus multiple times.


Eyes of Riley | Thursday, May 23rd
– Charlie S

As we mentioned Wednesday on the Donor Board in an Insider Note…y’all would be seeing a pair of eyes soon.

Here ya go!

Yesterday Lincoln Riley dropped two sets of eyes which signify he has received a commitment from two recruits.

Both of the commits are excellent pick ups for the Sooners!


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