Open Post | Monday, December 17th
Posted on: December 17, 2018
Recruiting Updates | Battle, Steele, Insider Note & More
– Super K
***Am told the Sooners have been in touch with Battle for much of the day. (Friday) James and I have both heard that OU seems to think part of the reason Battle didn’t commit then is due to the
I have also heard that Harbaugh was with Dax Hill earlier and according to a source out of Tulsa, there is a possibility (have no clue how big) that Hill could flip back. I’m told that folks around OU believe that Hill could be rethinking things because he was informed that Alabama is going to take an extra DB, namely Battle.
This could all end up with Battle committing to Alabama at any point and Hill sticking as well but this time of year we like to give you what we’re hearing as we are hearing it.
***On Chris Steele I’m told the Sooners are less confident (Friday) than they were Thursday. As I mentioned, there was a sense that Oregon is a threat and one source said, “Florida is far. OU doesn’t have a DC and USC just hired a guy that isn’t popular with some of the LA kids so Oregon may benefit from being the school that has the fewest issues”.
I’m still hearing that family isn’t as sold on the Florida staff but source said, “Chris likes the lifestyle in Florida. Florida is where he’d want to live if he didn’t play football”.
Something interesting I’ve also heard is that Steele and Criddell aren’t exactly friendly.
I was told the Steele family planned on making a decision this weekend so I’m hoping we’ll be able to get some insider notes on which way they’re leaning by the end of the weekend or Monday.
If you would like to read the Insider note, please click the Donor Link: https://donors.thefootballbrainiacs.com/additional-recruiting-updates-battle-steele-and-insider-note/
***Sorry, also meant to note that the secret visitor (Marcel Brooks), as I mentioned, was supposed to fly
***So more information on Battle…spoke to a source who tells us it now seems likely that 2019 Safety Jordan Battle will push back his commitment announcement to the early signing day. As always, that could change, but there are so many moving pieces with these DBs that it looks like Battle will choose to take a little more time to let his intentions be known.
What We Will Be Keeping An Eye On Recruiting Wise
– Charlie S
***Tommy Kennedy – OT L Grad Transfer out of Butler
Kennedy visited Norman on Thursday and Friday and sources on the OU side feel like it went very well…
Following his visit to OU, Kennedy flew down to Miami for his final official visit prior to making his decision. He has visited Texas, OU, and Miami in that order in the past 10 days or so and did not receive an offer from Texas so it appears to come down to OU and Miami. Have to like OU’s chances here in terms of prestige and on field play…but for a grad transfer it all comes down to playing time generally and OU has a pretty deep two deep at tackle, could that scare him away? We will see.
***Rhamondre Stevenson – RB JUCO 2019
With Tyrion Davis deciding not to visit OU this past weekend, Stevenson has become the lone remaining priority at running back at this time.
Stevenson has maintained that he is planning on signing in February and the fact he got a USC offer a day before his OU official could play into keeping his timeline intact. However, when OU has a kid on campus and makes it clear to him that he is the priority, sometimes things can change.
Will Stevenson stick with his timeline and risk his spot at OU should they begin to look elsewhere following the early signing day or will he seize the opportunity that OU has presented him with and shut things down early?
As of right now, following the visit, we have touched base with some sources and it appears likely that Stevenson will let this play out and take all of his trips and sign with the school of his choice in February.
David Ugwoegbu | Post TAMU Visit Update
– Super K
As you all know, Sooners DE target, David Ugwoegbu visited Texas A&M this weekend. Going into the visit the Sooners were the favorite but there was some concern that the TAMU visit could change things.
In my conversations with David he’s always emphasized the special connection he has with coach Riley and company. It’s a relationship that he says he simply doesn’t have anywhere else.
It looks like that relationship continues to win out.
I asked him if Texas A&M changed anything for him and he said, “Definitely still feeling OU. I’ve seen TAMU so many times already so there really wasn’t anything new to bring to the table for the official”.
Ugwoegbu is a top target for TAMU so I don’t suspect they will stop recruiting him. He isn’t signing till February. The Sooners will need to continue to fight here but they’ve weathered what could have been a big storm.
The Latest | Weekend Visitor Updates | Derek Green Update
– Charlie S
***As K mentioned earlier, he planned on reaching out to sources close to 2019 linebacker Marcel Brooks to get a clearer picture of where he is at following his visit to Norman this weekend.
K was able to get in contact with the source and source told K that right now Marcel is telling him he plans on sticking with his commitment to LSU. Sooners did their best to get him on campus, and while we aren’t saying there is no chance here, we are saying it does not look like it will be a favorable ending for OU
***Super K also was in touch with sources about 2019 JUCO running back Rhamondre Stevenson who took a visit to Norman as well this week.
As we mentioned prior to his visit, and even mentioned above, Stevenson is planning on announcing his commitment following his official visits and signing in February. While Stevenson enjoyed his visit and the Sooners gave him a lot to think about, that plan is still in place as the Sooners will have to wait to find out their fate with him.
***Just touched base with OU commit Derek Green. I know some of you have heard from other sources that Derek Green was not going to be part of this class or whatnot. I also know some of y’all expressed some concern about a tweet he sent out earlier today. I have some answers for you.
Green tells me all is well between him and OU and he is very excited to sign at 12:00 pm on Wednesday and enroll at OU in January. Pretty clear and to the point and I know we all (JY, K, and myself) believe the Sooners got a real underrated athletic big man for the interior of the defensive line.
