Open Post | Tuesday, April 14th
Posted on: April 14, 2020
Sooners Add 2020 LB Hayes Bufkin and More Praise for Coach Odom
– Charlie S
Last week, the Sooners added 2020 linebacker Hayes Bufkin to the fold as he announced his decision to attend the University of Oklahoma.
Bufkin (6’0″ 213) out of Madison, Mississippi, will join the Sooner program as a preferred walk-on. As you know, we have documented the aggressive nature of the Sooner staff in regards to identifying and recruiting guys who fly under the radar for one reason or another and recruiting them full force.
In Bufkins case, Coach Brian Odom was the catalyst in terms of his recruitment and his decision. Hayes told me through messaging that ‘Coach Odom was THE difference maker for me’.
I asked him about how his recruitment went down with Oklahoma and he said “Coach Brian Odom found me last summer after I finished second overall at The Opening Combine in Atlanta. It was my first combine ever, and my dad and I drove up from Mississippi. Coach Odom and I connected following the camp and he invited me up to camp at OU. I had a good day at the camp, but more importantly, I fell in love with OU!”
He continued by saying “The feel of the campus, the incredible facilities, and most importantly the good vibe amongst the coaches and players. It was different from other places I had been. It was just a very positive and comfortable place right off the bat. OU became my first choice last summer and that never changed.”
I had done a little homework on Hayes prior to speaking with him and I had found out that Alabama, among others, had been in pursuit of him as well. I asked him about his overall recruitment and he said ‘Yes, that’s correct. I had a number of great P5 options but they were all PWO options.”
As the discussion continued, things were not fully making sense to me as to why he was having so much interest, but most of it was as a walk-on. Hayes told me “Well, I played my entire senior year with a broken wrist and a wrap from hip to ankle due to a strained groin. I’m really not sure if that was a factor or not in how my recruitment went down.”
I would venture a guess that that had a lot to do with his recruitment. Programs like Oklahoma and Alabama saw enough in him to recruit him and offer him a preferred walk-on spot. One thing that Alabama didn’t have was Coach Odom, who once again proved to be the difference-maker.
Snippet From: Weekend Notebook | In-Depth LB Recruiting, Corner Updates, Joe C on the Season
– James Hale
*** At linebacker, it’s the same thing for the Sooners. Every offer that Brian Odom is throwing out at linebacker has length and can run. The players that OU is offering at linebacker in 2021 look different than the players currently on OU’s roster.
OU lost their prototype last year when Kenneth Murray (6’2, 243) decided to take his talents to the NFL. He should have as he’s projected as a first-round draft choice in the upcoming NFL Draft (April 23-25). OU currently does not have another linebacker like him on campus.
Senior Caleb Kelly (6’3, 234) comes the closest but Murray is a blazer running a 4.52 forty at the combine before pulling a hamstring keeping him from trying to get it in the 4.4 range at the OU Pro Day or for even his second run at the NFL Combine. Murray insists he has clocked 4.4 several times. Kelly is fast but he is not 4.52 fast, but he is good enough athletically to play inside or outside backer at OU. The problem for Kelly is that he’s not played inside backer much, and now he’s lost a ton of reps in the spring. While he’s an experienced player, he will be an inexperienced inside backer when football picks up again hopefully by August.
Another projected starter is junior DeShaun White (6’0, 223) who started for most of the season a year ago at the WILL backer and when he didn’t start it was Kelly who started in front of him for four games. He was not a dominant player as a sophomore and will need to step it up this year as a junior.
Sophomore Brian Asamoah (6’1, 230) flashed last year and had some good moments and really needed the spring to show that he deserved more game reps. Asamoah has some explosiveness and quickness to his game. The future is freshman Shane Whitter (6’0, 226) who is not as tall as the OU coaches would like but ran a 4.4 forty during testing and would be one of the top five fastest players on the team. If you aren’t 6’2 or 6’3 then you better be able to run and Whitter can really run.
OU also has senior Brian Mead (6’2, 231) who has been put on scholarship for his final year at OU. He’s a student of the game and will be a nice backup for the Sooners this year.
OU has moved junior Robert Barnes (6’2, 220) and redshirt freshman Jamal Morris (6’2, 211) to linebacker because of their length. Barnes started at safety his freshman year but this will be his final chance to find a position in the Grinch defense. He is a quick learner and looked good in camp before things got shut down. Morris reluctantly moved to linebacker and the lost spring certainly doesn’t help him get acclimated to playing inside backer.
OU signed a guy more like they are looking for in the 2020 class in three-star Brynden Walker (6’3 1/2, 230) out of Oklahoma City (Bishop McGuinness), Oklahoma. Walker will be in camp when it reopens in the summer.
*** The guy that OU really wants on defense is four-star Kendal Daniels (6’4, 190) out of Beggs, Oklahoma. The more film that OU has watched of Daniels this spring the more they have liked him, and you have Coach Odom, Coach Cain, Coach Grinch, and even corner Coach Roy Manning all saying they will take him if he signs with the Sooners.
I’m not sure where he would play at OU but we know that Daniels views himself as a safety, and OU is good with that. OU always evaluates players where they might end up in their program and on defense Daniels projects also as a linebacker. That would all depend on how big Daniels will get at OU.
Right now Daniels is a must get for the Sooners whose last five offers have come from USC, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama, and Clemson.
*** Danny Stutsman (6’2 1/2, 215) of Winter Gardens (Foundation Academy), Florida has an OU offer and is exactly what they are looking for in a linebacker. OU will get an official when things clear up and he also has offers from Texas A&M, Baylor, Utah, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and South Carolina to name a few.
*** Another top backer on OU’s wish list is four-star Smael Mondon (6’3, 220) of Dallas (Paulding County), Georgia who is also a super track athlete running the 100M, 200M, relays, long jump, and triple jump. He also plays running back and as far as size and skill-set, he is exactly what Brian Odom is looking for in the future. Currently, his top four is OU, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia but he has 37 offers and the best in college football has offered him.
If OU can get one or any combination of these three or all three then the defensive staff will all start dancing no matter if it’s at home or back in Coach Riley’s office when they can return.
You can’t throw all you eggs into one or just three baskets you have to also be recruiting hard and OU has a number of offers to outstanding prospect at linebackers.
*** OU has offered three-star Jabril McNeill (6’4, 225) of Raleigh (Sanderson), North Carolina. OU is very much in the race for McNeil along with Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
*** Four-star Chase Smith (6’3, 185) of Palm Bay (Bayside), Florida is another that OU projects at linebacker but he is currently playing safety and could end up playing there. A very good talent, he has offers from Florida State, Georgia, Miami, UCF, Utah, and West Virginia. Smith doesn’t indicate any early leaders.
*** Another four-star that OU is recruiting hard is Junior Colson (6’2, 228) of Brentwood (Ravenwood), Tennessee. Last season Colson finished with 175 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in a dominate junior year. Blessed with 34 offers Colson doesn’t show a leader at the moment among the Sooners, USC, Michigan, LSU, Florida State, and Auburn.
*** ‘K’ has kept you up to date on what is going on with three-star Terrence Cooks (6’2, 210) of Pearland (Shadow Creek), Texas. It’s weird but Cooks didn’t even start last year because he had upperclassmen playing ahead of him, but he was usually on the field in the fourth quarter. He played well enough to draw attention from OU, Texas and Texas A&M his top three schools. Cooks has 35-offers so he did a lot of things right last year.
*** A player that the Sooners really like is four-star Ian Jackson (6’1, 208) of Prattville, Alabama. Jackson can fly and plays all over the defense for Prattville. Early on, Jackson talks a lot about Alabama, Auburn and Florida State but didn’t get an offer from OU until May and he has not had a chance to see the OU campus yet.
*** Four-star Kendrick Blackshire (6’2, 259) of Duncanville, Texas is still getting a lot of attention from OU despite questions about him. Blackshirt moved to Duncanville last year and then tore his ACL producing no junior film. If we were in normal times we would have seen Blackshire in Norman a couple of times already this spring so that OU could eyeball him and see how he’s doing. As it is OU is staying in contact but they along with every other school will want to see how he plays on that knee this season to make sure everything is okay. OU, Alabama, and LSU are his top three schools.
*** Four-star Raneiria Dillworth (6’2, 185) of Kernersville (Glenn), North Carolina is another that it’s not sure where he will play at the next level. Dillworth is a lean athlete that is an outstanding track athlete in high school that’s one of the fastest players in the 2021 class. OU is recruiting him as an athlete but ultimately he projects at linebacker, but that would depend on how much weight he can actually put on. His speed and athletic ability is top notch and why he currently has offers from OU, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and North Carolina State.
After getting Whitter last year OU loves recruiting out of North Carolina and Coach Shane Beamer is doing a great job canvassing that area,
OU is seeking to upgrade the look of their linebacker room in 2021.
Glancing Ahead | 2022 Defensive Linemen
– Darius Terrell
With the entire sports world on pause, I figured now would be a good time to get a jump on the competition. Last year, I released multiple “watch lists” for 2021 prospects weekly as a part of my Thirsty Thursday columns. You guys seemed to really enjoy it and we love to keep the people happy here at TFB. This time around we’ll give the younger guys a little bit more of their own shine. Today we will focus on the Defensive Linemen. This Defensive Line class is shaping up to stack up very well with the 2021 group, which is one of the best in recent memory.
Duncanville DE Omari Abor (6’4 245)
On the hoof: I introduced Abor to you all last month. I think he has a lot of similarities to top 2021 DL prospect Shemar Turner. Abor is already weighing nearly 250 lbs. While his school moves him around and he has the ability to play in space, he may ultimately end up profiling as an uber-athletic interior Defensive Lineman in a few years. Abor is very high on Oklahoma among others early. Potential 5-star talent.
Offers: Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Auburn, TCU, Washington
Highlights:
Katy DE Malick Sylla (6’5 225)
On the hoof: Sylla is a physical freak that also competes in the 200m dash for the Katy HS Varsity, despite his age and size. A legitimate 6’5 225+ already, Sylla is still learning, but he flashes some game-wrecking ability from his Defensive End position at times. He has tremendous length, is flexible enough to bend corners, and has the motor to fight through double teams and get involved in backside pursuit. I think he has Ezekiel Ansah type upside, which would give him the highest potential in the class.
Offers: LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Baylor, Arkansas, Oklahoma St.
Highlights:
Arlington Martin DE Ernest Cooper (6’4 215)
On the hoof: Malick Sylla, Omari Abor, and Ernest Cooper all have the potential to finish as 5-star prospects when the time comes for this class. Cooper is lighter than the other two guys right now, but he has a frame that projects to easily hold 250lb+ once maxed out. One thing I notice about Cooper is that he always seems to be at balance. He keeps at base at all times and is always under control. He plays with some controlled violence. I was really impressed with how well he uses his hands at this stage to disengage from blocks. Cooper is athletic enough to play as an overhang LB in a 3-4 front in my opinion. Excellent prospect on and off the field.
Offers: Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU
Highlights:
Dallas Skyline DT Keithian “Bear” Alexander (6’4 340)
On the hoof: Alexander was the first Defensive name to really start grabbing headlines in the 2022 class about a year ago after starring as a Freshman at Terrell High School. He lost his Sophomore year due to a UIL ruling after transferring to Dallas Skyline last spring. Alexander has shocking agility and quickness for a kid that is as massive as he is. He could play the Nose or he could be a 1-tech in an even front. Alexander, like most kids as heavy as he is at his age, will have to be extremely careful about how much bigger he gets. By all accounts, he is in great shape right now. It’ll be interesting to see what he looks like in the once Signing Day is here 22 months from now.
Offers: Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, Baylor, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, Oklahoma, TCU
Highlights: (Freshman Season Highlights)
Highland Park DE Jack Curtis (6’4 215)
On the hoof: Curtis was a playmaker this past season for one of the better 5A programs in the state. He shows an array of pass rush moves with the ability to counter once his initial move is stymied, which is uncommon at this level. He’s athletic, with the ability to play in space and foot speed to stay involved in backside pursuit. He has plenty of room to fill out in the future. I’m high on Curtis and his upside.
Offers: Illinois St.
Highlights:
Nolan Catholic DE Curlee Thomas (6’4 215)
On the hoof: Thomas played this past season at Keller Fossil Ridge where he flashed weekly and was the 5-6A Newcomer of the Year. He has since made the move over to Nolan Catholic in Fort Worth, who is building a very impressive list of talent in the 2022 class. Thomas is long and gets after the football relentlessly. It’s only a matter of time before the interest kicks up a couple of notches for him.
Offers: N/A
Highlights:
Alief Taylor DT Erick Conley (6’3 260)
On the hoof: Conley was a guy that started as a freshman for Taylor’s varsity and excelled. He missed the majority of his Sophomore year due to injury. I wonder if the lack of tape combined with current tweener size is what is currently causing programs to take a wait-and-see approach heading into his Junior year. Conley plays angry and does a terrific job of getting skinny through gaps to make plays in the opposing backfield. I’m fully expecting his offer list to read much differently a year from now.
Offers: N/A
Highlights:
Lubbock Cooper DE Kyler Jordan (6’3 230)
On the hoof: I really like Jordan on tape. You see him with his hand in the dirt and you see him lined up at LB. Jordan is solid in space, but you definitely want his momentum going forward. Jordan is tenacious in pursuit. He likely won’t be rated as highly as most of the others on this list by the websites, but he’s a guy that will be a contributor throughout his time in a college program.
Offers: Illinois St.
Highlights:
North Mesquite DT Davion Carter (6’0 280)
On the hoof: Carter consistently comes out of his stance low and with force. He doesn’t always use his hands as well as he could, but the motor is consistent and the athleticism is evident. Carter doesn’t have great height so he won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I think he does a very nice job of playing with leverage and he makes plays on a weekly basis for his team.
Offers: Hawaii
Highlights:
John Paul II DE Cameron Robertson (6’4 200)
On the hoof: Robertson is very skinny and he doesn’t face top-tier competition at his private school, but the tools are there for him to possibly make money one day playing this game. Robertson is under-the-radar right now, but I expect his interest to pick up significantly in the future.
Offers: N/A
Highlights:
New Caney DE Camron Cooper (6’3 235)
On the hoof: 2021 Derrick Harris Jr. gets most of the headlines for New Caney, but the guy rushing from the other side is a pretty darn good prospect himself. Cooper was an All-County selection after his efforts in 2019. He has good feet and shows the ability to break down and play in space. He profiles as a Weakside DE all the way.
Offers: N/A
Highlights:
Nolan Catholic DE Vincent Paige Jr. (6’2 220)
On the hoof: Paige is now at Nolan Catholic, where he figures to form one of the top DE pairings in the state with fellow 2022 standout Curlee Thomas. He is quick off the snap and shows functional play strength on film. Paige is a bit of a tweener at this stage as he doesn’t appear to have ideal size or length for the position, I would have loved an opportunity to see him this spring in some camp settings to see how he looks in space/coverage. Regardless, Baylor decided to offer early and Paige is easily an FBS prospect.
Offers: Baylor
Highlights:
LincUp21 | Class Numbers and Main Targets | Offense
– Charlie S
The Sooners currently have 84 players on scholarship (once all the rest of the 2020 class makes it in).
Oklahoma will have 12 players exhaust their eligibility following this season.
I would venture a guess that 4 players declare early for the draft before exhausting their eligibility and I would wager that 4 additional players will opt to leave via the NCAA Transfer portal.
So right now, I am going to work with 21 being the starting point numbers-wise for the class of 2021 (84-20=64) (64+21=85)
Those numbers can always change and they are likely too. But we have to start somewhere, right?
Now, the 2021 class currently has 4 verbal commits. Then you add in the potential of Kobie McKinzie reclassifying to 2021 along with 2 sets of eyes out there, right now, it looks like Oklahoma is looking for 14 additional commitments (I am counting Kobie as being part of the ’21 class right now)
Quarterback (1)
Caleb Williams – Right now, this is the only target that Lincoln Riley is pursuing (at least publicly). We have covered this on every level and there really isn’t much left to say right now. We feel very good about where Oklahoma stands with Williams.
Running Back (2)
Camar Wheaton, TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State Commit), Donovan Edwards, LJ Johnson, AJ Green are the names to know.
Out of that group, Camar Wheaton and AJ Green are the two most likely candidates to be Sooners in my opinion right now.
There will likely be additional offers and I am not saying Wheaton and Green are absolutely going to be Sooners, but out of the prominent group of known names, those two would appear to be the most likely.
Wide Receiver (5)
Cody Jackson (Sooner commit) Christian Leary, J. Michael Sturdivant, Mario Williams, JoJo Earle, Emeka Egbuka, Jalil Farooq, Dekel Crowdus, Latrell Neville (VaTech commit) are some of the prominent names to keep an eye on.
I’m saying OU will take 5 WR based on things we are hearing, of course, that could change and one of those spots could go to another position such as OL or TE.
With Jackson in the fold, you are looking at OU potentially having to turn away some elite talents, particularly if Caleb Williams commits to OU as he has a lot of guys who want to be on the receiving end of his passes.
Tight End/Hback (0)
Don’t see the need for any in this class and we have not heard of any legit targets for OU at this position at this point.
Offensive Line (3)
Cullen Montgomery (Sooner Commit) Reuben Fatheree, Bryce Foster, Tristan Leigh, Savion Byrd, JC Latham, Kingsley Suamataia, Tiaoalii Savea, Pat Coogan, Josh Simmons are some of the names to know.
Bedenbaugh brought in an elite five-man class last year and without attrition, I’m leaning towards OU taking three here with a possibility of four (based on attrition).
Right now, with Montgomery solidly committed and OU being in a very good spot with Bryce Foster, the Sooners could be down to looking for one more spot while keeping another spot warm.
In the end, somehow I believe Bedenbaugh will be given four spots, and in the end, I believe those four spots will be filled by very good players. This is one position that there is very little to be concerned about in my opinion.
The addition of Chris Murray (UCLA Transfer) could help to keep this number at three.
