Open Post | Weekend, April 20th – 22nd By: The Brainiacs Posted on: April 20, 2018

– One of OU’s top 2019 CB targets, Jaden Davis (Fort Lauderdale, FL) was on campus this past weekend. Earlier this week, I spoke with him. I’ll have a full write up on him, this week. In the meantime let me say…

*OU killed it. He still has a few official visits to take but OU did what they needed to do.

*Before his July 18th commitment, he will take OVs to Penn State, Texas and Kentucky. He may take a return unofficial to Clemson as well (Clemson isn’t allowing spring/summer OVs). Again, OU has set the bar very high for these schools.

*Jaden has a few connections to the Sooners that I’ll talk about in the full post.

– I plan on having a full conversation with 2019 CB, Isaiah Rutherford (Carmichael, CA) but he did let me know via text that the trip went so well that he already has plans to return for an official visit.

Rutherford plans to take his official visit to Oklahoma for the UCLA game.

– In terms of DB numbers, I’m told Oklahoma would like to take four defensive backs. Two safeties and two cornerbacks. Obviously, they already have Jamal Morris (S) and Jarrian Jones (multiple positions) in the boat.

They like where they stand with stand with multiple guys from this past weekend.

Dax Hill will be a take regardless. In other words, if they get four guys committed they will shut it down with the exception of Dax. That is, in my opinion, the right move. Outside of Derek Stingley at cornerback, there isn’t a DB like Dax. – (Super K)

 

 

– Oklahoma has made recruiting the greater Washington D.C. area a priority in recent years. Landing guys like Abdul Adams, Charles Tapper, Parnell Motley and William Johnson, to name a few, has paid dividends for the program.

The one thing OU didn’t have on staff was a coach with really strong ties to the DMV area. They do now, with newly hired special teams coach Shane Beamer. Beamer was a long-time assistant on his fathers Virginia Tech staff which made the DMV area a major priority, and Shane was one of their strongest recruiters.

You can really see the plan starting to unfold as Beamer offered two elite 2020 St John College HS defensive players in defensive back, Luke Ford and DE/OLB Mekhail Sherman. Both are not only two of the most highly recruited players in the DMV area, but two of the most highly recruited players in all of the 2020 class.

I first spoke with Ford who told me that he spoke with Beamer and Sooners defensive back coach, Kerry Cooks, for about 30 minutes. Ford said the conversation went well and they talked a lot about why OU was really interested in him before extending the offer.

When it comes to a visit, Ford said he was already in the process of setting up a summer visit to OU saying, “the visit would happen probably in July.”

Being offered wasn’t the only thing about OU that has caught his eye. Ford said he was well aware of the amount of commits OU has received over the last few days; “The way they are recruiting is very impressive and getting all of those commits makes a huge difference. It shows progress and also shows me that OU is the place to be right now.”

Ford said that Clemson is the other school that has really caught his eye and he will visit the Tigers in June.

 

The other offer, Mekhail Sherman, spoke with Beamer as well. Sherman said, “Coach Beamer said he loved my tape and the way I played, so he extended me an offer to one of the best schools in the Big 12 and the nation.”

Sherman also noted that he would like to take a visit to OU this summer. He currently has visits set up to Penn State on May 5th and Georgia on May 11th and 12th.

I asked Sherman what he knew about OU and he said, “I know a lot about OU football. Actually looking up their academics as we speak, but I know their offense is lethal.”

Sherman said he would let us know the date of his OU visit later on when it is fully scheduled, but did end the conversation saying,”Everyone is on the same level right now. I am just looking forward to taking my visits so I can decide.”

OU fans are hoping he gets to Norman soon.

Note: This is all new as OU is just now getting full use out of Beamer’s connection in the DMV area. The hope is that they become a fixture there. Beamer is an elite recruiter and known in that area so his name holds a lot of weight. I’d be patient and let it all play out. Oklahoma will get a few down the road in my opinion. – (Brandon)

 

 

– I’ve had seen 2019 TX linebacker, Marcel Brooks this offseason multiple times in t-shirt events. He’s the best linebacker in the state of Texas and I’m not sure it’s close. He’s another guy who is instinctive, violent (even in 7v7) and when he puts his foot in the ground and wants to get there, he gets there…fast and with bad intentions.

There was a point early in the recruiting process where the Sooners were the favorite for Brooks. But Brooks eventually turned his attention elsewhere, going so far as to narrow things down to Alabama and LSU.

It seems Oklahoma felt, it was best to move on to other targets.

I spoke with a source who tells me Oklahoma is back in touch with Brooks and have resumed their recruitment of the elite talent. Brooks confirmed that this was indeed the case.

At this point, I don’t know if OU will find their way back in the mix with Alabama and LSU sitting on top but it appears both parties are ready to resume discussions.

I should also note that I’ve been told Oklahoma is no longer pursuing Houston area OLB, Nelson Ceaser. It’s clear Oklahoma feels confident in someone. – (Super K)

 

 

– This past weekend, the Sooners hosted a number of Official Visitors in the 2019 class for their Spring Game which is something that just started this year. Prior to this year, prospects had to wait until the fall to take officials. You are obviously well aware by now that the hard work by Lincoln Riley and Co. paid off as they reeled in seven commits over the weekend and more have followed since then.

Amongst those official visitors was 2019 Conroe, TX Oak Ridge OT Tyler Johnson, who came up on the visit with his parents. The Johnson’s have visited Norman on a number of occasions already going back to last fall, but with this visit being an official, it was much longer. The visit got started on Friday around noon Mrs. Johnson said, and started a busy schedule. This was the day of celebrating Bob Stoops and his statue reveal, so as a result of that, a lot of former players were in town. The Johnsons got to meet a long list of players which included Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford, Lane Johnson and more.

Funny side story that Mrs. Johnson told me when I asked if they got to talk with Bob Stoops at all; ‘We didn’t get too at his celebration Friday but back in November when we visited for the TCU game on Tyler’s birthday, we saw Stoops,’ Mrs. Johnson explained. ‘I yelled out Coach Stoops. And he turned around and saw Tyler and said, “Tyler Johnson, we need you here,” she said laughing. Even though he’s retired, recruiting for the Sooners is just in his blood.

Their host on the visit was Redshirt-Freshman OT Adrian Ealy, who Mrs. Johnson said she could not believe is 18. She mentioned that Tyler and Ealy hit it off really well and got along great. Friday and Saturday night, Tyler got the chance to hang out with Ealy along with other official visitors and current players. Being around the other official visitors and their families, discussing recruiting and more is something Mrs. Johnson said they enjoyed.

As far as the game goes, Mrs. Johnson said the atmosphere felt like a real game with how many people were there. Before the game was over though, they were taken to speak with Professors about whatever they were looking to major in. For Tyler and his family, they were the only family at the engineering table so they got to have a good conversation with the professor. They also got the chance to spend about 45-minutes with Coach Riley in his office for some one-on-one time.

Sunday was a day spent at Lincoln Riley’s house along with all of the coaching staff and their wives along with the other official visitors and families. Mrs. Johnson talked about how nice it was getting to speak with Mrs. Riley along with Bedenbaugh and his wife as well. This relationship has been going on for two-years between the coaching staff and the Johnson’s, so the familiarity and comfortability is there. One thing Mrs. Johnson mentioned a few times was that every time they visit Oklahoma, it just seems like everyone is family. She also mentioned that for it being the first Spring officials which have taken place, the Sooners, and in particular Annie Hanson, did a really good job all around with the visit. Coach Simmons is a coach she mentioned who is always good to catch up with and she also mentioned having good conversations over the weekend with Ruffin McNeil, who she said is a good story teller.

All in all, Oklahoma did nothing to hurt where they stand with the Johnson’s and they remain high up on their list of schools. And of course, it never hurts when a recruits mom says the football program seems like a big family. However, don’t be surprised if Texas is to get the Johnson’s next official visit. – (Alex)

 

 

– The Sooners have made massive strides in the state of Florida over the last several years. Oklahoma has landed elite players such as Marquise Brown, K’Jakyre Daley, Nic Bonitto, Bookie (FL/CA) TJ Pledger (FL/CA) and Miguel Edwards from the Sunshine State.

Those recruiting wins have spurred some pipelines in south Florida that Oklahoma is hoping will continue to pay off for the foreseeable future. So far, it looks to be doing just that as Oklahoma landed elite 2020 Deerfield Beach (FL), Running Back, Jaylan Knighton this past weekend while he was on his unofficial visit.

Knighton came to Norman knowing the success of running backs that hail from OU, but what really sold him was the feeling of being comfortable, “It felt like I was at home. That’s why I made the move.”

That comfort level is something we have heard from almost every player that has committed, or visited, in the last several months. Knighton is hoping that comfort and “feeling of home” is something his teammates, 2020 Wide Receiver Deajuan McDougle and 2019 Linebacker Gemon Eaford, feel about the Sooners as well, “I am really trying to land my guys Deajuan and Gemon to join me.”

Even if they don’t, that doesn’t seem to be something Knighton is to worried about as he has already begun making plans to return for the UCLA game on September 8th for another unofficial visit to OU.

As Knighton and I ended the conversation he asked that I tell Sooners fans this, “I am happy to be a part of University of Oklahoma and Boomer!”

One has assume that Oklahoma fans are happy to have Jaylan Knighton too. – (Brandon)