Open Post | Weekend, March 5th – 7th
Posted on: March 5, 2021
Malik Agbo | In-Person Initial Update
– Super K
Sooners recently offered 2022 offensive lineman, Malik Agbo out Federal Way, Washington (Todd Beamer HS).
I recently saw Agbo at a 7v7 event. Yes, that’s right. At 6’5 300+ lbs he plays tight end for a select 7v7 team (Team Heir).
In my initial conversation with Agbo I wanted to get a sense of where he’s at in his recruitment and some of the schools he’s considering.
With the dead period persisting, he’s still only visited Oregon, USC and Washington (pre-Covid). So, he still seems to be figuring things out.
In terms of the Sooners he said, “Oklahoma it’s another good school, one of my more recent offers. Talking with coach Bedenbaugh has been awesome. I’m starting to build that relationship and learn more about Oklahoma because I didn’t know much about Oklahoma. I just knew they have a really good football program but now I’m getting to know those guys more.”
He said that he and his mom did recently do a virtual visit with Oklahoma, “it was nice the way they preach and emphasize academics which is a big thing. That’s a thing I look into because you can only play the game for so long.”
Again, without visits he still seems fairly open. He wants to narrow his list down by the summer time so it’ll just be a matter of a OU and coach Bedenbaugh working on that relationship. You know coach B is going to outwork other guys and build a bond with Malik and his family.
As of right now, Malik seems content waiting for visits to open up so he can take a few.
Alabama and LSU will be players in his recruitment. He has long standing relationships with them. He said he really likes LSU but I think that’s based on what he thinks Baton Rouge and the culture at LSU is. The question will be whether his perception of what they are matches a reality when he gets down there.
Malik is a fun loving guy but serious about making it to the league. He feels like the type of guy that would vibe with coach Bedenbaugh and Oklahoma. Just a gut sense.
But again, I think it’s still early and right now it’s really more about chopping wood which the Sooners are doing.
The Latest | 2022 Lexington DB Jarred Kerr
– CJ Vogel
I was able to catch up with one of my favorite prospects in the 2022 class – Jarred Kerr out of Lexington, TX.
There has been a lot of movement since the last time that I posted about Kerr. At the time of my last post on February 11, I said the following:
I do think OU has some work to do in this recruitment but they are certainly in the mix. By the sounds of things, Baylor, Texas and A&M are going to really be after Kerr.
I know there was conflicting reports following saying the Sooners were one of the schools Kerr had been in contact with the most, but he told me yesterday that there was a four week window where he did not hear from the Sooners’ staff at all. But the Sooners’ staff has reconnected and is in communication once again.
“Coming now towards the end, everyone they are recruiting now is someone they want in the class, that they want or need,” Kerr said about the Sooners. “That’s big. They were probably my first big school offer, like top-tier program. They’ve been with it the whole time, so that says something, except that little break.”
With the Sooners back in constant communication, I asked Kerr to revisit what it was about the Sooners that really piqued his interest to begin with. He said two things really stood out: #SpeedD and winning.
“What is it six straight (Big 12 titles)? That’s crazy to me that you can go out and win six straight,” Kerr said. “It shows that they are always the best.”
Aside from Oklahoma, one of the biggest players in this recruitment comes out of Waco. Baylor was one of the first schools to offer Kerr and they have been throwing the kitchen sink at him to earn his pledge.
“I feel like Baylor is probably (recruiting) me the hardest,” Kerr said. “They have the whole coaching staff texting me through out the week, even the offensive side… I get on with (Baylor head coach Dave) Aranda once a week.”
Texas A&M is another team to look out for. Kerr mentioned being recruited by new Aggie commit Bobby Taylor as well. As for that team down south that can’t seem to keep out of the headlines for their school song, Kerr said the communication with Texas coaching staff has dwindled over the last couple of weeks.
Moving forward, Kerr mentioned a top schools to come in the next month or so after he releases his junior tape. I expect a pretty large group of schools to be included in that group, though OU, Baylor and Texas A&M are the three I am really keeping my eye on for the duration of this recruitment.
2022 OT Target George Fitzpatrick | 4-Star Sleeper | Visit Note
– Super K
A name you probably haven’t heard much is that of 2022 OT, George Fitzpatrick out of Colorado (Cherry Creek).
But, I think he’s a guy you are going to hear more about in the near future. It sounds like the Sooners are making a big push for the athletic tackle.
Earlier today, I spoke with a staff member over at Cherry Creek and was told that George and his father were actually in Norman recently for a self-guided tour.
This kid reminds of Lane Johnson. George started out as a tight end and is now an ultra athletic big tall tackle.
George seems to keep his recruitment pretty quiet but I gather that there are a lot of major programs recruiting him. As Charlie said to me, “if there’s such things as a 4-star sleeper, this is him”.
The Sooners are very much in this one. I’ll have more on this later.
Update | 2022 Carthage LB Kip Lewis
– CJ Vogel
Made this post for both sides so y’all will get a look at what each school is looking in the race for Lewis’ services. Both Texas and OU figure to be big players in this recruitment.
On my excursion around bEast Texas yesterday, I was able to catch up with 2022 Carthage LB Kip Lewis. Coming off a 14-0 season where he was the leading tackler for the State Champion Carthage Bulldogs, it is easy to see why his recruitment is starting to blow up.
Right now, Lewis is hearing from schools all over the area. Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and LSU are really after the rising linebacker.
We’ll start with the Oklahoma side of things, as Kip is scheduled to meet virtually with the Sooners staff Wednesday evening. He says he is in communication with Coach Brian Odom, the inside linebackers coach at OU.
“I like him, he’s pretty funny,” Lewis said. “We always can connect football wise, that’s what I like about him.”
Lewis added he Coach Odom has pitched being Kenneth Murray 2.0 if he were to commit to the Sooners. With Murray being selected 23rd overall in last year’s draft, it is an easy sell going the Sooners’ direction.
I mentioned OU having a virtual visit planned with Lewis for Wednesday evening, but Lewis mentioned plans to visit Norman in person during his spring break which falls two weeks from now.
As for the Longhorns, Lewis said the staff has been after him hard recently. He added that he is “ready to see their new system” being brought in by former Washington defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Lewis said he is going to evaluate the scheme and play style this fall to see if he believes he will be a good fit in the Longhorns’ defense.
For the time being, Co-DC Jeff Choate is the main recruiter for Lewis. He said he has not been in contact with Steve Sarkisian all too often, but the relationship with Choate is strong.
“He’s funny, we’re always laughing at something,” said Lewis, who has a very lively personality. “Me and Coach (Blake) Gideon always talk a lot and I like them a lot.”
Lewis added that Gideon’s perspective of being a former player at Texas has allowed for an added perspective to what the university can provide.
I get the feeling this recruitment will go pretty far into the cycle. Lewis is still evaluating a number of schools and will be studying business in college. He and his dad have yet to really sit down and make a true pros and cons list surrounding all of his big contenders and until that happens, I am not anticipating a move.
However, I will say that if Lewis is able to visit Norman and the visit goes well, I would begin to lean ever so slightly to the Sooners’ favor. I don’t believe it’s a done-deal should the visit go well, but the combination of the Kenneth Murray-pitch, Lewis’ relationship with Coach Odom and the familiarity with the visits, both virtual and in-person, tell me he is very serious about Oklahoma.
On the other hand, Carthage has been rather friendly to the Longhorns in recent years with former RB Keaontay Ingram and WR Kelvontay Dixon both having been Bulldogs before signing with Texas.
The coaching staff at Carthage raved about Lewis as a football player and athlete. They said he’s probably the fastest kid on the team and one of the best to come ever through Carthage.
Harold Perkins | Quick-Hitter
– Super K
I spoke with the coach of 2022 5-star linebacker, Harold Perkins.
I went to see Harold last month when some of the rumors started to go around about him possibly committing to Texas A&M. That was not the case.
In fact, I got the sense Harold was still very open.
I’m told he’s still set on waiting till the summer to even consider a commitment. Big thing for Harold is he wants to meet coaches in person. He wants to look them in the eye.
2022 Texarkana OLB Derrick Brown Opens Up on Recruitment
– CJ Vogel
All the way up in Texarkana is one of the biggest risers of the 2022 class, OLB Derrick Brown.
With 22 offers already under his belt, Brown is getting hit from schools all over the country. Even with a full list of offers, schools are still getting involved and hoping to enter the sweepstakes for the 6-foot-5-inch and 211 pound prospect.
“I’m still excited about every offer that I get because it’s a better chance of me putting myself out there,” Brown said. “It’s a better chance for other colleges to see that I have potential to do what other players are doing too.”
As for who is hitting him up the most, Brown said Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona State, Baylor, and Kentucky are really after him. Brown said he is supposed to be virtually visiting the Sooners Wednesday evening and was on the phone with Coach Jamar Cain prior to me arriving in Texarkana.
On the Texas side of things, Co-DC Jeff Choate has been leading the charge here. In fact, after my conversation with Brown, he hopped on the phone with Choate and told me that Texas is really starting to turn up the heat for him. Brown told me the Longhorns have really emphasized how much they are prioritizing him as a guy they cannot let get away in this cycle.
As for the Sooners. Brown told me his communication with the Sooner staff “skips days” but is constant enough to where he doesn’t have a problem with it.
“Man, they have a good program,” Brown said of the Sooners. “And Clayton (Smith) is there, he’s not letting me go anywhere else.”
Smith, who signed with the Sooners and his currently on campus now after enrolling in January, was a teammate of Brown’s last season at Texarkana. He said the two have remained close and actually hopped on a FaceTime call with Clayton and Coach Cain the other day.
Brown mentioned Texas A&M and Auburn as two schools that were starting to hit him up as well. I asked him if the allure of the SEC was going to play a factor in his recruitment.
“The SEC, it will push me to my potential,” Brown said. “But as far as where I am going to go, it really doesn’t matter. I just want to go to where it fits me best and make me the best me.”
Brown is still very open with his recruitment. I didn’t get the sense there was a true leader for him at the time and expect this recruitment to extend well into the cycle.
It is worth noting that he will virtually visit Colorado on Thursday. I should also include that he has only visited Baylor, which he did in person with Clayton Smith before the shutdown. Brown added that Joey McGuire, Baylor’s Associate Head Coach (OLB Coach) is the coach he said is really coming after him the hardest so far.
Arizona State is another school to keep an eye on. Antonio Pierce has caught Brown’s attention and is hanging around for the time being. Distance does not matter for Brown so really, it is anyone’s game.
Malachi Nelson | In-Person
– Super K
Earlier this week, I stopped by Los Alamitos high school to see 2023 quarterback, Malachi Nelson. As you’ll recall, I saw Malachi play a few weeks back in a private full contact league out here in California and he was incredible.
Los Alamitos has a bunch of a D1 guys and whether it was in team or 7v7, he marched the troops down the field with accurate pass after accurate pass.
He’s also a sudden athlete in the run game. He can move.
Nelson is the de facto 2022 OU quarterback target. In speaking with Malachi’s father, Eric, he tells me that Lincoln Riley has let them know that should Malachi commit to OU, the Sooners will not take a 2022 quarterback.
Last week, I mentioned that Malachi did a virtual visit with the Sooners. I spoke to Malachi’s father, Eric, about the visit and it’s impact on their recruitment.
Eric said they were “blown away” by the virtual visit.
“Man, they made us feel like home. The videos they put together were very high quality. There were presentations that were tailored specifically to Malachi. It felt real. It felt natural. It felt professional. We were able to see the facilities, get an idea of the town, the school, the education. Probably about ten of their staff and the AD was there, as well. So, it had a real professional feel…I was blown away”.
When they talk about the draw to Oklahoma, obviously coach Riley is at the top of the list. Malachi is gifted. He’s a championship level quarterback and according to folks out here he may end up being the best to come out of southern cal in a while. So, the family is looking for someone who can maximize Malachi’s many God-given gifts.
Eric emphasized that one of the difference’s with Lincoln isn’t just his ability to get quarterbacks drafted, “not only Lincoln’s ability to get quarterbacks to the league but them starting and being successful in the league speaks for itself”.
In other words, they’re seeing the success that Baker, Kyler and even now Jalen Hurts are having and they feel like this speaks to the fact that Lincoln’s coaching resonates beyond a college career. I thought this was a notable take because of the knocks on a lot of Leach tree guys was that their quarterbacks were productive in college but didn’t have very successful careers at the next level. Even USC in their heyday had some great college quarterbacks that didn’t necessarily have the best careers in the NFL.
This was something that I hadn’t thought much about, myself. I thought it was a compelling case for Lincoln and it clearly is from Malachi and his family.
Eric didn’t mention a timeline but they plan on narrowing things down very soon. I don’t think this commitment is going to drag out. They plan on visiting Norman in June but for all I know they could announce a decision well before that or right after that. It seems like they want to get things wrapped up fairly quickly. So, even though Malachi is a 2023 quarterback, he seems to be on a 2022 timeline.
Also of note, there are going to be multiple major 2023 prospects playing with Malachi at Los Alamitos. So, if the Sooners are able to land him, it could help with some other players, as well.
ChampU22 | Linebacker Big Board
– Charlie S
Continuing with the rollout of the OU Big Boards.
Currently posting the ’22 recruits who hold Oklahoma offers.
There will be additional names added to most position groups as names of interest as we get deeper into the cycle.
***Linebackers***
Kobie McKinzie – Lubbock-Cooper (Lubbock, TX) – OU Commit
Shawn Murphy – Unity Reed (Manassas, VA)
Xavier Simmons – Northwest Guilford (Greensboro, NC)
Justin Medlock – Manvel (Manvel, TX)
Harold Perkins – Cy Park (Cypress, TX)
Dylan Reid – Hallandale (Hallandale, FL)
Jaylen Sneed – Hilton Head (Hilton Head Island, SC)
David Bailey – Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
Devon Jackson – Burke (Omaha, NE)
Keaten Wade – Summit (Spring Hill, TN)
Martrell Harris – The Woodlands (The Woodlands, TX)
Kip Lewis – Carthage (Carthage, TX)
Ish Harris – Pilot Point (Pilot Point, TX)
Linebacker Bottom Line:
The Sooners already have Kobie McKinzie in the fold for the 2022 class and you could not ask for a much better start than that. McKinzie has long been my favorite front seven defensive player in the state of Texas and no matter what the rankings say (as they fluctuate from time to time), he is one of the best linebackers in the country. Period.
My only question with Kobie is…will he eventually outgrow his interior position and become a wrecking ball off the edge, or will he be an exceptional-sized mobile guy in the middle? That will all play itself out, but as of right now, I see OU having a high-impact MIKE heading to Norman in January of ’22. Stellar job by Brian Odom there as both Kobie and his father Will can attest to.
The Sooners will lose Caleb Kelly and could potentially lose David Ugwoegbu, Brian Asamoah, and DaShaun White following the ’21 season and while I do not see them all leaving, you never know what will happen, particularly if the unit has a big year.
With that in mind, I think you will likely see the Sooners take at least one more, and possibly two more interior linebackers. The list of guys they offered is loaded with a lot of potential to be successful at the P5 level.
Some of the names I would pay close attention to right now would be Medlock, Simmons, Perkins, Sneed, Lewis, and Harris.
Having things open up visit-wise would help a lot with guys like Simmons and Sneed, so hopefully, the NCAA will not extend the dead period once again, or perhaps they could even lift it early. You never know what those geniuses will do. But if the visits open up in June and OU has the opportunity to get some of these guys on campus, things could fill up quickly.
Feels like this could be a situation where OU takes another ILB in the near future and then they will have the opportunity to be very, very picky in regards to potentially adding a third guy to the class down the line.
