Open Post | Weekend, May 21st – 23rd
Posted on: May 20, 2021
The Current Recruiting Landscape
– Super K – Posted on: May 17, 2021
Just wanted to pass on a note here to give you all a sense of where things are in the recruiting world, at the moment.
Things have been pretty quiet as of late and we anticipate it to continue to be a bit quiet for just a bit longer. This is going to be the calm before the storm.
The coaches have been given time off so they are on vacation. There are a number of players who are going to be looking to make their decisions in June and July. Once the visits begin in June, the coaches are back and the players are back it’s going to be all hands on deck.
Should be a pretty intense and exciting month or two just before fall camp starts. Sooners are going to have a chance to add some really nice pieces to their 2022 and 2023 classes. And, of course, it’s always fun to hear how the players on campus are doing over the summer during workouts.
Visitor Note | 2023 RB Rueben Owens
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 14, 2021
The Sooners will get an unofficial visit from 2023 El Campo, TX, running back and Texas commit Rueben Owens (5’11 185) on the weekend of June 18th.
Owens tweeted out that he plans on taking numerous visits recently and he let me know that he would be in Norman on June 18th.
Just something to keep an eye on as it is obvious that Owens, while verbally committed to Texas, will be keeping his eyes open and for a while there, it sounded like OU was out in front prior to his commitment.
Update | ’22 EDGE Derrick Brown Cutting Things Down
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 18, 2021
***Sooners EDGE target Derrick Brown (6’4″) out of Texas high in Texarkana, TX will be cutting things down with an official top school list.
***I expect the number to be 8 and I can tell you the Sooners will make the cut.
***Brown was high school teammates with Sooners EDGE Clayton Smith at Texas High
***He will be very active on the visit front in June with official visits set to Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor while planning an unofficial visit to OU in the middle (not the BBQ weekend).
***Brown plans on officially visiting Norman for the Nebraska game in September.
***The visits will go a long way in helping Derrick cut his list down further as he looks to make his decision. The fact that OU is getting an official in September and an unofficial planned for June could work out well for them if they really push for his signature.
Visitor Note | 2022 DB Zion Branch
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 18, 2021
The Sooners add another big visitor to the June 18th weekend as 2022 DB Zion Branch (6’2.5 190) confirms he will be in Norman on an official visit.
Back in February Super K reported that Zion and Jovantae Barnes were hoping to visit in April, but that plan fell through and the focus shifted to June as K mentioned in the linked article.
We had not heard much about OU and Branch of late, so this did come as a bit of a surprise when the rumors of a visit reached us this afternoon.
The fact that Branch is taking an official is pretty noteworthy though as for a while, it sounded like OU and he had gone their separate ways.
Super K will be working on getting some additional information on this situation, but that is pretty solid news for the Sooners no doubt.
DB Updates | Possible Surprise Visitor
– Super K – Posted on: May 19, 2021
***As Charlie noted yesterday, Sooners are set to host 2022 DB Zion Branch (Las Vegas, NV).
Branch will be on his official visit the same weekend a couple of other Vegas players including Jovantae Barnes will be on unofficial visits. I do think that could help the Sooners.
However, word we’ve heard from our west coast contacts is it’s going to take a lot to pull Branch away from USC. A source close to Branch tells me he likes the Sooners but still thinks SC is the leader and the Sooners will need a home run on this visit to change that.
***Word down here is that 2022 TAMU DB commit, Bobby Taylor (Katy, TX) is eyeing a possible visit to the Sooners. Still trying to find out how serious he is about the Sooners.
At one point, prior to his TAMU commitment, we believed the Sooners were very much in the mix, so while word about a visit possibility surprised me, I suppose it is understandable.
Potential for a Very Good OL Class | Top Targets
– Super K – Posted on: May 20, 2021
This isn’t an exhaustive list but wanted to discuss some of the Sooners offensive line targets. Coach B has locked in on some exceptional talent in this class. If things fall his way, this could very well be his best yet.
***Jake Taylor (Las Vegas, NV) – Absolutely incredible feet and quickness. Built very lean for 280 lbs. Taylor is one of my favorites. Family is OU fans. I spent some time in Vegas visiting with him and his father and as we’ve said for a while, OU has a really good shot here. Sooners are in a fight here against Alabama and Notre Dame. Bama is always a threat. When Saban decides to turn up the heat it can be tough but this is one OU can win. I’d expect a decision pretty soon after his June OVs. He has already been to OU on a self-guided game visit. So, this will be a return visit.
***George Fitzpatrick (Englewood, CO) – Similar to Jake Taylor in that he is also extremely well put together and athletic for his size. I spent a good while with Fitzpatrick in Colorado and have spoken with his father, as well. Sooners are squarely in the mix.
He did a few self-guided tours earlier this year which included trips to OU, Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan. Fitzpatrick will be in Norman this summer. Fitzpatrick has previously told me he wants to take his official visits this summer and then possibly commit sometime in July. I very much like OU’s chances in this one as well. Not a slam dunk but very winnable for OU.
***Malik Agbo, Dave Iuli and Josh Conerly Jr. (Washington) – The Sooners have three offers out to talented offensive linemen in Washington.
Agbo and Iuli are set to visit this summer. Conerly (future first rounder IMO by the way) is waiting till the season to take his visits. His baby sister is being born this June.
Too early to say what kind of chances OU has in these. All three have spoken highly of OU but until they really visit, it’s tough to predict. I do think that while Agbo has told me he really likes LSU, I think much of that is based on what he thinks LSU is. I have a feeling he will note the difference between the perception of LSU and reality. OU feels like more Agbo’s speed.
If the Sooners can pull any one of these three it would be fantastic and it’s certainly a good sign that Bedenbaugh offered all three and has all three visiting at some point.
***Cam Williams (Duncanville) – A massive young man. This is a guy Bedenbaugh is uniquely equipped to develop into a special talent. Coach Samples over at Duncanville has raved about Williams to me on multiple occasions. Bedenbaugh and he seem like a good fit. He’s set to decide this summer after his official visits.
This one felt like a slam dunk to OU until Texas offered late. Still have to think the Sooners are in a better position given Cam’s connection to 2021 signee Savion Byrd and the relationship and length of time he’s known the Sooners staff. But we aren’t counting Texas out just yet given he is an in-state prospect for them and once offered he promptly set up an official visit to see them. Again, another prospect here where the Sooners should know their fate shortly after the visits, this summer.
***Jacob Sexton (Deer Creek) – Normally this would be a slam dunk. Sexton is an in-state kid. Sexton has a top five which includes: OU, Alabama, TAMU, Oklahoma State and Texas.
The two things that give us a little pause here (though I still suspect he ends up in Norman) are the fact that Alabama is involved. Again, Bama is always tough. Once Nick Saban decides he wants a player and he goes all in, people listen. Sexton has set up a visit to Bama for this summer.
The other issue is Sexton’s father is originally from Texas and grew up a Texas fan. So there may be some split loyalties in terms of fandom in the household.
Again, I still like OU here but like the other cases above, there is something to watch.
***The above list isn’t an exhaustive OL target list but it represents some of my personal favorites and I think OU has a very real chance with all of these guys. A class with any combination of the players above and in my opinion it would potentially be coach B’s best since he’s arrived in Norman.
