Open Post | Weekend, May 7th – 9th
Posted on: May 7, 2021
Post Spring Practice | Position Groups of Strength
– Charlie S
Following the wrap-up of Spring Practice, I was thinking about the depth and quality of position groups for the Sooners as they head into the ’21 season.
It was pretty startling to me the way it broke down in my head, so I had to put it in print to get your thoughts.
I will list the position groups which I feel are the deepest and most talented rooms at the top and work down the ladder.
1. Give me the Quarterback room as the deepest and most talented. Yes, I know it’s a one-man position ‘group’ generally, but when you have two number one quarterbacks in their respective classes plus passable 3rd and 4th options, you have perhaps the most talented QB room in the country. I don’t see how anyone can make a case for any other QB room in college football right now. Rattler delivered a great freshman season last year and is expected to be the Heisman front runner heading into the season and if he wasn’t the Heisman front runner…you may have actually had a QB controversy on your hands as Caleb Williams has drawn rave reviews about his talent, work ethic, and leadership.
Here is where it gets interesting…
2. I’ll go with the Defensive Line (including RUSH), but it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Every defensive unit could make a claim for this spot. Every one of them. Wild. I will take the defensive line because they have already proven that they were the best unit on the field for the Sooners on a consistent basis last year and while they lost Ronnie Perkins, they gained Jalen Redmond back. Winfrey, Thomas, Redmond, and Bonitto are a stout group and you have enough quality understudies right now who have the potential to shine (mainly Grimes, Smith, and even Stripling on the EDGE) that they come in as my second deepest and talented unit.
3. Give me the Inside Linebacker room in the third spot. The quick transformation of that room is nothing less than stunning. You look at the depth chart and you see 5-6 quality options for the two spots. Asamoah and Ugwoegbu will be my stars but then you have guys like DaShaun White, Caleb Kelly, Shane Whitter and the incoming Danny Stutsman. Loaded room with a ton of quality and potential.
This is where it gets tricky…
4. I could easily go a number of different ways here, but it came down to the offensive line, the defensive backs, and the wider receivers. At the end of the day (a little nod to Bob Stoops there) I’m heading into uncharted territory as I will take the Defensive Back group in the fourth spot. I love the depth and I love the athleticism across the board outside of one projected starter (Fields) who happens to be a 3 year starter. DTY is a guy I think that will likely get drafted and both the projected starting corners (Woodi and Graham) are eventual draft picks in my opinion. You have a very good 2 deep at each position and in some cases (corner) you have a legit 3-deep of quality. Bowman and Criddell (right now) are the candidates at Nickel, and I think that will be a strength and I wouldn’t be shocked to see an addition to that room from a guy like Harrington or even Harmon. Deep, deep unit which is just a ‘little’ lite at safety but you have BWash, Key Lawrence and Kendal Dennis back there.
I was shocked that I had the three levels of defense in the 2-3-4 spots following the quarterback room…shocked.
5. The fifth spot for me is a tie…between the Offensive Line and the Wide Receivers. Both are loaded with potential, but both have serious questions based on last year’s performance. On paper, the Wide Receiver room should be in the top three units on the team. They have multiple five-star guys, established interior guys, a new experienced addition via the portal and the young potential phenom in Mario Williams. But in large part, they are a question mark until proven otherwise. Basically the same can be said for the Offensive Line group.. Disappointing 2020 season, but a ton (I mean a TON) of potential. While there are no consensus five stars, there is a boatload of high four stars and a nice mix of experience and youth. Either one of these groups could be in the top three position groups in any other year for the Sooners. Right now, they have a lot to prove.
7. The Running Back room is talented. Coming in seventh out of seven typically would signify some severe issues. There aren’t any real issues really…they are just really low on numbers (right now) and they don’t have the ‘take your breath away’ type back (again, right now, let’s see what Gray brings to the table). Kind of wild that you have two runningbacks, who could quite possibly both be drafted next year…yet they are the seventh rated unit, in my opinion, out of seven units total.
Interested in your thoughts!
Mailbag | Possible Transfer Running Back
– Super K
Charlie brought to my attention that some of you were asking about the former OU target and current LSU running back, Kevontre Bradford.
As far as I know, Bradford is not in the portal. However, I did hear back in December that it was something under consideration.
I also have heard that if Bradford were to leave, OU would be the preferred landing spot.
As far as Oklahoma goes, they obviously cannot contact Bradford. So there isn’t much to say on that front other than I have been told they are looking for a possible transfer running back. So, I suppose if Bradford were to enter the portal he might be someone they’d consider.
I am told that Bradford plans on making a decision on whether to enter the portal or not by the end of this week.
Visit Update on Derrick Moore
– Super K
***One of the Sooners top 2022 DE targets is Derrick Moore out of Maryland (St. Frances Academy).
A while back we reported that Moore had scheduled his official visit to Oklahoma for the Western Carolina game early in the season. (Receipt Here)
I am now hearing that there is a possibility Moore will also take an unofficial visit to Oklahoma for the big OU BBQ weekend on the 18th-20th.
***Also, it sounds like 2022 DE Kenyatta Jackson will also switch his official visit date in order to visit for the OU BBQ weekend. OU had hoped to get him for the BBQ on an unofficial visit and then an official for the Nebraska game. I’m now told that it will be an official for the BBQ with a possibility of a return visit as unofficial but that is yet to be confirmed. (Receipt Here)
Makai Lemon | Trending
– Super K
As we first reported, 2022 5-star QB Malachi Nelson and 2022 5-star ATH Makai Lemon not only planning on playing together in college but also plan on being in Norman for the BBQ this summer. Their families are close friends and it sounds like they will travel to Norman together.
One of my concerns for OU as it relates to Malachi was whether they’d be able to land Makai. Makai comes from a family of athletes. If I recall correctly he has professional baseball players in his family. And he’s a Southern California kid so USC has some advantages there.
And let me say, you want to land Makai Lemon. Not just because it helps with Malachi. Makai is an absolute stud in his own right. He can do it on both sides of the ball and his acceleration and instincts are…wow. Think of an even better Billy Bowman.
I had a couple people reach out to me this week including a source out in Cali and tell me that OU is trending for Makai. Sure the possibility of OU landing him has been there but it sounds like that possibility has gotten stronger, as of late.
TweetDeck | 2023 QB Malachi Nelson – Reminder
– Charlie S
From Super K on April 28th
‘I am told that Malachi Nelson is beginning to get a sense of his decision date. It sounds like he’s hoping to target July 18th as the day he’d like to announce his commitment.
Obviously, that will only be valid if he feels he has a decision by then but based on what I’m hearing from his camp, it sounds like they feel they’ll be ready to announce by then.
By that time they will have had a chance to take their visits. They have a visit to OU set up and that will be big. While they really like OU, Malachi and Makai Lemon want to play together. They’re both southern Cal kids and so a big part of the trip to Norman will be to see if they can see themselves in Norman for their college careers.
Clemson is also making a push to get Malachi on campus for a visit this summer. Does not sound like that is locked in yet though. I’m told it’s still up in the air whether that happens.’
Tonight on Twitter, the rest of the country found out 2023 Quarterback Malachi Nelson’s plans…
So it may have been breaking to the rest of the Sooner Nation and other online communities…but not y’all ?
Jihaad Campbell Visiting
– Super K
It sounds like the Sooners to have yet another high profile visitor in for the June 18th-20th BBQ weekend.
I’m told that 4-star DE, Jihaad Campbell out of IMG Academy by way of New Jersey will take an official visit to OU for that big weekend.
Campbell does have a top-eight which includes: OU, Georgia, Clemson, Rutgers, Penn State, Florida, Texas A&M and Ohio State.
Visit Note | 2022 DB Azareyeh Thomas
– Charlie S
***Touched base with 2022 defensive back Azareyeh Thomas (6’2″ 180) out of Niceville, FL earlier today.
***The Sooners offered Thomas back in September of 2020 and they made his top schools list which he put out in early April.
***I reached out to see if Thomas had a visit to Norman in the works for this summer and he said “Yessir, that’s what I am planning right now!”
***To nobody’s surprise, the weekend he is planning to visit…June 18th.
***He has not officially locked it in with OU right now but he plans on hammering out the details next week and hopes to make it work.
***I will add him to the working list in the morning, and list him as ‘Possible’ until he gives me confirmation one way or the other.
June 18th Summer Visit Weekend | Working List
– Charlie S
As you all know, the Sooners are planning on hosting a massive visit weekend on June 18th. We have broken a ton of names of guys who plan on being at the event.
Below you will find our working list on those names we have already brought you previously.
This list will change (obviously it already has) but I wanted to give you guys a picture of the scope of the size of the weekend as it stands more than a month out.
Just because you do not see a name on here, it does not mean that they may not be planning on heading to Norman that weekend. It just means we are waiting on additional confirmation/information to add them to the working list.
I will update this thread and bump it to the top as the days and weeks go by.
(I am sure I missed a name or two which we have already discussed. If you notice an omission, please mention the name in the comment section)
DB – Chace Biddle – Official
DB – Myles Pollard – Official
WR – Luther Burden – Unofficial – Commit
TE – Kaden Helms – Official
WRB – Raleek Brown – Unofficial – Commit
OL – Malik Agbo – Official
OL – Dave Iuli – Official
LB – Harold Perkins – Unofficial
LB – Ish Harris – Official
RB – Jovantae Barnes – Unofficial
OL – Dayne Shor – Official
OL – Jake Taylor – Official
OL – Cam Williams – Official
OL – Cole Hutson – Official
LB – Kobie McKinzie – Official – Commit
RB – Gavin Sawchuk – Official
DB – Austin Jordan – Official
DE – Derrick Moore – Unofficial
DE – Kenyatta Jackson – Official
DE – Nico Davillier – Official
DB – Jayden Rowe – Not certain if Official or Unofficial – Commit
TE – Jason Llewellyn – Unofficial – Commit
OL – Demetrius Hunter – Unofficial – Commit
DL – Gabe Dindy – Unofficial (June 14th-15th as K first reported)
LB – Kip Lewis – Not certain if Official or Unofficial – Commit
WR – Jordan Hudson – Not certain if Official or Unofficial – Commit
WR – Talyn Shettron – Not certain if Official or Unofficial – Commit
DL – Jihaad Campbell – Official
DL – Jadon Scarlett – Unofficial
DB – Azareyeh Thomas – Official (*Working to lock it in)
2023
QB – Malachi Nelson – Unofficial
WR – Makai Lemon – Unofficial
OL – Luke Montgomery – Unofficial
WR – Brandon Inniss – Unofficial
DT – Jordan Renaud – Unofficial
WR – Johntay Cook – Unofficial
ATH – Teyaun Webb – Unofficial
