OU Pursuing A New Defensive Lineman
Posted on: September 30, 2014
Image via prospect-central.blogspot.com
Yesterday, I was texting a friend who covers recruiting for Michigan. He was a little down about the current situation in Ann Arbor. Around that same time, 2015 defensive lineman Darian Roseboro (Lincolnton, NC) tweeted out he’d been offered by Oklahoma. My friend seemed a little, but not overly, concerned. Afterall, he’d just spoken to Darian a few weeks back when he committed in September and all was well. But a lot has changed since then.
A few hours later, Roseboro decommitted from Michigan. Then my buddy started talking about hiring coach Harbaugh, haha.
Last night I was able to get in touch with Darian via text. He was busy with homework so he wasn’t able to talk over the phone (hopefully I’ll be able to catch up with him this week), but he did respond to my texts.
If you’re like me, you want to know if OU has a shot at Roseboro. OU was not in his Top 10 or even Top 6 prior to making his commitment to Michigan. So I asked Roseboro if he is currently considering taking an official visit to Norman and he said, “yes sir.”
Roseboro is a long athlete with girth. It’s not surprising he has offers from just about everyone in the country. He fits so many schemes. He lines up as a defensive end in an odd front, but in the little bit of film I’ve seen on him I believe he’s going to play somewhere inside and will look more comfortable at that position. A lot of guys who are extremely athletic can look at a little awkward on the edge, but as soon as you get them closer to the ball their athleticism becomes more apparent. Roseboro has great length at 6’4″ and he’s actually up to around 290 lbs…that’s a pretty lean 290 lbs.
So he fits as a DE in OU’s front and while it’s too early to say, he obviously has the frame to be a 310+ lb defensive lineman and possibly move even further inside if he wanted (think Michael Brockers). Roseboro, by no means, looks awkward as an edge player, but he looks like a guy who is going to be even better closer to the ball as a B-gap player, possibly playing defensive end in OU’s scheme.
For those of you asking about whether this offer means OU feels less confident about guys like Neville Gallimore, or isn’t content with the current class of their defensive line commits, the answer is absolutely not. OU really likes what they have in Kenneth Mann and Tyrell Jacobs, and coach Montgomery is in the thick of things with guys like Gallimore. This offer is more about OU recognizing an opportunity to possibly woo another excellent defensive line player. In talking to a source, OU has decided to continue to recruit these big line players (offensive and defensive line). They can’t take them all, but they know they’ve got a chance to stock pile some great linemen.
We mentioned a while back that a source told us OU was going to make this class focused on the lines. And that’s clearly the case with three defensive linemen and five offensive linemen already committed, and even more being recruited. How many OU ends up taking on each side of the line is really going to depend, in part, on who they are able to get. And it’s clear Roseboro is a take and someone worth at least reaching out to.
37 Comments
BOOMER! Championships start in the D-line and O-line. Hope we get this young man!
Sooner! Indeed.
K, this is making me think the backups aren’t panning out like they hoped. DJ & Dimon don’t fit the 290-310lb club for the DE’s. Walker does but there isn’t much behind him. Based on what I’ve read here, Orso is more of a NG so we are thin at the new scheme DE’s we are recruiting.
Boom, I think Dimon and DJ are going to both be fine. DJ just needs time. He’s light in the rear but he’s strong. Dimon has good size. And Orso is still at DE.
There is nothing wrong with rotating 6-7 guys each game at the DT/DE positions (see LSU in 2011).
I read it like “one can never have too many good DL”. Think how much better we were, earlier in the year, when we had Dimon and Walker in the rotation. The DL was always fresh and remained strong in the 4Q.
I think they want DL depth like the RB depth…plus, good DL are hard to come by, so I would suspect one wants to grab them whenever possible.
I love it! As we continue to focus on linemen that can dominate the line of both sides of the ball, I have to believe the skill guys will follow. It is so nice to think that the Sooners are so committed to winning the line of scrimmage battle and are not going to be pushed around like seemed to happen there for a few years.
Line should always be priority in my estimation. There are a ton of skill guys and if you’ve got good eyes you can find a lot of guys other folks miss. It’s much harder finding big DL and OL and rarer still to find some that overlooked.
Just love that OU immediately went after another lineman. Any idea if Monty had maybe talked with Roseboro this year or a few years back while at Mich, making OU feel more confident with the offer? Success starts at the line at those guys are harder to find. Hope OU always puts their focus there.
Will try to find out. Good question!
I agree. We have seen plenty of instances where average, yet hard working backs, carry for many yards because they have outstanding lines. Win in the trenches, and win the war.
Great write up. I was curious if they were backing off guys we had already known about. But sounds like good news and it would be nice to keep getting kids from the carolina-Maryland-Virginia area.
Yeah, saw your note Zack. This offer was definitely about trying to get in with Darian and not about backing off guys like Neville. They love Neville.
Thanks I was just wondering what was going on but I have seen you guys and another site predict the staff wants 5 on the dline from this class. Not sure if one of those 5 is reserved for a tweener like KLS and deberry.
And according to 247 and Scout, the kid runs around a 4.65-7 40 at 290#. Where do you play him? Anywhere he wants to! How about a front with Big O anchoring the middle and Gallimore and Roseboro at 300# with speed on either side.
I agree. I think it’s too early to tell what this kid can be. A little over a year ago he was only 257 lbs and is now 30 lbs bigger and has a huge frame and great strength. I think guys like Gallimore and Roseboro because they’re considered “sudden” whether they are A or B gap players and are huge strong guys.
Great read! Thanx. Love it when you guys breakdown a prospect. The additions to the coaching staff are really proving to be a shot in the arm. OU football and recruiting is light years ahead of where it was two years ago.
Thanks John!
🙂
Wow, I continue to be amazed at the quality write-ups here.
….it will be interesting to watch the progression of the dline as mont’s recruits take their turn……..sometimes forgotten in the recruiting discussion, we have orso and garnett here now and overton coming in next yr plus the recent signs as long as they all stick in feb …..look forward to what mont can do
Yea, Monty is the man. But all of the new guys are doing great things. I know some question Kish’s ability to pull in top-notch LBs but he sure can coach’em up.
I think we have already started the transformation but as our OL continues to truck over these defenses and allow our offense to run the ball the way we have this year, the top OL guys are going to have OU very High on their List even before recruitment starts. we have a pretty good record in the past but if these lines continue to play the way they have this year we are going to be shipping guys to the NFL “EXPRESS MAIL!” Let the floodgates open and recruits start pouring in. Come on in boys the water is fine!
DeMarco Murray leads all NFL backs with over 530 yards rushing through four games. Murray played behind some very talented lines in his time here. Still, what do you think happens if Bill Bedenbaugh is the o line coach in 2007 and 2008. Maybe 2009-2012 too? What does Landry Jones look like with a legitimate run game in his back pocket?
So Murray is on pace to beat the record if my math is correct. 2120
He is.
Early or not, this is ridiculous (in a good way). Hope for his sake he stays healthy
I hope he only gets better. He’s in a better offense than peterson was 2 years ago when he came up 8 or 9 shy. 2 things that we will have to watch is will he stay healthy and will the accident waiting to happen (cowboys) continue the solid play calling.
well, we dont get shut down at the goal line twice against florida, and we are sitting on at least 8 AP titles.
we didnt have the defense to win a title in 10-12, but the offense would have been very scary with a real run game.
Absolutely. I bet we win it in 07 as well.
that was the LSU 2 loss year right? ya, would have had a good shot there too.
Murray was out in 08 and that, IMO, was the difference. Think what Florida would’ve been without Harvin. Still, Duke Robinson getting beat across his face on 4th and goal was inexcusable.
Hey, nothing wrong with checking a kids interest. Suspect that a lot of schools are contacting Michigan commits with Hoke being on a serious hot seat.
Good offer. Seems like NC State is the front runner right now (just visited last weekend) but if OU can get a visit anything can happen.
I hope half of this class is on the lines.
Yep NC State does seem to be the front runner. That was his second choice after Michigan right before he committed to Michigan.
I know this is off topic from the great-as-usual article written but has there been any word on Ford’s injury status? This Saturday will be 3 weeks since he sustained his injury.
According to Jordan Esco in Monday’s “Bob Stoops Weekly Presser (TCU)”,
“Stoops says he doesn’t think K.Ford, C.Walker, or M.Dimon will be available for the TCU game, but he’ll find out for sure later today”
I’ve not heard anything else since then, but you might ask in a newer post as this one has gotten pretty quiet.