It would appear Brent Venables’ recruiting strategy is paying off quite nicely for the Oklahoma Sooners. In May and June when those outside Norman were wondering about the Sooners mid-40s rank in team recruiting, Venables and his staff were making chess moves to put together one of the top classes in the country.
Days after landing four-star cornerback Jasiah Wagoner, the Sooners landed another commitment for the defensive side of the ball: four-star defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc.
LeBlanc is the No. 64 player in the 247Sports Top247 rankings and No. 31 according to ESPN.
BREAKING: Four-Star DL Derrick LeBlanc has Committed to Oklahoma!
The 6’5 265 DL from Kissimmee, FL chose the Sooners over Florida and Penn State.
More Here (FREE): https://t.co/0rsTTJngpn pic.twitter.com/ftssp3q6Sy
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 28, 2022
LeBlanc shared with Hayes Fawcett of On3 why he chose the Oklahoma Sooners and much more.
“I was going to commit to coach Venables since they were at Clemson,” LeBlanc said to On3 Sports. “Everything about them felt like home, and it just was where I belong. Honestly the developmental aspect and relationship we had was second to none.”
Venables and Todd Bates’ success at Clemson has paid huge dividends for the Sooners in their eight months in Norman. LeBlanc’s commitment further solidifies the Sooners are trending toward a top-10 class in the 2023 cycle.
LeBlanc marks the 18th commitment to the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class and the ninth commitment in the month of July. He joins Adepoju Adebawore along the defensive line for the 2023 class, and the Sooners have grand plans to add more to that group.
LeBlanc represents the first commitment for the 2023 class for Bates and provides an athletic, versatile lineman for Venables’ defense to work with.
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