Oklahoma’s recruiting momentum is peaking right now, and it’s quite a phenomenon when considering the Sooners are waiting on decisions from two of the nation’s top 10 players.
One of those is David Stone, a five-star recruit on every primary recruiting service. Stone hails from Oklahoma but played high school football at IMG Academy the last two years. He and Williams Nwaneri sit at the top of Oklahoma’s recruiting board, and the Sooners have put themselves in a great spot to land both.
Tom Luginbill, a recruiting analyst for ESPN, wrote about the class of 2024 and compared some of the brightest names to current college stars (ESPN+).
For [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], Luginbill compared him to current Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro, a talented defender who can play inside and has the skills to rush the passer from the edge.
Stone does not quite possess the bulk and point-of-attack strength of Orhorhoro, but that will come with time. When Orhorhoro came out of high school, he was also on the leaner side.
When watching both of these guys, you see two players who could play on the inside and outside. Stone and Orhorhoro could play the five-technique or even defensive end in a pinch and still be disruptive as a pure pass-rusher. Their initial first step off the ball is outstanding, and their motor to finish plays sets them apart.
If you think about it, it’s a glowing review and assessment of both players. Orhorhoro was recruited to Clemson in 2019 by two gentlemen named Brent Venables and Todd Bates. Those same gentlemen are recruiting David Stone for Oklahoma.
Both men saw something in Orhorhoro. Despite the two no longer being at Clemson, they slowly started tapping into his potential in 2021 when he first hit the scene with 36 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He followed that up with 23 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in 2022 while defending five passes as well.
Orhorhoro was a three-star recruit out of high school, while Stone has been at the top of his class since his sophomore year. However, Ruke’s steady rise has him being considered for a possible first-round draft slot if he continues to progress like he has these last two years.
In short, Venables and Bates know defensive linemen. The comparison by Luginbill is another in a long line of reasons that a potential match between Stone and Oklahoma could be an incredible sight to see.
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