Oklahoma is reportedly on top for four of the top-16 recruits in the 2021 recruiting class

In the midst of an emergency mandated recruiting dead period, Oklahoma has surged on the trail for four of the top-16 recruits in 2021.

In the midst of an emergency mandated recruiting dead period, Oklahoma has surged on the trail.

The Sooners week got started on Monday when five-star and No. 1 overall quarterback Caleb Williams included Oklahoma in his final five schools after weeks of positive movement in his recruitment for Lincoln Riley. Within the next 48 hours, the momentum got bigger.

Four-star and No. 3 overall wide receiver Mario Williams has reportedly moved the Sooners near or the top of his list. Rivals’ national recruiting director Mike Farrell tweeted out that five-star and No. 1 offensive guard Bryce Foster was trending to Oklahoma—which was followed by Foster tweeting ‘BOOMER’ and Sooners’ center Creed Humphrey tweeting his pitch.

Foster has visited Norman, Oklahoma, twice since year turned in Jan., with one being an impromptu visit for the first practice of the Sooners spring.

The wave of momentum culminated with a report on Wednesday that Oklahoma is the No. 1 contender for the No. 1 running back in the 2021 recruiting class in Camar Wheaton.

“Wheaton has frequented Oklahoma’s campus as much as any school in the country and it should be poised out the success Lincoln Riley and the Sooners have enjoyed in North Texas,” wrote Sam Spiegelman, the south central recruiting analyst for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma for Rivals. “Oklahoma was one of two schools to get the five-star on campus before the travel ban, which is probably a testament to the strong bond that has formed between Wheaton and the head coach. Right now, the Sooners have to like where they sit with the elite running back.”

Those four are four of the top-16 recruits in the entire 2021 recruiting class according to Rivals—Caleb Williams at No. 3, Wheaton at No. 7, Foster at No. 9 and Mario Williams at No. 16.

The last time Oklahoma was able to accomplish that feat was in 2019 when Jadon Haselwood, Theo Wease, Spencer Rattler and Trejan Bridges signed when the four were in the top-21 of the entire ’19 recruiting class. The Sooners landed the No. 5 recruiting class in 2019 with those four leading the haul.

It’s a long way until the first national signing day in Dec., but Riley and Oklahoma have made big in-roads for four of the country’s best in the 2021 recruiting class. The Sooners can’t bring any visitors in or go see any on the road due to the mandated recruiting dead period for the coronavirus through April 15, but Oklahoma can still contact recruits on the phone.