Recruiting is a two-way street. Colleges need players and players need places to play. However, the situation the players and schools envisioned when they formed a commitment to each other doesn’t always play out that way.
Bleacher Report mapped out some of the notable and possible perfect fits for some of the 2022 class of football recruits.
One of the more important recruits for Oklahoma’s 2022 class, Raleek Brown, was mentioned. Writer Brad Shepard said this about Brown’s fit into the Sooners’ offensive plans going forward:
“The running back corps is going be much deeper than a season ago, highlighted by the return of Kennedy Brooks and the transfer of shifty Tennessee back Eric Gray, who could be a star-in-the-making.
Both of those players are eligible to head to the NFL after this season, and it’s a safe bet at least one will test the waters.
That will leave a spot on the offense for Raleek Brown, who is heading to OU from the prestigious Mater Dei High School in California. The four-star running back is a burner who is electric in the open field and can even split out and play slot.”
Brown’s physical gifts, speed and agility, make him the perfect Swiss Army knife for Lincoln Riley’s wide-open air raid attack. With a severe lack of depth behind Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray heading into 2021, the room will thin out with at least one all but guaranteed to head to the NFL draft. That would leave OU with Tre Bradford, a transfer from LSU, and Marcus Major as the only returning scholarship backs. Major was recently ruled ineligible for 2021 due to academic issues.
Brown and Gavin Sawchuk are the only running backs currently committed to Oklahoma. With Brown’s ability to play in the slot quite frequently, it allows for the more traditional running back, Sawchuk, to see the field. Brown may not have this possible amount of early playing time if he had chosen to stay at home and play for USC.
Time will tell how things work out for Raleek Brown and OU. As it stands, Brown and OU fit like a perfect jigsaw puzzle.
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