Tag: 2019 Recruiting Class

Ranking Oklahoma’s last 10 recruiting classes

Ranking the Oklahoma Sooners last 10 recruiting classes.

The Oklahoma Sooners closed the early signing period of the 2023 cycle with a ton of momentum, earning a last-second flip of five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen joined Guyer teammate [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] in the 2023 class to give the Sooners three five-star players for the cycle.

It was a huge recruiting haul for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff, who worked their way into the top five of the 247Sports recruiting class composite. This class has Venables fingerprints all over it with a heavy emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.

The Sooners ended up with 16 four- and five-star signees, and 10 of those came on the defensive side. Six were defensive backs, two were linebackers, and two were defensive linemen. The three-star players they signed on defense can play. [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] are athletic players with high motors. Each has a chance to outperform his recruiting status.

It was an historic class for the Sooners, marking just the second time in the 247Sports database (since 2000) that they signed multiple five-star defensive players, and only the second time they had three five-star signees. Looking back, let’s take a look at how it stacks up with the last 10 recruiting classes for the Oklahoma Sooners.

ESPN re-ranks the 2019 recruiting classes, where do the Oklahoma Sooners fall?

ESPN took a look back at the 2019 recruiting cycle and re-ranked the top 10. Where did OU land?

As the Oklahoma Sooners and the rest of the nation wind down the 2022 recruiting cycle with national signing day on Feb. 2, it’s important to remember recruiting classes are seldom finished products. Progression isn’t always linear and just like NFL draft classes, the recruiting classes can rise to the occasion of their billing or they can fizzle by not providing the expected returns.

In 2019, ESPN had Oklahoma’s class ranked fourth nationally at the time of signing. Buoyed by the transfer arrival of Jalen Hurts and the commitment of the top quarterback in the class Spencer Rattler, this group has shown some promise, but hasn’t really taken over as the top players on the Oklahoma Sooners. As such, in ESPN’s re-rank of the 2019 recruiting classes (ESPN+), the Oklahoma Sooners have fallen to No. 10. The Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide flipped the top two spots and the Ohio State Buckeyes saw a huge jump from No. 16 to No. 3 in the re-ranking.

Here’s what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about that Sooners’ recruiting class.

This class gets credit for time served, as many of the players who contributed have since moved on from the program. Contributing to a pair of conference titles and a playoff appearance, this top-five class didn’t quite meet expectations but certainly flashed. Transfer QB Jalen Hurts delivered, and highly touted Spencer Rattler looked to be the next superstar Sooners QB coming off a promising 2020 season. It was short-lived, as he was replaced and transferred. Five-star WR Jadon Haselwood most closely met high expectations in 2021 when he led the team in receptions, but he will be playing elsewhere (Arkansas) in 2022 as well. – Haubert, ESPN

Of the top five players in 247Sports rankings from 2019, only Theo Wease remains with the program heading into 2022. Jadon Haselwood (Arkansas), Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) and Austin Stogner (South Carolina) each transferred out since the end of the 2021 regular season. Trejan Bridges is dealing with legal troubles after an alleged armed robbery that saw him dismissed from the team in the spring.

The other significant contributor from this class (so far) was Rhamondre Stevenson, who was used as part of the rotation with Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks in 2019. A suspension limited his work in the 2020 season, but his return rejuvenated the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense, helping it overcome two early season losses and win the Big 12 title. Off to the NFL, he was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rookie running back in 2021.

There are still significant contributors on the roster with Woodi Washington arguably the top player remaining from the class. Theo Wease has been really good for the Sooners, tying for the team lead in receptions in 2020 before a knee injury kept him out of 2021. He’ll have a shot to once again be one of Oklahoma’s lead receivers in his return to the field in 2022.

Jeremiah Criddell and Marcus Stripling have shown some promise and there’s the possibility that Stripling could be the next man up at defensive end with Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas headed to the NFL.

The rest of the class is still largely unproven, but with 12 starters lost via the NFL draft or the transfer portal, there are opportunities for these now-veterans of the team to make a significant impact in 2022 and beyond.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

[listicle id=52729]

Another LSU wide receiver to test the transfer portal

Another WR exits Baton Rouge.

On Friday LSU saw their fifth wide receiver enter the transfer portal with Devonta Lee. It began with Koy Moore, Deion Smith, Trey Palmer, Alex Adams, and now Lee. Thus far Palmer and Adams are the only two to pick new destinations with Palmer going to Nebraska and Adams to Akron.

Lee played in all 13 games with nine receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown. He was buried on the depth chart behind standout freshman Jack Bech and Malik Nabers, who were the top pass catchings down the stretch for this team riddled with injuries.

Lee leaving Baton Rouge after three seasons with minimal playing time. He was used more as a run blocker than as a weapon in the passing game for the Tigers. He leaves with 11 career receptions for 112 yards and the lone touchdown.

There are likely plenty of suitors out there looking for wide receivers that are the size of Lee. The 6’2″ receiver signed as a four-star prospect in the 2019 class. He was listed as the No. 8 athlete in the country and No. 10 overall prospect from the state of Louisiana.

[listicle id=30866]

What happened to Texas’ 2019 recruiting class?

This is…NOT GREAT, BOB!

While Texas has been struggling for over a decade, the most recent issues could very well be attributed to the 2019 recruiting class.

Success is not determined by one recruiting cycle. However, former head coach Tom Herman and his staff seemed like they couldn’t keep a cactus alive, let alone develop and maximize a class full of heralded recruits at the time, but having a class of 26 players turn into practically nothing is definitely a contributor to the program’s lack of success recently.

Quarterback Sam Ehlinger was only able to do so much during his time as a Longhorn, and it probably wasn’t until after he left that Texas fans realized how much his heroics were masking a team that was running thin at every position.

The 2019 class, which at the time was expected to be Herman’s best class as it was ranked No. 3 in the nation, quickly evaporated. It has now left Steve Sarkisian in a situation where he needs to really hit on his first class in order to make up for the mistakes of the prior regime.

Of the 26 enrollees, 12 of them have left or plan on transferring, three had medical issues that prevented them from ever seeing the field, and four of them do not contribute. This means that of the 26, 18 players from the class are not contributing in what should be their junior season.

Here is the status of all of the players from Texas’ 2019 recruiting class.

Notre Dame defensive back enters transfer portal

A former four star recruit from Notre Dame’s 2019 recruiting class will be taking his football talents elsewhere.

Notre Dame defensive back Litchfield Ajavon is entering the transfer portal.  Ajavon was a member of Notre Dame’s 2019 recruiting class and rated as a top-250 overall player in 247Sports composite ratings but that rating never translated to much playing time for the Fighting Irish.

Litchfield redshirted his freshman year in 2019, saw limited playing time in 2020, and appeared in parts of five games in 2021, including in the nail-biting win at Virginia Tech.

Ajavon stated in the announcement he posted on Twitter Wednesday that he’ll be finishing his undergraduate work at the end of the academic year and looks to continue his football career elsewhere after that.

Ajavon is perhaps best known by Notre Dame fans for the work he put in for the social media team as he provided regular interviews in the locker following practices and games.

All the best going forward to one of the more entertaining personalities we’ve seen under the golden dome in recent years.

Related:

Tommy Rees discusses all things Notre Dame and Fiesta Bowl

Marcus Freeman discusses wild week that was with Dan Patrick

Watch Marcus Freeman’s entire introductory press conference 

CBS Sports includes one Notre Dame player in their top list from the ‘19 class

When looking back at the best players from the 2019 recruiting cycle, Notre Dame has one of their stars named as a top player.

The Notre Dame 2019 class was ranked as the 15th best in the country by the 247Sports composite, headlined by Kyle Hamilton and Zeke Correll. For Correll, it took him a bit longer than Hamilton to make an impact, but when he was needed to play this year, he more than held his own.

[lawrence-related id=23730]

Hamilton, on the other hand, has been shinning for the Irish the moment he stepped on campus. It should come to no ones surprise that when CBS Sports Barrett Sallee ranked the top 20 players from the 2019 recruiting class that Hamilton was included.

The star rising junior is the 10th name on Sallee’s list, the second defensive back behind LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. He said that the safety “was a big part of Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff last year with 63 tackles and one interception, including eight tackles in the regular season win over Clemson.”

[lawrence-related id=24577]

Hamilton has registered 97 tackles, 5 picks (one returned for a score) and 12 passes defended in his two seasons. His play has been recognized by numerous outlets for his play and this is just another one.

I will continue saying this, but we need to enjoy Hamilton this coming year to the fullest because I think he’s off to the NFL after the 2021 season. His final season should include many more accolades as he moves on to the highest level.

Texas Football: Jordan Whittington looks healthy, ready to contribute

This particular clip of Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington during fall camp appears to show that he’s healthy and poised for a big year.

Will Texas finally have wide receiver Jordan Whittington at their disposal this season? Continue reading “Texas Football: Jordan Whittington looks healthy, ready to contribute”

Four-star cornerback out of Missouri lists top schools, Texas included

The top cornerback prospect out of Missouri has listed Texas among his top 10 schools.

Texas is still in the running for one of the top cornerbacks out of the 2022 recruiting class. Continue reading “Four-star cornerback out of Missouri lists top schools, Texas included”