Tag: 247Sports

247Sports impressed by 2026 Sooners 4-star QB Commit Jaden O’Neal

247Sports director of scouting, Andrew Ivins, came away impressed by Jaden O’Neal at the Under Armour Future 50 camp.

[autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag] feels like he’s due for an increase in ranking before all is said and done. The new Sooners quarterback commit is a talented prospect in a [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag] full of good signal-callers.

Even though he’s already chosen the Oklahoma Sooners, the grind has not stopped for Jaden O’Neal, who went to Florida to participate in the Under Armor Future 50 event. The event showcases the best high schools nationwide in combine events, skill drills, and a seven-on-seven competition. It’s a considerable evaluation tool, and recruiting services from across the country descended upon the Sunshine State to scout some top-flight talent.

The event was two days, and on Sunday, Jaden O’Neal was named one of the offensive standouts by Andrew Ivins of 247Sports.

Ivins, the director of scouting at 247Sports, said this about O’Neal.

We noted that it was a promising group of signal callers and we felt like O’Neal had the second-best weekend of the bunch. Weighing in at just over 210 pounds, O’Neal has a sturdy frame and that allows him to generate plenty of torque with a compact motion. He flashed some side-arm action during 5v5 play and wasn’t afraid to challenge tight coverage windows. The Sooners are set at quarterback for the next few seasons with Jackson Arnold taking over, but O’Neal is someone the staff should be excited about. He will play his junior season at Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne. – Ivins, 247Sports

The lone quarterback that Ivins believed was better over the weekend than O’Neal was the number one prospect in the class [autotag]Faizon Brandon[/autotag]. So it should speak volumes that O’Neal was able to elevate his play and come out as the second-best passer of the bunch.

With a big junior season, it would seem highly likely that we will see a jump in the national rankings for Jaden O’Neal sooner rather than later.

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247Sports not confident in Wisconsin’s defensive line entering 2024

247Sports not confident in Wisconsin’s defensive line entering 2024

The Wisconsin Badgers’ defensive line ranks No. 11 out of the 18 teams in the expanded Big Ten entering the 2024 season, according to 247Sports.

Its ranking is led by Ohio State at No. 1, Michigan at No. 2, Penn State at No. 3, Oregon at No. 4 and Iowa at No. 5. It is no coincidence that those top four teams also happen to be the four conference favorites and will likely be College Football Playoff participants. History shows that there is a significant correlation between a great defensive line winning on the scoreboard.

Related: Wisconsin’s all-time record against every Big Ten football team

The Badgers’ group of James Thompson Jr., Elijah Hills (transfer), Brandon Lane (transfer), Ben Barten, Curt Neal and Cade McDonald is arguably the team’s biggest question entering the season. Thompson is established as a legitimate contributor. It appears that the performances of the transfers Hills and Lane could be what decides whether the unit is improved after a sub-par 2023 season.

Here’s what 247Sports wrote about Wisconsin’s defensive line and its No. 11 ranking:

“Other than Thompson, Wisconsin does not have much for returning production on the defensive line in 2024. That is not to say this unit will be the weakness of the Badgers’ defense, but it is a critical area if they want to finish in the top half of the Big Ten this season.”

The bottom of the ranking is Indiana at No. 14, Minnesota at No. 15, Michigan State at No. 16, Illinois at No. 17 and Purdue at No. 18. It’s no surprise that those project to be the five teams at the bottom of the conference standings when the season concludes.

Again: a great defensive line loosely equates to winning on the field. A bad defensive line, on the other hand, usually leads to losses. Wisconsin’s group is below average entering the season and could be the team’s Achilles heel.

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IOL Darius Afalava commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma lands Rivals four-star interior offensive lineman Darius Afalava out of Utah.

Bill Bedenbuagh has struck again. This time, his efforts netted Rivals four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Darius Afalava[/autotag], who committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday.

Afalava is an incredibly gifted offensive line prospect who is probably even better than his ranking suggests. He’s a three-star prospect on the 247Sports composite, but Rivals considers Afalava a four-star prospect and the No. 230 prospect in the country. When you cut on the film, he looks and plays like a kid deserving of that fourth star.

Afalava chose the Sooners over Utah, Washington and Michigan State offers. Utah had the heavy home-state advantage, but it’s been clear that proximity to home wouldn’t dictate this recruitment throughout the process. Washington’s staff had an incredible relationship with Afalava as they recruited him when Jedd Fisch and his staff were at Arizona.

Oklahoma entered the race late, offering in April. They quickly closed the gap and became a real contender for the talented blocker in a few months. Afalava told (subscription required) Blair Angulo of 247Sports earlier in June why he liked Oklahoma so much.

“Meeting with coach Brent Venables was great and I felt really comfortable around the whole staff,” Afalava said. “Coach Bill Bedenbaugh is a straight-up dude. He’s very real and I really like that about him. Off the field he’s really nice but on the field and in coaching you, he’s going to be hard on you to get the best out of you.

“I don’t want a coach that’s my friend, so if I went there, I know I’d get honesty, and that would bring out the best in my game. I really enjoyed getting to know him.”

Darius now gets that opportunity, as Bill Bedenbaugh’s development is widely recognized. With Afalava on board, the Oklahoma Sooners remain steady at number five in the 247Sports team rankings.

Afalava is a true guard in every sense. He could slide out to the right tackle slide in a pinch, but with his strength, hand placement and base, he seems like a seamless fit as a guard who can not only handle the size in the SEC but also make a difference in the trenches.

More: SEC Recruiting rankings after recent commitments.

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Four-star WR Cortez Mills sets commitment date

Four-star WR Cortez Mills set to decide his college destination on July 1.

July 1 could be an incredible day of celebration for the Oklahoma Sooners. The day marks the school’s first official day as members of the SEC. A number of festivities will take place in Norman and Tulsa to commemorate the day.

While Brent Venables and his staff will be excited and celebrating the move into the new conference, they’ll also focus on an announcement from four-star wide receiver Cortez Mills.

Mills plans to announce his college decision on July 1, choosing among  Oklahoma, Clemson, LSU, Florida and Nebraska.

Mills, a native of Florida, stands 6-foot-1, but he plays much bigger than that. He will go up and win the 50/50 balls and has excellent vertical speed to beat defenders deep. He was the top receiver as a junior for a Homestead program that played for a Florida 3M title. Mills caught 79 passes for 1,640 yards and 18 TDs that season.

Ranked the No. 11 wideout on the 247Sports composite, Mills was considered a very strong Clemson lean at one point. Though many projections remain in their favor, things have taken a significant turn.

Oklahoma hosted Mills for an official visit on June 14. Things went well for the Sooners, and it’s simply becoming foolish to count out [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] when recruiting wide receivers. The Sooners have put themselves in a significant position to win the recruiting battle against the Tigers.

Mills would likely be the last wide receiver for this year’s class, wrapping up Oklahoma’s efforts for 2025 and allowing them to move on and focus on 2026.

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‘Striving for excellence,’ 5-star Aggies 2025 QB commit Husan Longstreet recaps Elite 11

“I just love what he did at Duke. It’s very rare to see a coach change around a program,” he said. “I don’t see why he can’t do it there.”

Texas A&M 2025 five-star quarterback commit Husan Longstreet recently competed at the Elite 11 Finals, making it clear that his recruitment is shutdown and that he’s coming to College Station.

“I think it went pretty good. I’m just excited to be around here with the guys. It’s a lot of good competition here,” Longstreet told Tom Loy of 247Sports. “Really just learning the true definition of competing, really striving for excellence. That’s the biggest thing that I took away.

“I just love what he did at Duke. It’s very rare to see a coach change around a program. I think with the people that he has in place on staff like coach Klein, coach Bateman, I don’t see why he can’t do it there… I like to go fishing. I like to hang out with my family. Just good, quality family time gives me a sense of peace.

“(Elko) is a great person. There’s nothing that you can’t ask from him. He’s going to be straight up, tell you what it is and what it isn’t. Those are the things that I love about him.”

Longstreet received 31 offers and took only two visits, to Aggieland and Auburn.

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247Sports ranks Florida football’s 2024 opponent difficulty

Here’s how the Gators’ 2024 opponents rank in terms of difficulty… at least, according to 247Sports.

Florida football faces one of the most formidable schedules among Football Bowl Subdivision schools this coming season, with a gauntlet of Southeastern Conference foes as well as a pair of tough games against in-state rivals on the slate.

Graham Hall of Swamp247 took a look at the Gators’ 12 matchups for the regular season and ranked them from easiest to hardest. It should come as little surprise that the Orange and Blue’s rivalry game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville took the top spot.

But where did the next 11 opponents land?

The second-toughest date on the schedule is Nov. 9, when [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s boys travel to take on newly-added SEC foe, the Texas Longhorns, for the first time since 1940 — and the first time in Austin since 1939. The third on the list is surprisingly Florida’s home game against the Ole Miss Rebels on Nov. 23.

The top five toughest matchups round out with the final game in Tallahassee against the Florida State Seminoles on Nov. 30 and in Gainesville against the LSU Tigers on Nov. 16, respectively.

Man alive, November is shaping up to be another brutal run for the Orange and Blue.

The Tennessee Volunteers (road), Miami Hurricanes (home), Texas A&M Aggies (home), Kentucky Wildcats (home) and UCF Knights (home), respectively, wrap up the top 10.

The game on the road at the Mississippi State Bulldogs comes in at No. 11 while the Samford Bulldogs represent the Gators’ easiest opponent this coming fall.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The Florida and Miami open the schedule on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Reviewing Schlossnagle quotes with hindsight after he reportedly left Aggies for Longhorns

“I think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask that question, to be honest,” he said Monday. “That’s unfair to talk about something like that.”

Coach Jim Schlossnagle spoke to the media in Omaha, Nebraska on Monday night after No. 3 Texas A&M lost 6-5 to No. 1 Tennessee in Game 3 of the College World Series finals.

The last question that Schlossnagle answered was in regard to the Longhorns‘ head coach vacancy, which he reportedly took Tuesday afternoon.

“I think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me that question, to be honest with you,” Schlossnagle said postgame to Richard Zane of TexAgs. “I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. That hasn’t changed in my mind.

“That’s unfair to talk about something like that, it’d be like you asking Montgomery if he’s going to sign in the draft. I understand you have to ask the question.

“But I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job and poured every ounce of my soul into this job. I have given this job every single ounce I could possibly give it.

“Write that!

As an Aggieland outsider who resides in Northern California, Schlossnagle’s response was an immediate red flag. Anytime someone gets defensive like that, especially in response to someone else doing their job effectively, that’s a bad sign.

The second red flag was when he mentioned that he had “given this job every single ounce I could.” It sounded like Schlossnagle had nothing left to give at Texas A&M and had reached the peak of how far he could take the program.

Coaches and athletes departing for another opportunity is a common occurrence in college, professional, even high school sports. Schlossnagle should’ve and could’ve exited much more gracefully.

Instead of pulling on the 12th Man’s heartstrings throughout the CWS, then blatantly dissembling when asked directly, Schlossnagle should’ve just pleaded the fifth. It would’ve been cowardly, however, that tactic is used constantly in sports press conferences, so why not?

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Jim Schlossnagle is reportedly leaving Texas A&M to become Texas Longhorns head coach

According to Chip Brown of 247Sports, Jim Schlossnagle is departing Aggieland with his coaching staff to become the new Longhorns coach.

Well, they often say, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” and that certainly looks to be the case when it comes to Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle, who is reportedly leaving College Station.

According to Chip Brown of 247Sports, Schlossnagle is departing from Aggieland to become the new Texas Longhorns coach. Per Brown’s report, Schlossnagle intends to take his coaching staff with him to Austin.

Less than 24 hours ago, the No. 3 Aggies lost the College World Series finals to No. 1 Tennessee. Postgame, Schlossnagle was asked about his future.

“I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. That hasn’t changed in my mind,” Schlossnagle proclaimed Monday night. “I have poured every ounce of my soul into this job. I have given this job every single ounce I could possibly give it.”

If the Horns247 report is true, Schlossnagle clearly dissembled through his teeth and pulled on the 12th Man’s heartstrings in the process.

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Sooners 2026 4-Star QB Target Jaden O’Neal sets decision date

Oklahoma QB target Jaden O’Neal set to announces commitment date coming soon.

In a pleasant surprise, Oklahoma’s top target at quarterback for the 2026 recruiting class announced on Friday that he would be moving up his commitment timeline..

2026 four-star QB [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag] will announce his commitment on Monday, June 24. His commitment will be a part of the College Football Recruiting Show from 247Sports and can be streamed on YouTube.

On Wednesday, O’Neal announced a top 10 list, but it looks like O’Neal is down to these five schools. Miami, Florida State, Ohio State, and Washington join Oklahoma.

 

Marshall Levenson of Rivals had reported a commitment timeline for July or August. The sudden shift in commitment date could only benefit the Sooners. Every prediction from any of the primary recruiting services has O’Neal committing to the Sooners.

OU grabbed the lead in the spring and has run away with it. After a successful summer of camps and visits, it seems O’Neal has seen what he needs to see and is ready to make his choice.

If Oklahoma were to land the talented four-star signal-caller, they’d get an incredible QB prospect with an extremely high ceiling. There’s reason to believe O’Neal could crack the five-star ceiling when all is said and done for 2026.

He is a genuinely gifted passer at all levels of the field, with arm strength to spare. He’s a pure passer with plus athleticism and has NFL size.

Oklahoma has two players currently committed to the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag], with running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag] pledged to OU. If the Sooners are able to earn a commitment from O’Neal, it will really get the ball rolling on the 2026 recruiting class.

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Notre Dame one of five finalists for 2025 Indiana power forward

Hope the Irish get him!

From the moment he became Notre Dame’s coach, [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] has made recruiting within Indiana a priority. We likely will find out this fall if he’s been successful in landing one particular recruit.

Trent Sisley, a four-star power forward at Heritage Hills in Lincoln City and the sixth-ranked 2025 recruit in Indiana per 247Sports, has informed On3 cut his list down to five schools. Notre Dame is one of those schools alongside Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa, the last of which is the only school he’s visited so far. He has scheduled his visit to Notre Dame for Sept. 28.

The 6-foot-7 Sisley, who will be a contender for Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2025, recently competed in the annual All-Stars series between the best players in Indiana and Kentucky. He impressed everyone there, successfully building on a season in which he averaged a double-double. He could be Shrewsberry’s biggest get yet if it all works out.

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