Tag: Derrick LeBlanc

Where did Oklahoma signees from the 2023 recruiting class land in the final ESPN 300?

Which Oklahoma Sooners were ranked in the final ESPN 300 for the 2023 recruiting class?

The Oklahoma Sooners had a field day in the 2023 recruiting cycle, closing with a recruiting class that ranked in the top five according to 247Sports and ESPN and were seventh nationally according to On3 and Rivals.

With the early signing period, much of the 2023 cycle is finished, which has led several publications to release their final player rankings for the class. Over at ESPN, 13 of Oklahoma’s signees for the recruiting class were ranked inside their top 300. By comparison, Alabama had 23 players and Georgia had 21 of the top 300. The Sooners still have a ways to go to get the number of top recruits like the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs. Another team relevant to the Sooners, the USC Trojans, only earned signatures from five players in the ESPN 300.

Led by Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma had seven players in the top 100, including four on the defensive side of the football. And that’s the biggest difference in this recruiting class compared to those from the past. The Sooners added a ton of defensive talent, 10 blue-chip prospects on defense, according to 247Sports.

Here’s a look at where each player ranked in the ESPN 300 and where they ranked at their position.

Oklahoma welcomes 14 mid-year enrollees to campus as the spring semester starts

14 members of Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class set to join the Oklahoma Sooners as early enrollees.

Oklahoma has seen a number of players leave this offseason via the transfer portal, graduation or to pursue professional careers in the NFL. In response, Brent Venables and his coaching staff signed the program’s highest-rated class in quite some time. While we will not see any live action from Team 129 until the spring game, it will be encouraging to know that more than half of the 2023 recruiting class will enroll early to acclimate to the collegiate athlete lifestyle.

With classes starting Jan. 17, Oklahoma’s 2023 signees will move in this weekend. Which members of the Class of 2023 can we look out for in winter workouts and spring practices? Take a look below.

QB Jackson Arnold

Edge PJ Adebawore

S Peyton Bowen

C Joshua Bates

OL Cayden Green

RB Kalib Hicks

DL Derrick LeBlanc

ATH Erik McCarty 

LB Phil Picciotti

RB Daylan Smothers

WR Keyon Brown

DB Makari Vickers

DB Jasiah Wagoner

DL Ashton Sanders

Fourteen of the 25 members of the class of 2023 will join the Sooners football program for the offseason program. For multiple freshmen, this early leg up can be invaluable.

For example, five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold can begin to learn the playbook, have actual live reps and build chemistry with the receivers. For players in the trenches such as Cayden Green, PJ Adebawore, Derrick LeBlanc, Ashton Sanders and Joshua Bates, the early time with Jerry Schmidt getting stronger can help their pursuit of early playing opportunities.

Brent Venables and his staff will be thrilled to welcome their newest players to the program for good as they prepare Team 129 for the 2023 season.

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Oklahoma Sooners add transfer defensive lineman Davon Sears

Looking to fortify their defensive interior, the Oklahoma Sooners added Texas State transfer Davon Sears.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to fortify their defensive front through the transfer portal. One day after adding Wake Forest defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd, the Sooners earned a commitment from Texas State defensive lineman [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag]. He chose the Oklahoma Sooners over Penn State and Tennessee.

Sears played one season with the Bobcats after spending time at Ellsworth Community College in the junior college ranks. Texas State in 2022, Sears recorded 15 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He was the eighth-highest-graded player for Texas state in 2022 despite receiving just 355 snaps last season.

With the departures of [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] and with [autotag]Josh Ellison[/autotag] in the transfer portal, Oklahoma needed to fortify its defensive interior. Sears is the second defensive tackle they’ve added in the [autotag]2022-2023 transfer portal[/autotag] after bringing in Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey.

According to Pro Football Focus, Sears was fourth in total pressures for the Bobcats last season with 15. He played at least 20 snaps in every game in 2022 and looks to earn an expanded role with the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023.

The Sooners got good news with the return of[autotag] Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and are awaiting news on [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag]. But with the additions of Lacey, Sears, and 2023 signee [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag], Oklahoma’s defensive interior looks retooled for next season.

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How to watch future Sooners in Under Armour All-American game?

Seven Oklahoma Sooners’ signees are set to take part in Under Armour All-American Game, and here’s how to watch.

Oklahoma’s future will be on display in the 2023 Under Armour All-American game on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Jackson Arnold, Adepoju Adebawore, Cayden Green, Jaquaize Pettaway, Jacobe Johnson, Lewis Carter, and Peyton Bowen will all take part in the annual all-star game.

Seven of Oklahoma’s 16 blue-chip signees will provide a sneak preview of their talents before heading to Norman to begin their college careers in earnest.

The Sooners have had several players stand out in this week’s practice, but perhaps none have been better than Adebawore. His speed, strength, and bend have stood out in individual drills against the nation’s top offensive linemen. The five-star edge rusher has all the tools to be an elite player at the collegiate level.

Armed with a top-five recruiting class in 2023, the Sooners have a group of players that will be a part of the foundation of Oklahoma’s future. From the top of the signees list down to the lowest-rated player, the Sooners have added a bunch of talent in the 2023 cycle.

Some of the best in Oklahoma’s signing class will have a chance to show Sooners fans why they were so highly regarded before they ever step foot on campus in the Under Armour All-American Game.

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Breaking down the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class by position

How does the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class look broken down by position?

The Oklahoma Sooners have put together a really nice recruiting class through the early signing period of the 2023 cycle. We haven’t even made it to February’s national signing day, and Oklahoma’s sitting with the No. 5 class in 247Sports recruiting rankings.

The Sooners have added a four- or five-star player at every position save for tight end. Even there, the Sooners added one of the best players in the state to Joe Jon Finley’s room.

It’s an incredible collection of athletic, fast and versatile players that will, along with the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes, be the foundation of Oklahoma’s journey into the SEC.

Let’s break it down by position group.

4-Star DL Derrick LeBlanc signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

Putting pen to paper, four-star defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc signs with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The early signing period is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners are beginning to put pen to paper with their [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag].

Another big pass rusher has officially signed with the Oklahoma Sooners. This time, another young man from the state of Florida put pen to paper. Four-star defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc from Kissimmee is joining the Sooners in 2023. LeBlanc has been committed to Oklahoma since late July.

He’ll need to add a bit of weight to his 6-foot-4, 270-pound frame, but he’s got the get-off to be an explosive interior defensive lineman for Brent Venables’ defense.

According to MaxPreps, LeBlanc had 11 sacks in 11 games during his senior season at Osceola High School. He had 28 sacks in 42 games in his high school career.

This is a big win for the Oklahoma Sooners. Todd Bates had some stiff competition during LeBlanc’s recruitment. He had offers from Florida, Penn State, and Alabama.

LeBlanc’s signing echoes a theme that is present throughout this recruiting class for the Sooners. OU went into SEC territory and went head-to-head for blue chip prospects. The entered recruiting battles with the big boys in the SEC and won their fair share.

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. You can also follow Ben on Twitter @bendackiw.

Florida DC stopping by prospect-filled state semifinal as contact period begins

The early signing period is approaching rapidly, and Florida is putting in the work on the recruiting trail as the contact period begins.

The NCAA’s contact period for FBS programs kicks off on Friday, and Florida is one of many schools that will have coaches attending high school games over the weekend to check in on top commitments and targets.

Florida’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney will be at the Osceola (Kissimmee, Florida) and Lakeland (Florida) game on Friday, according to 247Sports. Toney is there to see defensive back commit [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and four-star UCF defensive line commit [autotag]John Walker[/autotag].

Jackson has been committed to Florida since late July and is one of the more promising recruits in the class. Walker has been a flip target for Florida since he committed to the Knights on the same day that Jackson pledged his services to UF, and he has an official visit coming up on Dec. 9. That should make things interesting for Walker as the early signing period approaches, and having a teammate committed to Florida can’t hurt the cause.

The other four-star recruit on Osceola is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag], who is committed to Oklahoma. There’s been little talk about pursuing him as a flip target since the commitment, so expect Florida’s energy to be focused on Walker for the most part.

Lakeland boasts the nation’s top defensive back, five-star cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag]. He stunned the recruiting world by picking Miami over Florida and Alabama, and he’s unlikely to flip at this point in the cycle. Still, Florida did get quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] to flip from the U to UF, so anything is possible.

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Updated Oklahoma Sooners 2023 commitment tracker

Which players have committed to the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2023 recruiting cycle?

The 2023 class is about a month away from early signing day and less than three months away from national signing day.

Since Brent Venables’ arrival in Norman, the Sooners have been one of the top recruiting schools in the country over the last two cycles. After finishing eighth in 247Sports team recruiting rankings for 2022, the Sooners sit at No. 7 and have a great chance to move into the top five by national signing day.

With the recent additions of Ashton Sanders and Taylor Wein, Oklahoma has 22 players committed to the 2023 class. Recent projections favor the Sooners to add more talent if the Rivals Futurecasts come to fruition. Oklahoma received a pair of projections from Rivals analysts to land five-star safety and Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen after he spent time in Norman for Bedlam.

Brent Venables, his coaching staff, and the recruiting support staff have done an excellent job over the last year building out their 2023 recruiting class and they don’t appear close to being done.

The final tally will come on national signing day, but the Oklahoma Sooners look well-positioned to have one of the country’s best group of signees.

Let’s take a look at the updated commitment tracker.

OU Insider’s Parker Thune flips Crystal Ball for 4-star EDGE Colton Vasek

After committing to the Sooners in August, Texas Legacy Colton Vasek looks to be changing his tune on the Longhorns. From @john9williams

Committed since August 1, [autotag]Colton Vasek[/autotag] shocked a lot of people when he chose Oklahoma over his hometown Texas Longhorns just a couple of months ago. Now it looks like the Texas legacy is going to provide another shocker as OU Insider at 247Sports’ Parker Thune has flipped his crystal ball prediction in favor of the Texas Longhorns.

The ninth-highest-rated commitment in the Sooners 2023 recruiting class hasn’t announced his intentions at this point. However, if Thune is predicting a flip to Texas, that announcement will be coming shortly.

Vasek is ranked 127th in the 247Sports composite rankings and No. 137 in the On3 Consensus.

While certainly a disappointment to see a commitment heading to your biggest rival, the Sooners still have five-star edge rusher [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] and four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag] in the fold for 2023. Oklahoma also was included in [autotag]Tausili Akana[/autotag]’s top 10.

You hate to lose commitments, but if the Sooners can keep the rest of the class together and somehow land Akana, they’ll still be in great shape. Oklahoma’s still got a top-10 class, and there will be opportunities for them to bring in players currently committed to other teams as well.

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Jackson Arnold and Oklahoma’s 2023 commits stand out on Friday Night

Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class stood out this week with several big performances across the country.

The Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class had another big week under the lights to further excite the Oklahoma fan base. The top five recruiting class has players making cases for bumps in their star status but more importantly look like guys who will be playmakers in Norman.

Five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold had another big night for Denton Guyer. Arnold and his Denton Guyer teammates continued their undefeated season with a 62-7 win over Braswell on Friday night.

In other Texas high school football action, Colton Vasek did what Colton Vasek does, ruining the evening for Dripping Springs offensive linemen.

But Arnold and Vasek weren’t the only Oklahoma commits to have big games this week. Two of the more underrated players in the recruiting class, Erik McCarty and Kade McIntyre, were dominant for their squads leading to big nights in Oklahoma and Nebraska high school football action.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the week.