Tag: Isaiah Autry

Oklahoma Sooners must solve their offensive line problem heading into 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners have their work cut out for them with the offensive line but could any of the young guys be an answer?

There is no doubt the Oklahoma Sooners’ biggest question mark heading into 2024 and their inaugural season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] is the offensive line. The Sooners lose five guys who started a bunch of games last season.

[autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are gone. Four are off to the [autotag]NFL[/autotag]. The other found a new home in Missouri. That means the Sooners will have their work cut out for them to replace those five.

[autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] played some at guard but started the bowl game at center, which is probably his more natural position. We’ll see if he wins that job, but it appears he’s the leader to take over for Raym. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] started the last few games after Guyton went down with an injury and did pretty well. The Sooners also brought in two transfers [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], who look poised to take over at tackle and guard.

But that still leaves spots unfilled. The Sooners are almost certainly going to remain active in the portal, but it’s also possible an incoming freshman gets a look. Most people have assumed that would be [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag], seeing how highly thought of he is. But a constantly mentioned top performer at the Under Armour All-American events is [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag].

“I don’t know where it will start for me, but I’m just going to go in there and ball out,” Brooks said. “I’m going to work my butt off. I’m going to go in there every day and give it 110% and be the first one in and the last one out.”

It seems with Brooks, [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag], Pierre-Louis, [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag], the Sooners have a class of offensive linemen that are physical and bring some nasty back to the offensive line.

That’s something they’ve been missing the last few years, and something we know Bedenbaugh wants out of his linemen. Combine that with what appears to be a strong work ethic from each, and Oklahoma could have a better offensive line class than many thought initially.

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Oklahoma Sooners 2024 Early Signing Period Tracker

Get to know the 2024 recruiting class with our Oklahoma Sooners 2024 early signing period tracker.

It’s Day 1 of the [autotag]2024 early signing period[/autotag], and the Oklahoma Sooners are already off to the races. A number of their prospects started the ball rolling first thing this morning, signing their national letters of intent to play ball at Oklahoma.

It’s expected that nearly all of Oklahoma’s committed players in the 2024 class will sign for the Sooners on Day 1 of the early signing period. However, as we saw in the Peyton Bowen recruitment a year ago, there could be a surprise or two during the early signing period.

As Oklahoma welcomes in its 2024 recruiting class, here are the players that officially became members of the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners have officially signed each of their 2024 commitments.

Get to know the Sooners 2024 recruiting class with our early signing period tracker.

Follow along for all of our [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Underrated offensive tackle prospect Isaiah Autry signs with the Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners officially add Isaiah Autry, an underrated offensive tackle prospect out of Mississippi.

The world of recruiting can often be a roller coaster ride. There are ebbs and flows in recruitments. One of the more underrated additions the Oklahoma Sooners are making during the early signing period is offensive tackle [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag].

Autry committed to the Sooners back in April and like nearly every one of the Sooners committed prospects, never wavered on his pledge. Despite receiving overtures from programs like Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, and in-state schools Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Autry stayed with his commitment to the Sooners.

The No. 1 offensive tackle in the state of Mississippi, Autry has good technique and displays great strength. Once he latches on to a rusher, he stops them in their tracks. His 6-foot-7 frame provides good reach to prevent rushers from getting in on his body, allowing Autry to maintain good leverage. He drives his feet as a run blocker, continuing his blocking assignment well after the ball carrier has broken through to the second level.

Autry was the first offensive lineman that Bill Bedenbaugh received a commitment from in the 2024 recruiting class. As they get ready to move into the SEC, the Mississippi native will one day be an important piece at tackle for the Sooners.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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Oklahoma 2024 prospects expected at ‘Party At The Palace’

Oklahoma set to host multiple 2024 recruits and commits for the Party at the Palace.

Oklahoma’s had a busy July to follow up a June full of official visits. July was about constructing their recruiting board for 2025 and 2026 as the 2024 class determines their future.

With so many Oklahoma targets for the 2024 recruiting class stopping by in June for official visits, it significantly decreased the likelihood that July would see nearly as much traffic. And while that may be true, this weekend’s Party at the Palace is still significant and a notable follow-up from Oklahoma’s ‘Sooners under the Sun’ underclassmen event that took place in the middle of the week. That event has already netted a pair of 2025 commitments from defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore and four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

For [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag], the 2024 class is back in the spotlight as more than 10 2024 prospects are expected to be in the building over the weekend. Several players are already committed, and the Sooners are hoping to use the event to move the needle with their uncommitted players. We took the liberty of highlighting who has been confirmed to be in Norman for the event.

Oklahoma will have the luxury of having multiple 2024 commits in the building to help with their recruiting efforts. [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] can help with the recruitment of three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]. Defensively, Jaydan Hardy can help with the recruitments of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]C.J. Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and get in the ear of three-star safety [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], who plans to announce his commitment on July 31st. He’ll be deciding between Oklahoma, Houston, and UNLV.

In-state talent [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] has had a compelling recruitment. He’s been offered by some of college football’s elite, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. With Oklahoma still looking to build a historic class along the defensive line, knocking this visit out of the park would help go a long way.

Party at the Palace could provide the last springboard Oklahoma needs to help solidify its place in the recruitments of several 2024 guys as prospects prepare to lock in for their final high school seasons. This event also marks the last major recruiting event of the offseason for Oklahoma. The calendar gives way to fall camp in preparation for the [autotag]2023 college football season[/autotag].

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Oklahoma Sooners 2024 commitment tracker

Which players are committed to the Oklahoma Sooners 2024 recruiting class and what do they bring to the football field?

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to follow a pair of top-10 recruiting classes in 2022 and 2023 with another in the 2024 recruiting cycle. The Sooners’ 6-7 season didn’t affect the finish to the 2023 recruiting class, which finished No. 4 in the nation according to 247Sports.

Brent Venables and his staff are hoping to have a repeat of that success or better and have themselves well-positioned to be near the top of the rankings when it’s all said and done in 2024.

Much of the success of this class will be determined by how well the Oklahoma Sooners recruit the defensive line ahead of their move to the SEC in 2024. In a strong defensive line class, the Sooners are in a good spot with a number of highly-coveted prospects. They finally broke the ice on their defensive line recruiting with the addition of Wyatt Gilmore, the No. 2 player in the state of Minnesota and a four-star prospect.

All eyes turn to players like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], [autotag]Jayshawn Ross[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], and [autotag]Zina Umeozulu[/autotag].

They will not land all of their targets, but Venables, [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag], [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] have made a strong impression on an impressive group of defensive line prospects.

Still just over five months out from the early signing period, here’s a look at who is committed to the Oklahoma Sooners as of July 1, 2023.

Recruits react on Twitter to time with the Oklahoma Sooners at ChampU BBQ

Recruits react on Twitter to time spent with the Oklahoma Sooners at the ChampU BBQ.

The Oklahoma Sooners completed arguably their biggest non-game day weekend of the year. The ChampU BBQ is their preeminent recruiting event each year, and this year Lee Davis and the on-campus recruiting staff pulled out all the stops to put the Oklahoma Sooners’ best foot forward.

Oklahoma hosted a number of prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle and they made substantial headway with Caden Durham, Mykel Patterson-McDonald and Xavier Robinson. That trio had a number of recruiting predictions issued in favor of the Sooners landing their commitments.

Additionally, Oklahoma hosted five-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley alongside David Stone. The Sooners have made the defensive line a point of emphasis this recruiting cycle, and they’re not holding back in their pursuit of top-tier defensive line talent. Stone and McKinley were on campus a week after five-star edge Williams Nwaneri made his official visit.

If the Sooners are able to land Stone and another highly-regarded defensive tackle or two, like McKinley, it would go a long way to laying the foundation of Brent Venables’ defense for years to come.

ChampU BBQ Visitor List: Who’s coming to Norman this weekend?

A look at who’s coming to town for the ChampU BBQ this weekend.

Oklahoma’s future looks bright. Less than a day ago, they received news of their first slate of SEC opponents when they begin play in their new conference in 2024. It’s a compelling slate and something that gets the competitive energy flowing.

If they plan to make an impact when they get there, the class of 2024 will have a profound hand in that. This class will be the first class that hits the ground and is immediately thrown into the fire that is the SEC. They’ll spend their whole careers being molded by the best football conference in the country. For the Sooners to compete for the top, this 2024 class must be unique.

It’s only fitting that Oklahoma has its premier recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ this weekend, right after the SEC opponents were revealed.

The Sooners can use the SEC to their advantage, selling the appeal of playing in an elite conference to any athlete unafraid of competing against the best in the country.

Last year’s ChampU BBQ had attendees signing with the Sooners and are now on campus with the current roster. Here’s a running count:

  • OT [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag]
  • LB [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag]
  • ATH [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag]
  • RB [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag]
  • CB [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag]
  • WR [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]
  • OT [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag]
  • QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]

In short, a nice chunk of OU’s 2023 class came to the event. Arnold was already committed before the BBQ, but having him there helped Oklahoma recruit and, ultimately, the remaining players committed in the months after.

The visitor list for the event is long, with well over 20 official visitors already confirmed.

This weekend in Norman will be jam-packed with an extensive amount of talent. David Stone, a consensus top-10 recruit, is the headliner. He’s a hometown kid who grew up a Sooner fan. A commitment from him would be massive. He’s at the top of the Sooners’ recruiting board and a must-have in this cycle.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] and [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] are two talented four-star running backs Oklahoma would be delighted to have.

Oklahoma has four 2024 commits in the building this weekend, and aside from them enjoying their officials, they can and will likely be used to recruit some of their uncommitted counterparts. [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] are the four commits who will enjoy their officials as Oklahoma Sooners.

[autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] join David Stone as highly touted defensive linemen in Norman this weekend. Aside from landing Stone, can Oklahoma at least snag two of the remaining three? This weekend of visits could go a long way in determining that.

This weekend will have ripple effects for the 2024 cycle and help lay the foundation for Oklahoma’s future in the SEC. Last year’s event netted Oklahoma seven commits in the weeks and months after. The Sooners will be thrilled if the same happens this year.

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Oklahoma Sooners among On3’s recruiting winners for April

After landing five commitments in the month of April the Sooners were included among On3’s winners on the recruiting trail.

For the second consecutive month, the Oklahoma Sooners were included among On3’s winners on the recruiting trail.

In March, 2025 four-star quarterback [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] started the ball rolling, and four-star cornerback [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag] broke the ice on the 2024 recruiting class. Since the Newcombe commitment, the Sooners have landed five more prospects for 2024: quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag], wide receivers [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], offensive tackle [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag].

Here’s what On3’s Keegan Pope had to say.

The Sooners had one of the slower starts to this cycle, with just one commitment heading into April. It was a banner month for Brent Venables and Co., highlighted by landing On3’s No. 10 wide receiver [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag]. The big playmaker out of Missouri City (Texas) caught 39 passes for 765 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 and has terrific speed.

OU also landed commitments from four-star safety [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], coveted quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag], massive offensive tackle prospect [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] and emerging wide receiver [autotag]Kelly Daniels[/autotag]. They now sit at No. 15 in the team recruiting rankings after being unranked this time a month ago and have momentum with a couple of elite targets like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryant Wesco[/autotag]. – Pope, On3 Recruiting

Oklahoma may be off to a slower start than some of the top programs in the country, but that’s by design. They’re working quicker than they did a year ago when they only had a few commitments heading into the month of June.

The Sooners [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] is six players deep and consists of four blue-chip prospects, headlined by top-75 prospect Zion Kearney.

As Pope mentions, the Sooners are making strong progress in their recruitment of Wesco, Stone, [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]and [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag].

The ball is officially rolling for Oklahoma in 2024. It has moved inside the top 25 of 247Sports team recruiting rankings and will climb higher in the coming months. If last summer is any indication, the Sooners will be in the top 10 by the time fall camp rolls around.

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Four-star running back Taylor Tatum includes Oklahoma in his Top 7

The Sooners are still in the running for four-star running back Taylor Tatum, who included Oklahoma among his top 7.

Oklahoma has seen its offensive recruiting efforts get off to a splendid start for 2024. They’ve landed a commitment from four-star QB [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag], four-star wide receiver [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], and three-star tackle [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag].

The Sooners look to continue to add more offensive weapons for the future. Four-star wide receiver [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag] plans to announce his commitment on Wednesday, and the Sooners still remain out in front. Five-star WR [autotag]Bryant Wesco[/autotag] remains the priority offensive target for the Sooners.

For a team like Oklahoma, where the running game means so much, the Sooners have yet to land a commitment from a running back in the 2024 recruiting class.

One target [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] has on his radar is four-star [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag]. Tatum’s a talented and explosive running back out of Longview, Texas. He dropped a top-seven list after his visit to Columbus and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Tatum is one of the nation’s best backs, and it’s only fitting that his top seven would include some of the nation’s best. Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, USC, Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas A&M, all remain possible landing spots.

 

Texas and Texas A&M have the home-state draw, while Oklahoma boasts a history of talented runners and an offensive coordinator who loves running the ball. The two schools to look out for right now would be the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines. The two Big 10 rivals, along with the Texas schools, feel like they have a bit of a lead on the Sooners, and Oklahoma will have some ground to make up.

Oklahoma does, however, have an official visit locked in with Tatum. He plans to visit on June 16. The time in Norman will afford Oklahoma the opportunity to put a dent into the standing the other schools have built with Tatum.

With so many schools still in the running, this recruitment seems far from over, and Oklahoma has a chance to make a substantial impression.

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Recruits react on social media to spring game weekend with the Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners hosted a number of prospects during their spring game weekend and here are some of their reactions from the weekend.

What a weekend it was at the Oklahoma Sooners’ spring game. A fantastic product was on display on Owen Field as the Sooners hosted a number of former letter winners and a host of potential Sooners for spring game weekend.

The spring game has turned into a celebration of sorts under Brent Venables, who has taken time each of these first two years to address the fans in attendance and honor the Sooners of the past while putting on a show for the prospects in for an unofficial visit.

As they did a year ago, the Sooners put their best foot forward and picked up momentum on the recruiting trail. In particular, the Sooners made progress in their pursuit of 2024 athlete Michael Boganowski.

It was another chance for the Sooners to make some headway in their recruitment of five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. Stone, who likely will not commit for some time, was among those in attendance, joining fellow blue-chip defensive linemen for the 2024 class, Nigel Smith and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye.

With three commitments last week and five overall in the 2024 class, the dominoes are tumbling for Oklahoma as it looks to replicate its success from the 2023 cycle.

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After hosting prospects over the next four recruiting cycles, here’s a look at how a number of recruits reacted to their time in Norman with the Oklahoma Sooners.