5 takeaways from the first two days of the early signing period for the Oklahoma Sooners

Peyton Bowen signs with the Sooners. Oklahoma has a top-five class. 5 takeaways from the first two days of the early signing period.

The early signing period for the Oklahoma Sooners has been, in one way, unremarkable and, in another way, utterly insane.

Oklahoma signed every single recruit they had committed prior to December 21. No one jumped ship even after a 6-6 season which was far and away the worst season Oklahoma has had in years. Everyone remained committed, and the Sooners even added guys along the way.

Outside of that, they waited on decisions from four-star [autotag]Tausili Akana[/autotag] and five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Oklahoma missed on Akana, who committed to the Texas Longhorns, but landed Bowen after one of the more wild recruiting sagas in recent years.

They didn’t land Bowen at first, who flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon at the signing event in his hometown of Denton. We’ll unpack that later.

Nonetheless, barring another five-star surprise from [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag], Oklahoma may not anyone else until national signing day in February. Unless it’s via the transfer portal.

Here are five takeaways from the first two days of the early signing period.

Four-star prospect Jacobe Johnson signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

Mustang product Jacobe Johnson signs his national letter of intent 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].

The No. 2 player from the state of Oklahoma won’t have to move very far from home. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] is officially an Oklahoma Sooner after signing his national letter of intent.

The former Mustang Bronco is listed as an athlete but is expected to play corner for the Oklahoma Sooners. At 6-foot-3, Johnson will be a big body that can make plays on the football. His experience as a receiver has given him quite a nose for the ball.

The Sooners beat out Alabama, Michigan, Stanford, and Arkansas for Johnson’s signing. Johnson went on visits to all of those schools except for Arkansas.

Unlike many of his fellow OU signees, Johnson did not run track, but he did play basketball. Brent Venables and company seem to really like these multi-sport athletes.

Johnson is yet another 247Sports Composite top 100 prospect and is the fourth-ranked athlete in the 2023 class. The Sooners landed two of the top ten players from Oklahoma: Johnson and another athlete, [autotag]Eric McCarty[/autotag].

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Where does Oklahoma land in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting rankings?

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in ESPN’s 2023 team recruiting rankings ahead of the early signing period?

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the final stretch of the 2023 recruiting cycle with the early signing period just a few weeks away and national signing day two months away.

Brent Venables and his crew are sitting in a great spot led by five-star commitments from Jackson Arnold and Adepoju Adebawore. Oklahoma has 22 commitments in the 2023 cycle at this point and a strong chance to add several more as they look to close out their first full recruiting cycle.

In recent weeks, the Sooners began to trend in a positive direction with five-star safety and Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen. Though five-star defensive tackle David Hicks is still committed to Texas A&M, the number of decommitments and transfer portal entries potentially puts that pledge on shaky ground.

After finishing with the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2022 cycle, per 247Sports, the Sooners have a chance to do something special if they can earn flips from the highly-coveted five-star players on their radar.

With the regular season out of the way, recruiting jumps to the forefront as Brent Venables and company try to improve the foundation of Oklahoma Sooners football.

The Oklahoma Sooners currently have 12 commitments inside the ESPN 300, which is the seventh-most in the nation. That’s headlined by Arnold on the offensive side of the ball, and ESPN currently ranks Jacobe Johnson as their highest-rated defensive player.

Here’s where the Sooners rank in ESPN’s team recruiting rankings ahead of the early signing period.

Oklahoma Sooners receive commitment from JUCO CB Kendel Dolby

Oklahoma added to their 2023 recruiting class with a commitment from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M cornerback Kendel Dolby. From @john9williams

The Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class picked up another commitment Wednesday afternoon with a pledge from junior college defensive back Kendel Dolby.

Dolby comes from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami. That’s the same school that produced former Sooners defensive tackle LaRon Stokes.

Dolby played in five games for NEO in 2022 and recorded 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and four pass breakups. His best game of the year came back in August when Dolby recorded six total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and three pass breakups.

The recruitment of the junior college prospect moved quickly as Oklahoma offered him on Nov. 2. He visited Norman during Bedlam weekend, and just a few days later committed to Oklahoma. According to 247Sports, he had planned on taking a trip to visit Washington, but will now be a member of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Dolby also had offers from Washington State, Kansas, Arkansas, Boise State, Houston, Liberty, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Oklahoma State.

The 23rd commitment to the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class, Dolby joins Makari Vickers, Jacobe Johnson, Jasiah Wagoner, and Erik McCarty coming in to join the Sooners’ defensive backfield next year.

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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, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

OU, Bedlam to play host to big names with a number of prospects descending on Norman

Oklahoma takes on in-state rival Oklahoma State for Bedlam and will be doing so with a massive group of recruits in attendance. From @thatmanbryant

There’s a fairly significant amount of importance surrounding Bedlam this year. The amount of games left between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State has been reduced significantly with Oklahoma’s impending move to the SEC on the horizon.

We may have 2023 and 2024, but the rivalry will cease as we know it in the next few years. Every game has always mattered but these last few, like the one on Saturday night, will mean a lot more.

Additionally, Oklahoma is fighting for bowl eligibility. They need one more win to participate in 2022’s bowl season.

Lastly and arguably most importantly, Oklahoma has its biggest recruiting weekend of the football season with Oklahoma State coming to town. We’ll revisit 2022 Bedlam several years from now and look back and remember it as a pivotal moment in Oklahoma’s last five to ten years.

There are some big-time names across multiple recruiting classes that will be in attendance for Oklahoma including five-star DT and Texas A&M commit David Hicks and recently dubbed 2024 five-star DT David Stone. More than 20 recruits have already committed to being in Norman, some via social media and others per OUInsider.com.

Makari Vickers commits to Oklahoma, choosing the Sooners over the Crimson Tide

Oklahoma’s newest commit, defensive back Makari Vickers, committed to the Sooners over Alabama and Michigan on Friday.

Oklahoma’s hot summer on the recruiting trail continues as they have landed their third four-star cornerback this summer.

Makari Vickers, a cornerback from Tallahassee, Florida committed to the Sooners on Friday evening at the halftime of his first game of the season. He’s the second commitment the Sooners received Friday night after Anthony Evans pledged to play for the Sooners in 2023.

Vickers joins a cornerback room that added four-stars Jasiah Wagoner andJacobe Johnson earlier this summer. He also officially becomes the 22nd commit for the class of 2023 for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Vickers had been trending in favor of Oklahoma since early August with a decision date being a mere formality at that point. Most of the summer was a real battle between Oklahoma, Alabama, and the third finalist in Michigan but ultimately Oklahoma just pulled away.

He also gets to join friend and fellow Tallahassee native Keyon Brown as a Sooner. Brown, a four-star receiver committed to Oklahoma in the aftermath of Ashton Cozart’s flip to Oregon.

Vickers is a consensus four-star player adds tremendous versatility to the back end of this new defense. He’s lined up as a safety and cornerback for Robert F. Munroe Day School but is being recruited by Jay Valai as a corner for right now.

Beating out the likes of Alabama for a four-star recruit in the southeastern part of the United States is no small feat. It’s something that should warrant a pat on the back for Jay Valai and the rest of the Oklahoma staff. It also gives a perfect glimpse of what Oklahoma can do on the recruiting trail with better defensive recruiters than they had under the previous regime.

With the commitment of the talented four-star defensive back, Oklahoma strengthens its footing firmly in the top 10 in team recruiting rankings while putting themselves on the verge of a top five class.

Makari Vickers’ Recruiting Profile

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247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong issues crystal ball for OU to land 4-star CB Makari Vickers

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to trend in a positive direction for 2023 four-star defensive back Makari Vickers.

On the heels of a commitment from 2023 four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson, the Oklahoma Sooners continue to trend in a positive direction for another player projected to play defensive back in [autotag]Brent Venable[/autotag]s’ defense. This time, it’s four-star defensive back Makari Vickers.

Out of Tallahassee, Fla., Makari Vickers is a consensus top 120 player in the nation and ranks as a top 10 safety in the 2023 class. The latest crystal ball prediction for Vickers comes from 247Sports director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong. This one after OUInsider’s Parker Thune and Brandon Drumm issued favorable crystal ball predictions for the Sooners to land Vickers in recent months.

Vickers is a versatile defensive back, lining up at safety and cornerback for Robert F. Munroe Day School. He does a good job as a deep safety reading the quarterback’s eyes and seeing where he wants to go with the ball before it’s released. Vickers plays the ball in the air and displays good hands at the catch point.

When he has the ball in his hands, he’s able to make plays in the return game. A natural and fluid athlete, Vickers would provide another playmaker on the back end for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Makari Vickers will make his commitment on August 26, but with how things are trending, it looks like the Sooners have another defensive back to add to the 2023 recruiting class. Vickers would join [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jasiah Wagoner[/autotag] in the defensive backfield next year as part of the 2023 class.

Makari Vickers’ Recruiting Profile

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Where does OU stand in 247Sports’ team rankings after commitment of Jacobe Johnson?

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners stand in 247Sports team recruiting rankings after the commitment of four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson?

The Oklahoma Sooners added their 20th commitment in the 2023 recruiting cycle with the pledge of Mustang, Oklahoma’s Jacobe Johnson. Johnson is a top-100 four-star athlete and the fifth-highest-rated commitment in the 2023 cycle for the Sooners.

Though they still haven’t reached the top five in 247Sports team recruiting rankings, the Sooners are making headway toward finishing with the best recruiting class they’ve had in more than a decade.

And they’re not done. They’re in a great spot to land commitments from Makari Vickers, Anthony Evans and David Hicks.

Though nothing is settled until signing day, Brent Venables and his staff have done excellent work in their first full recruiting cycle with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Let’s look at where the Sooners stand in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings after Jacobe Johnson committed on Aug. 13.

Oklahoma earns commitment from 4-star Athlete Jacobe Johnson

The Oklahoma Sooners earned a commitment from top 3 player in the state of Oklahoma, Jacobe Johnson.

The long-awaited decision of the No. 2 prospect in the state of Oklahoma has come to pass as Jacobe Johnson has committed to the Oklahoma Sooners. The four-star athlete, who projects to play cornerback for Brent Venables and the Sooners, was also considering Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and Stanford.

Standing at 6-foot-3, Johnson is a towering figure that will give wide receivers fits on the outside. His ability to attack the ball in the air, combined with his size, will make him a difficult matchup in the Big 12 and the Sooners’ future home in the SEC.

Johnson displays excellent play recognition and can change assignments on the fly when in zone coverage. His ability as a wide receiver lends Johnson to making plays on the football as a defender. He’s a natural hands catcher that allows him to come down with interceptions. He’s more than willing in run support and is disciplined in maintaining outside leverage when blocked. Johnson does a great job working through blocks and finding the ball carrier.

Johnson joins fellow cornerback Jasiah Wagoner in the Sooners 2023 recruiting class, which now ranks No. 7 after LSU added a couple of commitments recently. The Sooners are still well within striking distance of a top-five recruiting class, less than five points behind Georgia for No. 5.

With Jacobe Johnson now in the fold, commitment watch now begins for fellow cornerback Makari Vickers, wide receiver Anthony Evans, and five-star defensive tackle David Hicks.

Jacobe Johnson’s Recruiting Profile

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Top prospects in the Sooner State and where they’re headed in 2023

Where are the top Oklahoma prospects in the 2023 class headed?

The state of Oklahoma has some top-notch talent in the class of 2023. The Oklahoma Sooners have a commitment from 2022 Oklahoma Player of the Year Erik McCarty and are trending in a positive direction for the No. 2 player in the state, [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag].

They made serious plays for others in the top five of 247Sports top prospects in the state, but for one reason or another, those players decided to try their hand with another Power Five program.

Bai Jobe, the No. 1 player in the state, committed to Michigan State after spending his middle and high school years living in Norman. Oklahoma’s No. 3 player, Luke Hasz, decommitted from the Oklahoma Sooners after Lincoln Riley left for USC and hooked up with Sam Pittman and Arkansas to play his college ball. Dylan Hasz, his brother and the No. 17 player in the state in the 247Sports composite rankings is also going to Arkansas.

Athlete Micah Tease, a Tulsa native, also opted to head east with Hasz to play for the Razorbacks. Cole Adams, one of the top wide receivers in the state, opted to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma State currently has the most commitments from in-state prospects with DL Jaedon Foreman and OL JaKobe Sanders pledge to play for Mike Gundy and the Cowboys. However, if and when the Sooners get a commitment from Jacobe Johnson, Oklahoma will have the edge with the higher rated in-state prospects.

The only two uncommited prospects in the top 18 in the state of Oklahoma, wide receiver Morgan Pearson and running back Rickey Hunt, don’t have offers from the Sooners. Pearson has an offer from Oklahoma State and both have offers from Iowa State.

Though we’re still months away from the early signing period or national signing day, here’s a look at where the top prospects in Oklahoma are headed, according to 247Sports.