Tag: joseph jonah-ajonye

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.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma included in top 6 for 2024 5-star DL Dominick McKinley

Oklahoma in 2024 5-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley’s top 6.

The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff continues to lay the groundwork for what they are hoping to be another top-five class in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag].

It’s been clear the Sooners hope to attack the defensive line. They appear to be trending toward five-star [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and five-star [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]. The Sooners are also heavily in the mix for 2024 four-star defensive line prospects [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag].

Now you can add another 5-star to that list in [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag]. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive lineman from Louisiana would be a huge steal right from under LSU’s nose.

On Wednesday night, McKinley released his top six with OU and LSU joined by the likes of Texas, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia.

On3 currently has LSU as the heavy favorite. However, he’s already taken one visit to Norman and is expected to be in town on arguably the biggest recruiting weekend of the year for the Sooners on June 16 for the ChampU BBQ.

McKinley is a top 10 defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle and the No. 1 player in Louisiana, according to On3 and 247Sports.

Now Sooner fans have to sit back and hope Brent Venables and co. can pull off some “Sooner Magic” as they continue to build a strong relationship with the highly-touted lineman with hopes of putting together one of the best defensive line recruiting classes in the last decade.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Prospect Profile: 2024 four-star EDGE Wyatt Gilmore

Oklahoma is in the top 5 for 2024 prospect Wyatt Gilmore, a four-star EDGE out of Rogers, Minnesota.

Oklahoma’s pursuit of defensive linemen in the class of 2024 is arguably the biggest storyline in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag]. [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] have relentlessly worked to reshape the position group before Oklahoma’s departure to the SEC.

We have extensively discussed names like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag].

Oklahoma’s net has been cast so vast that even though four-star [autotag]Xadavien Sims[/autotag] is no longer an option, the Sooners are still well-positioned with several other prospects, such as four-star EDGE [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

Gilmore is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound EDGE prospect out of Rogers, Minnesota. Gilmore is ranked by 247 as the No. 20 EDGE in America, and their site has him as the No. 1 player in the state of Minnesota.

Gilmore released his top five schools ahead of the summer recruiting push, and the Sooners made the cut. Joining Oklahoma are Minnesota, Miami, Oregon, and Kansas State. Minnesota has the luxury of being the home state school, but it doesn’t mean Gilmore hasn’t considered leaving home to play college football.

When speaking to Ryan Burns of 247Sports about his top schools, Gilmore shed some light on his inclusion of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is one of the top college football teams in college football. There are so many things I love about Oklahoma including the S.O.U.L. Mission Program. It’s everything to be able to give back to people and have the opportunity to make people’s life’s better. The most important thing to me in my life is my faith. Faith in God is something they really support there. I’m extremely close with coach Venables and coach Chavis and those guys are DUDES. I’m excited to see how they play next season because I think they have a crazy amount of potential. – Burns, 247Sports

The perception of what Oklahoma is building seems to have resonated across the recruiting trail, as other prospects have expressed similar sentiments about Oklahoma’s blossoming potential.

Gilmore is a tough and productive player who would fit best playing strong-side defensive end or sliding inside and winning with speed from the five-technique in Oklahoma’s system. Gilmore plays with tremendous effort and looks the part of a certified Power Five football player.

Wyatt Gilmore’s Recruiting Profile

Film

HUDL

Michigan State football offers top 100 defensive lineman

Michigan State has extended an offer to one of the best defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class

Michigan State has extended an offer to Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, a top defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class.

Jonah-Ajonye is a native of Conroe, Texas, attending Oak Ridge High School. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, he is the No. 58 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class while being the No. 9 defensive lineman in the nation.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

No reason to worry about Oklahoma Sooners 2024 recruiting

Despite missing out on a four-star defensive lineman, the Oklahoma Sooners are still on track to have a fantastic recruiting class in 2024.

This time a year ago, think pieces were written wondering if the Oklahoma Sooners had a problem on the recruiting trail.

Fast forward to February of this year, and [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff had the last laugh, pulling in the No. 4 recruiting class according to the 247Sports composite.

One would think the way the 2023 recruiting cycle turned out, there would be a little more faith and a little more patience. But after Xadavien Sims committed to the Oregon Ducks, the same questions about the Sooners on the recruiting trail emerged.

On June 1, 2022, the Oklahoma Sooners had four players committed to the 2023 recruiting class. One of those players was a holdover from the Lincoln Riley era, [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag]. Another was Brent Venables’ first commitment, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], who pledged to the Sooners in January of 2022. Of the four players committed to the Sooners, only Arnold was a four- or five-star prospect. At the time, Arnold was still a four-star prospect in the cycle.

As of May 23, 2023, the Oklahoma Sooners have six players committed to the 2024 recruiting cycle. Of those six players, four are blue-chip prospects:[autotag] Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag].

Relative to the 2023 recruiting cycle, Oklahoma Sooners are ahead of schedule.

Take it a year further, and the Sooners 2025 class is way ahead of schedule with commitments from four-star prospects Kevin Sperry and Gracen Harris.

Venables, his coaching staff, the scouts and the on-campus recruiting team have proven in the year and a half in Norman that they can flat-out recruit. With two top-10 classes in two years and a top-five class in 2023, of that there is no doubt.

It’s certainly a bummer to miss on a four-star defensive line prospect such as  Xadavien Sims. The kid is talented, which is why a pair of national championship-winning defensive coordinators (Venables and Dan Lanning) were pushing hard for his commitment. In particular, for Oklahoma, missing on one of the top prospects in the state stings a bit.

But that doesn’t mean this staff can’t recruit. They’re still in a great place for  2024 five-star defensive linemen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], in addition to talented four-star prospects [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag]. They’ve also thrown their hat in the ring for five-star defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag].

The Sooners have laid the groundwork to put together another top-five class in the 2024 cycle. As we saw last summer, the Sooners are about to remind the college football world just how good they are at recruiting.

The summer months of June, July and August brought in 15 commitments to the Oklahoma Sooners. With the Champ U BBQ right around the corner and Oklahoma targets taking their official visits elsewhere, look for the Sooners to begin reeling in commitments as they did a year ago.

Gear up. It’s going to be another busy summer.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

2025 Texas prospect Dilan Battle receives offer from Oklahoma

Oklahoma offered 2025 DL Dilan Battle out of Texas. Battle is a tough run-stopping interior defensive lineman.

The 2024 class, particularly the defensive linemen, is all the rage when discussing recruiting for the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma is knee-deep in heavyweight battles for multiple five and four-star defensive linemen.

[autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] all come to mind when discussing prospects Oklahoma is fighting for in meaningful capacities. Oklahoma could take up to five or six defensive linemen in their class, so the net is wide.

For the 2025 class, the defensive line will likely not be nearly as big of a focus if Oklahoma does load up in the 2024 class. But they need to attack the defensive trenches with the same fervor. The 2025 class will be their first signing class after spending a season in the SEC. The Sooners will know the types of athletes and players they’ll need to compete.

Guys like 2025 defensive line prospect Dilan Battle fit the mold along the defensive interior. Battle is a 6-foot-2, 315-pound interior disruptor for his Mansfield Timberview team. He sheds blockers with the best of them, and it remains his biggest asset as a player right now.

Much of the concern about Oklahoma’s defensive line centers around the lack of size in the middle left over from the Alex Grinch days. Battle is a ready-made nose tackle that could step in and line up over the center from day one.

While 247Sports doesn’t have him ranked, Battle’s offer sheet includes some heavy hitters indicating that it’s only a matter of time before recruiting services are forced to re-evaluate and rank him accordingly.

Dilan Battle’s Recruiting Profile

HUDL

247Sports national recruiting director Steve Wiltfong predicts Xadavien Sims to Oregon

247Sports national recruiting director Steve Wiltfong issued a crystal ball favoring the Oregon Ducks for 4-Star DL Xadavien Sims.

The wild world of college football recruiting is well underway for the 2024 recruiting class. The Oklahoma Sooners were a part of one of the wildest recruiting sagas in recent memory as [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon and finally signed with the Sooners.

Another recruiting battle is underway between the Sooners and the Ducks as commitment day approaches for 2024 four-star and top in-state product [autotag]Xadavien Sims[/autotag]. Sims, who plans to make his commitment known on Saturday at C4Sports pro day in Durant, Okla. has been heavily recruited by Oklahoma, Oregon, and Michigan State.

For months it was the Spartans that were out in front in the recruitment of the prominent Oklahoma defensive line prospect. However, in recent weeks, it seemed the buzz had shifted to the Sooners. Well, now, it looks like Oregon is making a strong push in Sims recruitment.

Steve Wiltfong, national recruiting director for 247Sports, issued a crystal ball favoring Dan Lanning and the Ducks earlier Wednesday.

While a crystal ball from Wiltfong carries weight, this is a recruitment that is far from over. As Oklahoma has prioritized their defensive line recruiting in 2024, Sims is one of the top names on its recruiting board. Oklahoma is hoping to bring in a historic defensive line class with Sims and guys like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag].

However the commitment goes on Saturday, don’t expect anyone to let up in their pitch to Sims. Oklahoma, Oregon, and Michigan State will all keep the pressure on until the four-star defensive line target signs his national letter of intent.

This is a recruitment that could last into December or even to 2024 national signing day in February.

Hold onto your butts.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma lands in top 5 for 2024 DL Jayden Jackson

Oklahoma makes the top 5 for IMG Academy’s Jayden Jackson, alongside Florida, Miami, Texas, and Ohio State.

Oklahoma’s pursuit of defensive linemen in the 2024 class has been extremely admirable. It has been impressive to see the lengths this defensive staff has gone to ensure it upgrades the talent base across the defensive line as the Sooners head into the SEC in 2024.

Oklahoma leads or is in a prime position to land at least four top-100 defensive linemen: [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag] and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag]. If they land commitments from each of those blue-chip defensive linemen, it would be an unprecedented recruiting coup for Oklahoma, given its defensive reputation spanning the last decade.

Oklahoma’s net has been cast much broader than just those four, however. One of the other names in the mix is three-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

Jackson, a student-athlete at IMG Academy, dropped his top five schools, which included the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma made the cut along with Ohio State, Miami, Florida and Texas. The two Florida schools have the home-state advantage, but Ohio State is pushing for Jackson.

Jackson played in a defensive line rotation with priority target David Stone for IMG, and Stone is recruiting Jackson to play alongside him in college as well.

Oklahoma is already looking at an historic class along the defensive line if the dominoes fall the way they intend. The possibility of taking five or six defensive linemen is very real and would allow Jackson to join the fold as well.

It remains to be seen how this shakes out, but the fact Oklahoma has made the top five for talented interior defender Jayden Jackson means the Sooners have a real shot.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

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.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Four-Star Defensive End Jospeh Jonah-Ajonye continues to trend to Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners pick up another prediction to land four-star DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. This time from Rivals’ Nick Harris.

Since last week, the Oklahoma Sooners have become a big-time player in the recruitment of four-star defensive tackle Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. Several predictions have favored the Oklahoma Sooners. Add Rivals national recruiting analyst Nick Harris to the list of people who believe Jonah-Ajonye will end up a Sooner.

Harris issued a FutureCast yesterday, keeping the Sooners at the forefront of Jonah-Ajoney’s recruitment.

The Sooners are contending with Texas A&M, Texas, and Texas Tech for Ajonye’s services. He’s exactly what Brent Venables wants on the Sooner defensive line because of his size and athleticism.

Joseph Jonah-Ajonye made the trip to Norman in early March and then again for the Oklahoma Sooners spring game.

He’s 6-foot-5 and weighs 260 lbs., and will only get bigger once he sets foot on campus and participates in a collegiate strength and conditioning program.

He’s coming out of Oak Ridge high school in Conroe, Texas, and was recruited by Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Todd Bates.

He’s got a ton of potential coming out of high school and is exactly the type of big body that would dominate an opposing offensive line in a Brent Venables style of defense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jake on Twitter @jake_faigus