Tag: Kelly Daniels

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]

Speedster out of Louisiana signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners

Dynamic Louisiana playmaker K.J. Daniels signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners have built a diverse and dynamic wide receiver room since the arrival of Emmett Jones. The latest addition during the early signing period is an impact player with dynamic speed, Kelly “KJ” Daniels.

Daniels signed his national letter of intent for the Oklahoma Sooners during the early signing period.

Considered a three-star prospect, Daniels is a big play waiting to happen. Whether in the passing game or the running game, he is a cheat code with his ability to accelerate and break away from defenders. He’ll be an impact player for the Sooners on the outside, but he could carve out a role in the slot as he continues to refine his game.

The three-star wide receiver out of Franklinton, Louisiana, was a priority recruitment for wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag], who recruited Daniels while with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In choosing the Sooners, Daniels joins a wide receiver room that could be the best in the SEC in 2024. That group includes returning players Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson, Andrel Anthony, Brenen Thompson and Gavin Freeman. As impressive as that group is, the six will be pushed by the 2024 signees at wide receiver: Daniels, [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] and [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag].

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

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.

Sooners ranked 16th in ESPN’s team recruiting rankings with plenty of time to rise

Oklahoma’s 19 commits have them No. 16 on ESPN’s team recruiting rankings. Craig Haubert takes a look at Oklahoma’s class.

The Oklahoma Sooners went from zero commits in the class of 2024 to 19 pledges in a little over four months. Their first one of the cycle came when four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe out of Arizona announced his commitment out of nowhere on March 25. Since then, the Sooners have been rolling along, progressively claiming the recruiting rankings where they sit 16th with a massive commitment decision looming on August 26 for five-star defensive tackle David Stone. His commitment could help vault Oklahoma ever so close to the top 10.

ESPN has the Sooners ranked 16th overall (ESPN+) with seven commitments in the ESPN300. The Sooners are also the top team in the Big 12 in their latest update.

That seems right in line with other services like 247Sports, who also have Brent Venables’ team slotted at No. 16 in their team rankings. Craig Haubert of ESPN had this to say about Oklahoma. The Sooners’ win over USC for [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] is the highlight of the class thus far.

One of the top RBs in the class, Taylor Tatum has put up impressive testing numbers on the camp circuit, and that translates to his play as he brings a dangerous blend of speed and power.  – Haubert, ESPN

Oklahoma’s recruiting haul has been heavy on the offensive side of the ball. 13 of their 19 commits will be featured in [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]’s offense. The top three prospects in Oklahoma’s class, according to ESPN. Tatum comes in as the No. 38 prospect in the nation. But the Sooners also have other ESPN300 players like wide receivers [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], four-star tight end [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag], and four-star quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag].

Defense is less represented right now, with [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] the lone commit in the ESPN300 at No. 146. That could change if Oklahoma wins recruiting battles for blue chip defensive linemen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] (8/26) and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] II (9/8) in the coming weeks. The Sooners enter the home stretch of both recruitments as leaders, but recruiting isn’t about how you start but how you finish.

Oklahoma knows that well. Last summer provided much of the same recruiting push we’ve seen this summer. They closed their recruiting class for 2023 by flipping five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] from Oregon on signing day. Could they do the same to five-star EDGE player [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]? Recent comments from the Lee’s Summit North prospect suggest the Sooners are still in pursuit despite his commitment Monday to the Missouri Tigers.

There are so many unknowns with this 2024 recruiting class despite Oklahoma’s hot summer. One thing Brent Venables and Co. can hang a hat on is that this staff has shown a penchant for finishing strong on the recruiting trail. The Sooners will look to do the same this fall as well.

[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.

Oklahoma Sooners get commitment from WR KJ Daniels

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up their third commitment in the 2024 cycle from wide receiver K.J. Daniels.

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up another commitment in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag], this time from wide receiver Kelly “KJ” Daniels.

Daniels is rated only by Rivals, which has him as a three-star wide receiver and the No. 16 player in the state of Louisiana. But don’t let that star status fool you. The kid can play.

If there’s one trait that best describes the latest Oklahoma Sooners’ commitment, it’s speed. He has it for days. Regularly, he runs away from players, even running by players that appear to have a good angle on him.

Even when his break isn’t clean, he has the speed to recover and blow by the defender.

Heading into his senior season at Franklinton, it’s only a matter of time before the recruiting services pick up on what wide receiver coach Emmett Jones sees in the player.

KJ Daniels is a big play in the making every time he touches the ball. He can win deep or take a screen behind the line of scrimmage and run by the defense. At Oklahoma, he’ll remind a lot of people of Marquise Brown.

Daniels is the third commitment of the 2024 cycle, joining cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe and quarterback Michael Hawkins at the front of the class. With the Oklahoma Sooners spring game coming this Saturday, expect at least one more commitment to come before the end of April.

Daniels told Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports, “Me and coach Emmett have a very strong relationship. My guy Benton Duby as well. I spend a lot of time talking to him. And coach V is a great coach. I talk to him as well. I feel I have a very strong bond with them and as well as the rest of the staff too.”

Developments are starting to come together for the Sooners on the recruiting trail, and there’s a chance this class could be as good or better than the 2023 signing class.

[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.