Tag: Kevonte Henry

Oklahoma football’s official recruiting class after national signing day 2022

A look at the 2022 recruiting class and where each player ranks with the four major recruiting services after national signing day.

The Oklahoma Sooners put together one of the eight best recruiting classes in the country through national signing day. The declarations of the Sooners’ demise was greatly exaggerated as Brent Venables and his staff has breathed new life into a program that had struggled to maintain its top spot in the Big 12 over the last couple of years. That ultimately led to missing the Big 12 title game altogether in 2021.

Unlike other major college programs that experienced a coaching change, the Sooners were able to create positive momentum heading into the spring despite the coaching change.

The Sooners are the only team in the top 10 without a five-star recruit. While it would be nice to land Josh Conerly or Lebbeus Overton in the 2022 cycle, the teams high ranking in the cycle reveals just how good their four and three-star players are.

The Sooners have several incoming freshman that could come in and earn an opportunity right out of the gate. A top eight class is nothing to sneeze at and it speaks to the tremendous talent of the players and the work done by the coaching staff to get the guys on board.

As we continue our look at national signing day, here are where the Sooners 21 incoming freshman rank across the four major recruiting services; 247Sports, On3, Rivals, and ESPN.

ESPN tabs Oklahoma ‘winners’ on national signing day

ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren included Oklahoma among his national signing day “winners.” Here’s why.

National signing day saw Oklahoma ink five more players to its 2022 signing class. As a result, ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren included Oklahoma among his national signing day “winners.”

The Sooners have added quite a few pieces in the transfer portal to help fill voids, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel, defensive lineman Jonah Laulu and a few others.

The new staff, led by Brent Venables, has done a nice job in recruiting, as well, with the limited time they have been given. On Wednesday, Venables landed a commitment from four-star wide receiver Jamarrien Burt, who had been committed to Florida at one point in the process.

The Sooners also got a commitment from ESPN 300 defensive lineman Gracen Halton, the No. 264 prospect overall. In addition to Halton, Oklahoma got three-star defensive end R. Mason Thomas to commit as well.

Venables was able to keep ESPN 300 athlete Gentry Williams in the class after other programs recruited him down the stretch. – VanHaaren, ESPN.

Williams was the first to sign with OU on national signing day. According to 247Sports‘ composite rankings, Williams is the Sooners’ highest-rated player in the 2022 signing class. In its composite rankings, 247Sports ranks Williams as the top player from the state of Oklahoma, the No. 11 cornerback and the nation’s No. 92 player overall.

After Williams’ ink met paper, Oklahoma quickly added the signing of R Mason Thomas. On3 ranks Thomas as the 20th-best player from the state of Florida, the No. 17 EDGE and the No. 140 player nationally.

Then, the Sooners got more secondary help in the form of another Sunshine State talent. Jamarrien Burt, who was originally committed to Florida, signed with OU. In On3’s consensus rankings, Burt is rated as a three-star signee, the No. 453 player overall and the No. 43 cornerback.

The fourth player to sign with Oklahoma was a flip from Oregon. Gracen Halton is a four-star signee in the 247Sports composite rankings. 247Sports lists Halton as the No. 34 defensive lineman.

Lastly, OU secured one final flip. Oklahoma signed four-star EDGE Kevonte Henry. According to 247Sports, Henry is the No. 216 player nationally and the No. 24 EDGE.

Oklahoma absolutely closed strong on national signing day. The Sooners aren’t necessarily entirely done either. OU is also targeting five-star defensive lineman Lebbeus Overton, who just reclassified into the 2022 class, and five-star offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr.

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Oklahoma Sooners flip four-star edge rusher Kevonte Henry from the Michigan Wolverines

The Oklahoma Sooners landed another key addition to the 2022 recruiting class, flipping four-star edge rusher Kevonte Henry from the Michigan Wolverines.

The new coaching staff for the Oklahoma Sooners has taken some big swings to close out the 2022 recruiting cycle. Their work led to a flip of four-star defensive lineman Gracen Halton from Oregon to the Sooners and now they’ve done it again, this time flipping four-star edge rusher Kevonte Henry from the Michigan Wolverines.

Henry, who’s seen as a four-star player via On3 Recruiting’s Consensus rankings as well as the 247Sports rankings, is the fifth defensive lineman to join the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2022 cycle. That doesn’t include the two players they added in the transfer portal.

Henry brings a great frame to Norman, standing 6-foot-4, 225 lbs, and is ranked as high as No. 9 in the recruiting hotbed of California. His commitment signifies another significant win for the Oklahoma Sooners who took advantage of the uncertainty with Michigan’s head coaching situation.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been the subject of NFL rumors throughout the NFL coaching cycle and according to reports will be taking the Minnesota Vikings job.

With Henry’s commitment, the Oklahoma Sooners now sit at eighth in the country according to both On3 and 247Sports team recruiting rankings for the 2022 cycle. That’s a big push for a program that dropped as low as 27th in the country after the initial decommitments following Lincoln Riley’s departure to USC.

Henry will join a talented group of freshmen defenders as new head coach Brent Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof attempt to put their touch on the Oklahoma Sooners defense moving forward.

Kevonte Henry’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
ESPN 3 – 45 47
Rivals 3 – 36 33
247Sports 4 216 18 24
247 Composite 3 395 30 33
On3 Recruiting 4 175 9 19
On3 Composite 4 283 21 27

Vitals

Hometown Lawndale, CA
Projected Position EDGE
Height 6-4
Weight 225 lbs

Recruitment

  • Offered on Dec. 29, 2021
  • Visit on Jan. 14, 2022
  • Signed on Feb. 2, 2022

Notable Offers

  • Oklahoma
  • Michigan
  • Florida
  • Oregon
  • USC
  • Utah

Film

 Senior Season Highlights via Hudl

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2022 EDGE Kevonte Henry receives 247Sports crystal ball projection for Oklahoma

Oklahoma target Kevonte Henry, a 2022 EDGE, has been crystal-balled to wind up with the Sooners on national signing day.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is reportedly leaving his post as the Wolverines’ head coach to become the next head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Chris Balas, senior editor of The Wolverine, is reporting that Harbaugh plans to sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

This news about Harbaugh just might have been enough to tilt the scales in Oklahoma’s favor in the recruitment of Kevonte Henry.

Oklahoma already had an On3 prediction for class of 2022 EDGE Kevonte Henry to wind up with the Sooners from On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons.

Now, Harbaugh’s decision to leave Michigan has others forecasting that Henry will indeed sign with Oklahoma on national signing day.

OUInsider’s Parker Thune was the first reporter from 247Sports to flip his crystal-ball prediction for Henry from Michigan to Oklahoma. After Thune submitted his crystal-ball flip for Henry, OUInsider’s Brandon Drumm and Joey Helmer flipped their predictions in favor of the Sooners as well.

247Sports’ director of recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, and 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins flipped their predictions from Michigan to Oklahoma, too.

According to 247Sports, the 6-foot-4, 225 pound recruit is a four-star. Henry is ranked as the No. 216 player nationally by 247Sports and as the country’s No. 24 EDGE in the 2022 class.

On3 also rates Henry as a four-star prospect and as the No. 175 player overall in the 2022 class. Henry is listed as the No. 19 EDGE and ninth-best player from the state of California according to On3.

Rivals and ESPN rank Henry as a three-star recruit. According to Rivals, Henry is the No. 33 weakside defensive end in the 2022 class. ESPN rates Henry as the No. 47 outside linebacker in the 2022 class.

Here’s a taste of Henry’s Hudl tape.

It feels like it’s turning into a big signing day for OU with late EDGE and defensive line talent. R Mason Thomas is picking up traction toward signing with Oklahoma tomorrow and his high school teammate Ahmad Moten is as well.

There’s also multiple predictions that former Oregon commit and four-star defensive lineman Gracen Halton will sign with OU, too.

Here’s a good look at some of OU’s final targets ahead of national signing day.

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Oklahoma Sooners National Signing Day Preview: Here are the players you need to know

A deeper look at the Sooners as they head into National Signing Day and a look at the 7 prospects they’re trying to finalize commitments for.

At long last, the time is nearing. The close of another recruiting cycle across the NCAA.

For the Oklahoma Sooners, this cycle has been nothing short of eventful. There’s been ups and downs, highs and lows, and yet with the national signing day on the horizon the Sooners currently sit with a top 10 class and are knocking on the door of adding more,commits to that class. We’ve taken the liberty of mapping all you need to know for this signing class below.

The Committed

As it stands the Sooners currently have 16 signees already in the boat. Of that total over half are currently on campus and enrolled at Oklahoma while others like four-star OL Jake Taylor, four-star RB Gavin Sawchuk will join the team in the summertime.

The Sooners made sure to make in-state Oklahoma star, and commit, Gentry Williams a priority and because of it will have fought off the likes of Florida, Arkansas, and Jackson State. They will see him sign for Oklahoma on signing day.

Williams needed to meet and hear from the current staff before making any final decisions on if he would back off his commitment or not. He won’t and he’ll be a Sooner we will be able to see in the summer.

The Targets

The Sooners have seven prospects in their sights as we approach signing day. One of these particular seven won’t be signing until March but the others will be seeing their recruitments close in just a short few days.

Oklahoma’s updated 2022 class rankings ahead of signing day

Just a few days away from national signing day, where do the Oklahoma Sooners stand in 2022 team recruiting rankings?

Though the Oklahoma Sooners experienced a few decommitments in the aftermath of Lincoln Riley’s departure to USC, Brent Venables and his staff have done a fantastic job rebuilding OU’s 2022 class while looking ahead to 2023 and 2024.

With national signing day right around the corner, let’s take a look at how each of the major recruiting services sees the Sooners class in the 2022 team recruiting rankings.

  • 247Sports: 10
  • On3 Recruiting: 8
  • Rivals: 10
  • ESPN: 15

The Sooners are the only team in the top 10 without a five-star commitment. That could certainly change with a commitment from five-star offensive lineman Devon Campbell. However, their ranking speaks to the level of talent the Sooners have in their four-star commitments.

Oklahoma is one of two teams in the top 10 of 247Sports team composite rankings that has fewer than 20 commitments. With potential signing day additions, that will change, but will it be enough to see the Sooners rise in the recruiting rankings?

Players that Oklahoma could still get commitments from on national signing day:

  • Devon Campbell: five-star offensive lineman
  • Gracen Halton: four-star defensive lineman
  • Ahmad Moten: four-star defensive lineman
  • John Locke: three-star tight end
  • Gavin Freeman: three-star athlete
  • Kevonte Henry: four-star edge (Michigan commit projected to flip).
  • Jamarrien Burt: four-star athlete/cornerback
  • R. Mason Thomas: three-star edge

The Sooners could offer some signing day surprises since new names have popped up on the recruiting radar with the change in the coaching staff. As things stand now, Oklahoma’s firmly set as a top 10 recruiting class for 2022 and has a chance to move up a bit in the rankings.

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Offers list at DL/EDGE illustrates Brent Venables and Oklahoma’s commitment to transformation up front

Since being hired, Brent Venables and his staff have sent out at least 25 offers to EDGE/DL talent. What does it say about the future at OU?

Since being officially introduced as Oklahoma’s head football coach on Dec. 6, Brent Venables and his staff have sent out at least 25 offers to edge and defensive line talent spanning the 2022, 2023 and 2024 classes.

Oklahoma will need to replace its top three sacks and tackles for loss producers from the 2021 season: outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas and defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey. The three announced ahead of OU’s bowl game versus Oregon their intentions to declare for the 2022 NFL draft.

Venables quickly offered and signed Deerfield Beach High School (Florida) defensive lineman Alton Tarber. Then, OU added Hawaii defensive lineman Jonah Laulu and Tulane defensive tackle Jeffery Johnson from the transfer portal. That pair combined for 77 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2021.

The Sooners were one of the final choices for Missouri transfer defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo, too, before he chose LSU. OU has offers to 2022 defensive linemen and edge prospects Gracen Halton, Kevonte Henry, Ahmad Moten and R. Mason Thomas.

Halton, Henry, Moten and Thomas all have predictions from a variety of reporters to wind up signing with Oklahoma next week.

247Sports’ Parker Thune submitted a crystal-ball prediction for Halton to Oklahoma several days before Halton decommitted from Oregon. Since then, multiple 247Sports reporters have jumped on board with Halton ending up at OU.

Henry is a Michigan commit and listed as an edge by 247Sports, but the Sooners offered him on Dec. 29, and he visited Oklahoma on Jan. 14. On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons updated his prediction for Henry from Michigan to Oklahoma. It’s worth noting 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins flipped his prediction for Henry from Michigan to Arizona several days ago, so that’s a conflicting prediction.

Moten was offered by OU on Dec. 7. Thune submitted a crystal-ball prediction for Oklahoma on Dec. 19, and 247Sports’ Southeast recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins put in a crystal-ball prediction for Moten to Oklahoma last week.

Thomas earned an Oklahoma offer on Jan. 12. Thune flipped his prediction for Thomas from Iowa State to Oklahoma on Dec. 19.

Whether or not Oklahoma lands all of these prospects, it seems safe to assume the Sooners are adding at least a couple of prospects on national signing day. All of this is just in the 2022 class to potentially go along with defensive line signee Cedric Roberts.

In the 2023 class, Oklahoma has sent out offers to 13 recruits listed as either defensive linemen or edge players since Venables was hired. That list comprises Rueben Bain, Vic Burley, Kelby Collins, Enow-M’beleke Etta, Keldric Faulk, Derion Gullette, Bai Jobe, Kayden McDonald, Xzavier McLeod, Jaquavious Russaw, Desmond Umeozulu, Colton Vasek and A’mauri Washington.

In the 2024 class, the Sooners have sent out four offers to defensive linemen since Venables’ hiring. The 2024 list comprises T.A. Cunningham, Hevin Brown-Shuler, Nigel Smith II and a re-offer to David Stone.

What does all of this mean? For starters, it indicates Venables and his staff knew they needed an infusion of proven collegiate starters, Johnson and Laulu, out of the transfer portal to help offset the losses of Bonitto, Thomas and Winfrey.

After that, it’s a clear indication of two things: Venables understands a move to the SEC means Oklahoma needs to address its depth up front defensively. It also shows a belief that Oklahoma’s foundation moving forward needs to start in the trenches defensively.

It’s probably worth pointing out that a couple of these prospects listed as edge players could end up playing linebacker. Still, the message has been sent loudly and clearly.

Now and into the future, it starts at Oklahoma along the defensive front.

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4-star Michigan commit switches official visit date with Gators

Edge rusher Kevonte Henry has set his final two official visits, and he’ll be in Gainesville the weekend before national signing day.

Florida’s 2022 recruiting class has a lot of room to grow, and though coach Billy Napier has been working on a limited timescale, he’s been making a late push for a number of players ahead of national signing day on Feb. 2.

One such player is four-star linebacker Kevonte Henry. The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound prospect from Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California, has been committed to Jim Harbaugh and Michigan since June 25. While he remains committed to the Wolverines, he plans to take an official visit to Gainesville the weekend of Jan. 28.

According to Greg Biggins of 247Sports, Henry’s commitment to Michigan mostly stemmed from his relationship with director of player personnel Courtney Morgan, who has now taken a job at Washington. Henry visited the Huskies on Dec. 10. He also has a visit set with Oklahoma the weekend of Jan. 14.

Those planned visits were initially the other way around, with Henry planning to head to Florida on Jan. 14 and Norman on Jan. 28, but he decided to switch them around and give the Gators the final visit.

A California native, Henry has also been a longtime USC target, and he had a prior relationship with UF receivers coach Keary Colbert, who is now recruiting him to Gainesville. The No. 376 player in the 247Sports Composite, Henry is an outside linebacker that largely projects as an edge rusher or defensive end at the next level.

Florida fans will have the opportunity to watch Henry play in the Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 22 the weekend before he takes his final official visit to Gainesville. UF and Napier got in the game late for Henry, offering him on Dec. 22, but they’ll hope that his visit less than a week before signing day will sway him from his commitment to the Wolverines.

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Florida schedules official visit with this 4-star Michigan commit

Four-star EDGE Kevonte Henry has been committed to Michigan since June, but he’s setting up a visit to the Swamp for next month.

Four-star edge rusher Kevonte Henry has been committed to Michigan since late June, but that’s not stopping him from taking an official visit to Florida later this month, according to On3’s Corey Bender.

Henry should be in Gainesville on Jan. 14 which is looking to be a big recruiting day for Billy Napier and the rest of his staff. He’ll also make a trip to Oklahoma later in the month on what is expected to be his final official visit.

Florida only got into the race for Henry a week ago. The 6-foot-4-inch, 205-pounder was surprised by the offer, but he says he’s looking at all his options before sticking with the first choice. Washington, UNLV, Arizona and Colorado have also offered him a scholarship.

Wide receivers coach Keary Colbert is Henry’s main point of contact from his time out at USC (Henry is a California native). The Gators lost a few edge rushers to the transfer portal, so landing Henry would fill a huge hole. Colbert and co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney have already discussed what Henry’s role would be in the defense with him.

“They said that I would play the position in their defense called the ‘Jake’,” Henry said to 247Sports. “It’s really like a pass-rushing opportunity for me. It would be more of a standout playing outside linebacker. That is how most of the colleges want to use me. It’s what I think I am best at.”

Henry is ranked the 27th best edge rusher on the 247Sports Composite List and On3 pegs him as a top 100 player. Jim Harbaugh is going to do everything he can to keep Henry a part of the ninth-ranked Wolverines recruiting class, but Florida now has a foot (okay, a toe) in the door.

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Sooners offers recent 2022 Michigan decommit Kevonte Henry in latest flurry of offers sent out

The Oklahoma Sooners continue their efforts to build their 2022 recruiting class with an offer to Michigan decommit Kevonte Henry.

While Bob Stoops was holding down the home base and was preparing the current Sooners for their eventual Valero Alamo Bowl win against the Oregon Ducks, the incumbent staff continues to put their foot on the gas and pursue players to fill out their 2022 recruiting class.

Their latest offer went out to Kevonte Henry, a six-foot-four outside linebacker/edge prospect from California that is currently committed to Michigan. At that size and that frame, Henry looks like a sure-fire project defensive end that the Sooners would love to get in Coach Schmidt’s training programs to transform him into a bonafide edge rusher.

The Sooners wouldn’t be wrong in reaching out as their defensive end room is losing a lot between NFL departures and graduation and will need to replenish the depth.

While Henry is committed to Michigan, something must be afoot in his recruitment based on the recent activity in his recruitment. It raises an eyebrow.

For a commit to receive multiple Power Five offers this late may indicate teams believe that, despite his commitment to Michigan, Henry isn’t that locked into the commitment and may be looking elsewhere.

The University of Washington and the Florida Gators have both offered Henry in December alone for a prospect committed to a school since June. The Sooners deployed newly minted defensive ends coach, Miguel Chavis, on this particular journey. He’s been active since being hired and will look to continue to make a name for himself on the recruiting trail.

There’s no timetable for a decision here but the next step for Oklahoma would be to get Henry on campus. If they can get them on campus, with the momentum and energy the Sooners have on the recruiting trail right now, it could be all they need to complete a very late flip.

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