Tag: Michael Boganowski

Oklahoma Sooners safety group stacked heading into 2024 spring ball

With their success on the recruiting trail since Brandon Hall’s arrival, Oklahoma’s safety group boasts great depth ahead of spring ball.

In the first couple of years of Brent Venables tenure with the Oklahoma Sooners, the safety position was one of the areas of the defense that lacked depth.

After [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] left for the NFL and [autotag]Patrick Field[/autotag]s for Stanford after the 2021 season, the Sooners were left with just two guys, [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], that had played significant snaps for the Sooners. Both guys served as utility pieces, playing some corner during that 2021 season.

In 2022, safety was ravaged by injury early in the season, most evident in their blowout loss to TCU.

In 2023, the position had more depth with the All-American season from [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], the improved play from Key Lawrence, the emergence of [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], and the additions of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag].

The depth chart took a bit of a hit this offseason with the departures of Lawrence (Ole Miss) and Pearson (eligibility), but safety looks to be in great shape as the Sooners go through winter workouts.

Bowman is back for his fourth season, looking to build off of his incredible 2023. So are Bowen and Spears-Jennings, two guys who will vie for starter snaps in the secondary.

Oklahoma will get [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] back after he took a redshirt year in 2023 after suffering an injury in the Oklahoma 4A state title game at the end of 2022.

The Sooners also welcomed a deep recruiting class at safety, welcoming [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], Jaydan Hardy, [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] to the program. It’s an incredibly fast and athletic group that adds more talent and playmaking ability to the roster as they head into the SEC.

By all accounts, the 2024 safety additions have been standouts of winter workouts with their athleticism and strength.

Those new additions will need to prove what they’re capable of this offseason, we’ve seen [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] utilize their young safeties.

Hall and Venables’ success on the recruiting trail has strengthened the safety group and it’s the deepest it has been in years.

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Oklahoma receives crystal balls for 3-star Arkansas prospect Marcus Wimberly

Oklahoma has landed three crystal ball projections in favor of landing three-star S Marcus Wimberly.

Oklahoma’s safety position for 2024 has the best talent it has had in quite some time. [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], a former five-star prospect, is set to take over as a full-time starter. At the same time, Oklahoma returned [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], one of the nation’s most dynamic defensive playmakers and future NFL Draft pick.

[autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will be the first to spell either of them. Talented athlete Erik McCarty will be making his return after suffering a knee injury in the final game of his high school career, which forced him to red shirt his freshman season.

Recruiting has been solid, and now true freshmen [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], Jaydan Hardy, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald are set to join the mix.

Oklahoma has no safety commitments for the 2025 class, but 247Sports director of national recruiting Steve Wiltfong believes that may end soon if his recent crystal ball prediction is any indication.

Tuesday morning, Wiltfong logged a crystal ball for Oklahoma to land three-star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag] out of Arkansas. Wimberly is a strong prospect who plays baseball and competes in track and field. He ran an 11.45 100 and a 23.61 200 as a sophomore in the spring of 2023.

Wimberly visited Oklahoma for their junior day earlier this year. He likes the on and off-the-field culture fit for Oklahoma, so it should be no surprise that Oklahoma has a significant footing in his recruitment. An Arkansas crystal ball was logged previously, so discounting the in-state school would be unwise. Two Michigan insiders have also logged crystal balls in favor of Oklahoma landing Wimberly, so it’s safe to say that the Sooners are the trending favorite.

Marcus Wimberly’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

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Oklahoma offers Courtland Guillory, a 2025 safety from Klein Oak High School

Oklahoma offered 2025 DB Courtland Guillory earlier this week. a versatile defender with nice size.

Billy Bowman and Peyton Bowen are likely your starters at safety in 2024, barring any health issues, and that gives Oklahoma as talented a duo on the back end as there is in the country. Billy Bowman spurned NFL opportunities to play one final season as a Sooner, while Peyton Bowen’s story as an emerging star will look to unfold this in 2024.

Behind them is some uncertainty, but there are plenty of intriguing names like Robert Spears-Jennings, Erik McCarty, and true freshmen Jayden Hardy, Michael Boganowski, Reggie Powers, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald as possible options. Each of the true freshmen safeties have received praise over their high school careers for their versatility and physicality.

As Brandon Hall and Jay Valai build their positional boards for the 2025 class, those two things stick out the most. That’s why it shouldn’t be surprising that Oklahoma recently offered 2025 defensive back Courtland Guillory.

Guillory has played cornerback for his Klein Oak High School team. He’s has also been positioned as a safety or middle-of-the-field player. His athleticism stands out, as does his 6-foot-1 frame. Whether he sticks at corner or safety remains to be seen, but early returns show he has the athleticism to play both, which makes him an exciting option for the Crimson and Cream.

Courtland Guillory’s Recruiting Profile

Film

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Versatile defender Michael Boganowski signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

Versatile hybrid defender Michael Boganowski officially signs with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Brent Venables has a unique defense that has been replicated and studied by coaches at all levels of football. It’s multiple by nature, and its ability to match up with whatever a team may throw at it is one of its foundational principles.

For this defense to be successful, versatility is a must. That’s why Oklahoma went out to find a kid like Michael Boganowski. His size, speed, and versatility always attracted the Sooners staff.

He dominated at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds at Junction City (Kan.) High and was even initially recruited as a safety. It’s safe to say he’ll get his first crack in college as a safety as well, but because of his frame, he could slide down, bulk up, and play linebacker, or he could end up at the most versatile spot on the defense, Cheetah.

Signing Boganowski is excellent because he won’t be rushed to the playing field in the vaunted SEC, and the Sooners can use the offseason to try and figure out where he fits the most. The Sooners have depth at linebacker and in the secondary, so as they find a home for him, he can be brought along slowly if necessary.

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

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Sooners land commitment from versatile LB Michael Boganowski

Oklahoma is the choice for four-star linebacker Michael Boganowski, who picked the Sooners over Kansas, Kansas State, and Florida State.

Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting journey may be winding down, but there’s still room for a few more arrivals. On Thursday evening, the Oklahoma Sooners picked up another commitment, this time from four-star linebacker Michael Boganowski. Boganowski picked Oklahoma over Kansas State, Florida State, and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Boganowski’s path to his recruitment wasn’t direct path to the Sooners. They had to fend off the overtures from Kansas State and Florida State and to a lesser extent Florida State. It always felt like it was going to come down to Oklahoma and Kansas State.

The Wildcats boasted several advantages, from proximity to personal relationships with people on the Wildcats staff.

Boganowski visited for the [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag] event over the summer. Then, after seeing Norman for a game day, things started tilting back in favor of Oklahoma.

In Boganowski, the Sooners get a talented and athletic linebacker. He looks like a player who projects best as a cheetah in Brent Venables’ defense.

The versatile athlete is everything to his Junction City High School team, where he finished the 2022 season with 123 total tackles (67 solo, three for loss), four interceptions, one forced fumble. He also threw a touchdown and rushed for a score last season.

ESPN and Rivals have Boganowski as the number one prospect out of Kansas. With his commitment, the Sooners inch closer to eclipsing Florida State for No. 6 in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings. His pledge also brings Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class to 26 commitments.

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Oklahoma Sooners receive commitment from 2024 3-Star OL Daniel Akinkunmi

The Oklahoma Sooners received a commitment from 2024 3-Star OL Daniel Akinkunmi.

It’s been a fantastic week for the Oklahoma Sooners. First, they beat the Texas Longhorns 34-30. Then they picked up some momentum in the recruitment of offensive lineman [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag]. Now, they’ve added another player to the 2024 class.

The Oklahoma Sooners earned a pledge from offensive lineman Daniel Akinkunmi.

Akinkunmi marks the 25th commitment in the cycle and ranks as the No. 34 interior offensive lineman in the class. He’s received big-time offers from a number of Power Five programs, including Oklahoma, Baylor, Clemson, Miami, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Duke, and Texas Tech.

Out of the NFL Academy in London, England, Akinkunmi may require time to make the transition to college football. But he’s got a lot of potential.

He’s got the size to be a force for the Sooners interior but also has the athleticism to bump out to tackle if needed at the collegiate level.

Akinkunmi’s recruitment is a sign of the growth of the sport. England, in particular, has seen several players make noise at the collegiate and NFL level in recent years.

The top player in England now joins a Sooners squad that has become well known for offensive line development under offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

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Oklahoma looks to be pulling away in race for composite four-star prospect Michael Boganowski

Oklahoma is now the overwhelming favorite to land four-star athlete Michael Boganowski after multiple predictions were logged in OU’s favor.

The buzz surrounding Oklahoma since their win over Texas can’t be overstated. The Sooners became the talk of the college football world and are now ranked No. 7 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25.

Whether the win played a part in it or not, Oklahoma has seen some positive momentum for their remaining targets as they look to close out the 2024 recruiting class on a high note.

One of those targets, Michael Boganowski, is trending heavily toward the Oklahoma Sooners. On Sunday, Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports issued a crystal ball prediction favoring the Sooners.

Oklahoma has duked it out with Kansas State, and it appeared for some time that the Wildcats were in the driver’s seat.

With his commitment date set for October 19th, things look pristine for the Sooners after a flurry of crystal balls and On3 predictions came in on Wednesday.

Two Kansas State insiders issued predictions favoring the Sooners in addition to Sooners Illustrated Collin Kennedy logging a prediction for Boganowski.

 

Landing the talented player from Junction City, Kansas, would be a nice addition to an excellent recruiting class.

Boganowski would be a safety and a possibility to play cheetah for Oklahoma, giving them more depth at a position integral to making this defense work.

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Sooners receive crystal ball projections for pair of targets after win over Texas

Oklahoma received crystal balls for a pair of prospects on Sunday morning following their win over Texas.

The good vibes are still rolling if you’re a fan of the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners beat their rival in an instant classic of a [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] on Saturday. On Sunday, the Sooners were on the receiving end of not one but two crystal ball projections for a pair of their remaining targets.

Steve Wiltfong, director of football recruiting at 247Sports, issued crystal balls in Oklahoma’s favor for four-star offensive line prospect Eddy Pierre-Louis and four-star linebacker Michael Boganowski on Sunday morning.

Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class is ranked seventh in the nation with 24 commits and still has room for a few more.

[autotag]Pierre-Louis[/autotag] hails from Florida and attends [autotag]Tampa Catholic[/autotag], the same high school where freshman linebacker [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] came from. Pierre-Louis is a guard prospect and would be a lovely addition to the Sooners offensive line haul in 2024. Aside from the Sooners, UCF is fighting for his services the most.

Boganowski has a nice athletic frame and plays all over for his high school team. He projects best as a rangy linebacker in college with added weight. His recruitment has looked like a line graph with Kansas State gaining momentum and Oklahoma seizing momentum back. Right now, the Sooners may have regained control in the battle to land his commitment.

If the Sooners were to land commitments from both, the two pledges would be good enough for the Sooners to leap the Florida State Seminoles for sixth in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings.

Decisions are not scheduled for either prospect, but we should gain more clarity as the days get closer to the early signing period.

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Sooners land commitment from in-state 2024 four-star EDGE Danny Okoye

Oklahoma is back on the board with another commitment. The Sooners landed four-star EDGE rusher Danny Okoye on Wednesday evening.

Oklahoma has put together a great recruiting class for 2024, and it just got better along the defensive line. Four-star EDGE [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday.

Oklahoma was the choice over Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, and a number of other Power Five schools.

Oklahoma’s pursuit of Okoye started in the summer of 2022 when the Sooners offered in July. Since then, Miguel Chavis has spearheaded that recruitment, keeping Oklahoma in the thick of it.

Okoye cut down his options and posted a top-six featuring the Sooners, Crimson Tide, the Volunteers, Colorado, LSU, and the Texas Longhorns in August.

When speaking to Brett Greenberg of 247Sports back in August (Subscription required), Okoye said this about Oklahoma:

”OU has always been showing the love for me since the beginning. One of the reasons they are in the top six is just after their last season, the amount of work that they’ve put in and the amount of progress they’ve made as a team and program, it’s definitely worth being noticed. The coaching staff is a national championship coaching staff, and I can definitely see OU winning the national championship in the future.”

Oklahoma hosted Okoye for an official visit for the first game of the season when they blew away the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Momentum began to build for Okoye to the Sooners. The Sooners rode the wave and have secured his commitment.

When looking at the 247Sports composite, which takes into account rankings from each of the primary recruiting services, Okoye is pegged as the No. 152 overall recruit in the 2024 class. The four-star also rates as a top-10 edge rusher in the nation and the top player in Oklahoma. He also looks like an EDGE, standing six-foot-four and hovering around 240 pounds. He’s explosive, and during his junior season in 2022, he tallied 43 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception, and forced a fumble.

With Okoye’s commitment, Oklahoma now has 24 pledges in the 2024 recruiting. Oklahoma has also moved in front of Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the No. 7 spot in the 247Sports team rankings.

The Sooners’ pursuit of a top-five recruiting class continues with decisions from three-star OL [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag], four-star OT [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag], three-star CB [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag], and four-star LB/S [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] still to come.

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Oklahoma set to host a number of prospects for season opener vs. Arkansas State

The Oklahoma Sooners are hosting a number of prospects over the next few recruiting cycles for their season opener. Who’s will be in attendance?

Oklahoma’s first game of the season comes against Arkansas State in what could be a blistering day in Norman, Oklahoma. Aside from the pageantry of the first game and the excitement it’ll generate, the Sooners will also be playing host to a number future Sooners and other OU targets.

With the summer dead period officially over, athletes can revisit schools. Oklahoma has already established a nice little list of visitors of both the official and unofficial variety.

We’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of all the visitors we know now.