Tag: Mykel Patterson-McDonald

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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Where each of the Oklahoma Sooners signees finished in final 2024 recruiting rankings

A look at where each Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee finished in the final rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The 2024 recruiting class finished in the top 10 for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was an important class, as it marked the first group of players that would play their entire career in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Given the need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines to be able to contend in the SEC, additional importance was placed on landing a strong offensive and defensive line class. And [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff did just that.

But that’s not where the impressive returns stopped. Oklahoma also came through with the top running back in the cycle and a blue-chip set of wide receivers. It was an impressive cycle for [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag].

[autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] was considered the top tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle before reclassifying to 2024, giving Joe Jon Finley a bonafide star to work with.

At defensive back, Jay Valai and Brandon Hall continued to pull in impressive talents, landing four-star prospects [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

At quarterback, the Sooners landed highly productive passers from two big football states in [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] from Texas and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] from Ohio. Two years ago, the depth at the position was questionable. Now [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] has an impressive group of passers to lead his offense into the future.

Looking back at the trenches. The Sooners landed two legit studs in [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] for the interior and three blue-chip prospects to work along the edge in [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

It was a necessity heading into the SEC, where the offensive line play and physicality in the trenches go to another level. And as much as we love the defensive line recruiting, the offensive line recruiting could end up being just as impactful.

Sure, aside from [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag], Bill Bedenbaugh’s group didn’t receive a ton of recognition in recruiting circles. But it’s an athletically impressive group with a strong work ethic and a lot of upside.

So as we turn the page on Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class, let’s take a look at how each player finished in the final player rankings from ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3.

At the end, you can see which recruiting service liked each of Oklahoma’s signees the most.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee among On3’s best fits

The Oklahoma Sooners added to their already deep safety room with one of On3’s best fits of the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been on a tear on the recruiting trail since Brent Venables and his staff arrived. In three recruiting cycles since arriving in Norman, Venables has put together three top-10 classes.

The biggest difference in Oklahoma’s recruiting is coming on the defensive side of the ball. One area where Oklahoma has had a lot of success is the safety position.

Venables and Brandon Hall have added [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag]. To go along with Billy Bowman, the Sooners may have one of the best safety groups in the nation.

The Sooners earned Powers’ commitment after he decommitted from Michigan State early in the fall. According to On3, Powers to the Sooners was one of the best fits in the [autotag]2024 early signing period[/autotag].

Reggie Powers could be the thunder to Peyton Bowen‘s lightning. Powers is 6-foot and already over 200 pounds that loves to play violently. His demeanor and attitude when it comes to playing near the line of scrimmage is rare for a secondary player. Bowen covers so much grass and is able to play as a true center field safety in the secondary, and he also plays a lot of man coverage in the slot. Having a player like Powers complement him as a downhill weapon from the secondary that can take on a heavier box role could be one of the better pairings in college football. – Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

More: Where do the Sooners rank in average team recruiting rankings for 2024?

According to On3, Powers was the No. 10 safety in the cycle and the No. 152 player in 2024. He is the seventh-highest-rated prospect in the Sooners’ 2024 class.

His combination of size, speed, and power, to go along with his versatility, will make him a great fit for the Sooners’ defense. Brent Venables loves to move his safeties around in his multiple defense. Powers could be deployed near the line of scrimmage as a strong safety or the cheetah or could be used as the deep free safety.

The Sooners’ safety depth chart looks like one of the deepest position groups on the roster for 2024. As Oklahoma continues to build its defense, Reggie Powers and the other safeties will be key to their success.

More: “He is serious about defense”: What led to Reggie Powers Oklahoma decision?

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Dynamic in-state playmaker signs with the Sooners

Mykel Patterson-McDonald signs national letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another dynamic playmaker to their secondary when Westmoore standout [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] signed his national letter of intent with the Sooners during the early signing period.

A four-star safety over at Rivals, Patterson-McDonald is considered the No. 2 player in Oklahoma and the No. 13 safety nationally. He plays with an edge in the secondary and has a penchant for creating turnovers.

Patterson-McDonald is an aggressive safety who attacks the ball in the air. He’s also a willing tackler, playing with speed and physicality in run support.

The Sooners earned Patterson-McDonald’s commitment in July, beating Missouri, Iowa State and Michigan State. His recruitment and signing reflects the concerted effort from the Sooners coaching staff to lock up the top talent in the state.

Mykel Patterson-McDonald joins a safety group that returns [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], along with 2024 signees [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag].

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

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Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman returning to Sooners for senior season

The Oklahoma Sooners got great Friday night as Billy Bowman announced he’s returning for his senior season.

Christmas came early for the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday evening as [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] announced he’s returning for his senior season. Bowman had a career year for the Sooners defense and had a chance to be taken in the top 50 of the 2024 NFL draft, but will forego the draft next April to play one more year for the Sooners.

Bowman’s decision was one of the more highly anticipated of this offseason. Now, the Sooners go into 2024, their first in the SEC, with a senior leader for their secondary.

In 2023, Bowman was second in the nation in interceptions with six and led the country in interception returns for touchdowns. He finished second on the team in tackles and also had three tackles for loss. Bowman was second on the team in snaps behind [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag].

Bowman earned a first-team All-American selection from CBS Sports and 247Sports and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

What would have been an inexperienced group at safety, the Sooners bring back a star who’s played 31 games and more than 1,700 snaps in his three years with the Sooners.

Bowman leads a young but talented group that includes [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], who played a lot for the Sooners in 2023. Oklahoma also has [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] and [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], who red-shirted this season. Expected to join the group in the 2024 signing class are [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], three guys who are considered four-star prospects by at least one of the recruiting services.

This is a huge win for Brent Venables and a Sooners defense that made a big jump in 2023. With the expected loss of Danny Stutsman to the NFL, getting Bowman back helps mitigate the loss of their defensive leader.

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‘He is serious about defense’: Sooners commit Reggie Powers shares what led to OU commitment

In Reggie Powers, the Oklahoma Sooners landed a versatile athlete. Powers shared what led to his commitment to the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] got a boost when they received a commitment from four-star safety prospect [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag].

Powers, out of Dayton, Ohio, pledged to the Sooners on Saturday to become the 28th commitment in the cycle. It wasn’t long after Powers received an offer from the Sooners that he backed off his pledge to the Michigan State Spartans.

Down the stretch, it was a race between the Sooners and the UCLA Bruins. Like Oklahoma, the Bruins were experiencing a strong defensive turnaround as well. So what was it about OU that gave the Sooners an edge?

“It is a national program that is all in with football,” Powers shared with Sooners Wire. “I followed Coach (Venables) from his time at Clemson and knew he is serious about defense. Coach V, Coach (Brandon) Hall, and Coach (J.P.) Losman were very aggressive in my recruitment.”

Venables has built a reputation as one of the best defensive coordinators in college football for more than 20 years. He’s been a part of three national titles and played in several more national championship games. [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] has done an excellent job recruiting the safety position since arriving in Norman, and Powers is the latest big-time pickup at safety for Venables and Hall.

Powers is the No. 7 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 154 player in the 247Sports player rankings for the 2024 recruiting class. Powers is currently the fifth-highest-rated prospect in Oklahoma’s 2024 class. His size and versatility give the Sooners a high-ceiling prospect for the safety group.

At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Powers already has good size for a player who won’t turn 18 until June of 2024. With basketball athleticism and great play speed, the Sooners plan to put that athleticism to work in several ways.

But how do the Sooners plan to use him when he gets to Norman? “They think I can play all the safety spots,” Powers said. “Cheetah and strong safety for sure, and in certain packages, I would play the deep safety.”

Brent Venables wants to be able to line his defenders up in multiple formations so as not to tip off the offense pre-snap. Powers’ athleticism, speed, and versatility provide Venables and Hall a player who can line up in a number of spots and make an impact in the game.

He was in town for the Oklahoma Sooners win over UCF and said he had a great time on his visit.

“It was a great environment,” Powers said. “Place was packed, and the staff made sure my dad and I felt like priorities. I really had fun myself.”

He joins fellow safeties [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] in the 2024 cycle. Reggie Powers plans to join the Sooners as an early enrollee this winter to get a headstart on his collegiate career. That’ll give him an opportunity to make an impact early in his Oklahoma Sooners career.

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Oklahoma Sooners pick up commitment from 4-Star safety Mykel Patterson-McDonald

The Oklahoma Sooners pick up a commitment from 2024 Rivals four-star safety Mykel Patterson-McDonald out of Westmoore High School.

Is there any team hotter on the recruiting trail than the Oklahoma Sooners? Whether it’s 2024 or 2025, the Sooners are simply on fire.

That trend continued Monday night as they land the commitment of 2024 Rivals four-star safety Mykel Patterson-McDonald.

The Westmoore standout is the 17th commitment in the 2024 class and is the second safety, joining four-star Lewisville, Texas prospect [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag].

Patterson-McDonald is on the smaller side. He’s about 5-foot-10 and weighs just under 180 pounds.

But he makes up for it with his impressive athleticism, competitiveness, and aggressive ball skills. Like several Oklahoma commitments in this cycle, he also competes in track and field.

He ran a 22.67 200-meter dash and hit 21-9 in the long jump this spring as a junior.

He finished his junior season with 108 tackles, eight pass breakups, and three interceptions.

This recruitment was a big one in multiple ways because Patterson-McDonald is also a close friend of five-star defensive lineman David Stone who announces his commitment on Aug. 26, 2023.

However, Patterson-McDonald is no slouch himself. He’s a competitive player that will add an edge to the secondary.

This is another big win for safeties coach Brandon Hall. He’s done a fantastic job on the recruiting trail, helping the Sooners land a number of blue

The Sooners had to fight off the UNLV Rebels, Missouri Tigers and the Houston Cougars.

The Sooners currently sit in the top 20 across the board in team recruiting rankings.

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Sooners earn crystal ball prediction for 2024 3-star safety

With his commitment coming Monday, the Oklahoma Sooners earn crystal ball for 2024 safety and Westmoore product Mykel Patterson-McDonald

The “Party at the Palace” is coming to a close.

This was another successful recruiting week as they’ve landed commitments from a pair of prospects in the 2025 class, and more 2024 commitments are right around the corner.

The next scheduled commitment is set for Monday when three-star safety Mykel Patterson-McDonald announces his decision.

This recruitment is big in more ways than one. On one hand, he is very good friends with five-star defensive lineman David Stone who will announce his commitment on Aug. 26, 2023. But if you think Oklahoma is just after Patterson-McDonald to land Stone, you haven’t been paying attention.

The Westmoore High School and Oklahoman is a very talented player in his own right. He had 108 tackles, eight pass breakups, and three interceptions as a junior. He shows impressive ball skills and coverage ability. He’s about 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds. He can line up as a free safety or play in the box in nickel situations.

He’s also an impressive track athlete. Patterson-McDonald ran a 22.67 200-meter dash and hit 21-9 in the long jump this spring as a junior.

Patterson-McDonald is the No. 6 player in the state of Oklahoma.

With his commitment a couple of days out, the Sooners picked up another prediction in its favor on Friday. This one comes from Collin Kennedy of Sooners Illustrated and 247Sports.

Oklahoma’s main competition for his commitment seems to be the UNLV Rebels. However, the Sooners have long been the favorite to pick up the talented in-state prospect. 

If the Sooners are able to earn his commitment, he’ll join a talented pair of defensive backs in the 2024 class in Jeremiah Newcombe and Jaydan Hardy.

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Oklahoma 2024 prospects expected at ‘Party At The Palace’

Oklahoma set to host multiple 2024 recruits and commits for the Party at the Palace.

Oklahoma’s had a busy July to follow up a June full of official visits. July was about constructing their recruiting board for 2025 and 2026 as the 2024 class determines their future.

With so many Oklahoma targets for the 2024 recruiting class stopping by in June for official visits, it significantly decreased the likelihood that July would see nearly as much traffic. And while that may be true, this weekend’s Party at the Palace is still significant and a notable follow-up from Oklahoma’s ‘Sooners under the Sun’ underclassmen event that took place in the middle of the week. That event has already netted a pair of 2025 commitments from defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore and four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

For [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag], the 2024 class is back in the spotlight as more than 10 2024 prospects are expected to be in the building over the weekend. Several players are already committed, and the Sooners are hoping to use the event to move the needle with their uncommitted players. We took the liberty of highlighting who has been confirmed to be in Norman for the event.

Oklahoma will have the luxury of having multiple 2024 commits in the building to help with their recruiting efforts. [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] can help with the recruitment of three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]. Defensively, Jaydan Hardy can help with the recruitments of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]C.J. Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and get in the ear of three-star safety [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], who plans to announce his commitment on July 31st. He’ll be deciding between Oklahoma, Houston, and UNLV.

In-state talent [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] has had a compelling recruitment. He’s been offered by some of college football’s elite, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. With Oklahoma still looking to build a historic class along the defensive line, knocking this visit out of the park would help go a long way.

Party at the Palace could provide the last springboard Oklahoma needs to help solidify its place in the recruitments of several 2024 guys as prospects prepare to lock in for their final high school seasons. This event also marks the last major recruiting event of the offseason for Oklahoma. The calendar gives way to fall camp in preparation for the [autotag]2023 college football season[/autotag].

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Commitment dates on the horizon for Oklahoma 2024 targets

Over the next seven weeks, a number of the Oklahoma Sooners high-profile 2024 prospects will be making their commitments. Who are they?

The summer months have already been kind to the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail, and we still have a month and a half until most high school seasons kick off for the 2023 season.

More than half of the Sooners’ commitments have come since June 1. They’ve picked up pledges from [autotag]James Nesta[/autotag], [autotag]Dozie Ezukanma[/autotag], [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag], [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag], [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. With 13 commitments in the class of 2024, the Sooners sit 26th in the 247Sports team rankings and No. 17 in the On3 team rankings.

And that’s with a number of highly regarded prospects still to make their pledge in the coming weeks and months.

Here’s a look at who’s slated to commit during the next couple of months. We’ll update the list as players release commitment dates.