Tag: Nick Evers

Oklahoma Sooners 2022 Recruiting Class Commitment Tracker

As early signing day approaches, where does the Oklahoma Sooners 2022 recruiting class stand?

It’s been a wild couple of weeks for the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail. What once had the makings of a top-five recruiting class dipped down to 27 a week ago in the 247Sports Team Composite Rankings. Now, on the eve of the early signing period, the Oklahoma Sooners have climbed back into the top 10 and could climb higher over the next couple of months with National Signing Day a couple of months away.

The Sooners have seen their fair share of de-commitments along the way, as one would expect with a coaching change. But that hasn’t stopped Brent Venables and his staff from making a statement in the 2022 recruiting cycle. The Sooners have had several players affirm their commitments over social media.

With early signing day set to kick off, here’s a list of the current commitments according to 247Sports. We’ll update the tracker as it evolves, but here’s Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class thus far.

What does new QB recruit Nick Evers bring to the Sooners?

A look at new 2022 quarterback commit Nick Evers and what the Sooners can expect from him early.

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After losing their prized 2023 quarterback of the future when Malachi Nelson flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to USC to follow Lincoln Riley, there was a lot of angst about the future of the QB position in Norman.

The Sooners didn’t have a head coach or offensive coordinator either so things were up in the air. There was, and still is the trepidation about whether impact true freshman quarterback Caleb Williams would stay or go since Riley has left for sunny southern California.

The question remains about Caleb Williams’ future but over the last two weeks, things have stabilized in Norman. A new head coach is in the building and for the first time in six years, the Sooners will have a new play-caller not named Lincoln Riley.

Jeff Lebby, the up-and-coming offensive coordinator who led multiple top-five offenses while at Ole Miss came back to his alma mater to lead the Sooners offense. His first order of business? Secure a commitment from 2022 QB Nick Evers.

Evers had been recruited by Lebby at Ole Miss and although Evers originally committed to Florida, his relationship with Lebby stood firm and helped open the doorway to him becoming a Sooner.

But what are the Sooners getting with Nick Evers?

Evers is a true dual-threat quarterback much like Caleb Williams. However, his skills may not look the same as Caleb Williams.

Evers stands tall at 6-foot-3 and has the frame to add about 10 pounds if needed. While being a bit taller than some of the other Oklahoma quarterbacks of late, Evers runs with long strides on the field to the point it doesn’t look like he’s running all that fast.

He’s quite proficient running with the ball, totaling 894 yards rushing the last two years of high school. His arm is lively and he’s not afraid to throw over the middle of the field. If you’re going to do that you need accuracy, some velocity, and some major confidence to do so. And Evers has all three.

Evers is far from a finished product and will need some seasoning in this offense and processing at much faster speeds. The best thing going for him is the fact that Lebby’s offense is similar in ways to what his high school offense looked like but obviously highly more nuanced. It should help on a concept level and the more reps he gets at practice in this system the better off he’ll be.

There’s some serious upside in Nick Evers and while he’s not the five-star QB recruit the Sooners had grown accustomed to, he’s plenty talented to make a major name for himself in Norman, Oklahoma.

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4-star linebacker Kobie McKinzie flips commitment back to Oklahoma

Four-star linebacker Kobie McKinzie announced that he has flipped his commitment from Texas back to Oklahoma.

In a matter of hours, Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class has leapfrogged all the way up to No. 13 nationally according to the 247Sports composite team rankings.

That’s thanks in part to class of 2022 linebacker Kobie McKinzie announcing today that he’s flipped his commitment back to Oklahoma.

It’s been a whirlwind of late in the recruitment of McKinzie.

McKinzie had committed to the Sooners all the way back on Jan. 15 of 2020. McKinzie took an official visit to Oklahoma this past summer on June 18.

Then, after Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to become USC’s head coach, McKinzie decommitted from Oklahoma on Nov. 28 and subsequently flipped his commitment to Texas on Dec. 5.

Now, a little over a week later, McKinzie is back committed with the Crimson and Cream.

The Lubbock, Texas, product is a consensus four-star linebacker. McKinzie is rated as the No. 13 linebacker and No. 144 player overall in the 2022 class according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

In the Rivals rankings, McKinzie checks in as the nation’s No. 6 inside linebacker and No. 166 player nationally.

247Sports’ Gabe Brooks evaluated McKinzie on Nov. 5 and had this to say about McKinzie.

Possesses adequate height with advanced mass at this stage of development. College-ready size as an off-ball linebacker, but may outgrow the position given high school size, despite not being overly long. Very stout base with upper-body space to continue to add mass. Almost exclusively an off-ball linebacker in high school, but has gotten limited reps at edge. Consistently strong tackler who finishes strikes and flashes impact arriving pop. Best when playing downhill. Impressive in forward pursuit with athleticism to chase to perimeter in many scenarios. Possesses the size and strength to take on blocks and play through action in the box. Linear pursuit ability suggests intriguing potential as a blitzer. Occasionally arrives high as a tackler. Has coverage experience but must prove requisite coverage ability against high-major skill players. Will need to maximize fluidity, lateral twitch, and body control to reach ceiling in coverage situations. Again, most comfortable playing forward, and size could dictate full-time move to the edge or as a hand-on-the-ground player, depending on scheme and personnel packaging. Power Five-caliber front seven defender whose best fit will be subject to scheme. High-floor physical traits with proven production and playmaking ability against good high school competition. Projects to the high-major level as a throwback off-ball linebacker or an edge-setting line-of-scrimmage hybrid who could become a matchup problem with pass-rushing technical development. Potential to become an impact player with a long-term ceiling beyond college. – Brooks, 247Sports

Brooks, 247Sports’ Midlands Region recruiting analyst, has the Baltimore Ravens’ Daelin Hayes as McKinzie’s player comparison.

The Sooners also secured a commitment earlier today from four-star quarterback Nick Evers out of Flower Mound, Texas.

McKinzie hinted that there could be more good news on deck for Oklahoma shortly after he announced his commitment to the Sooners.

McKinzie tweeted, “oh and I’m not coming back by myself!”

With the Early Signing Period set to begin this Wednesday, Dec. 15, there should be plenty more recruiting news to follow with Oklahoma.

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Oklahoma Sooners get commitment from 2022 4-star quarterback Nick Evers

The Oklahoma Sooners get a big-time commitment from 2022 four-star quarterback out of Flower Mound, Texas Nick Evers.

After Lincoln Riley left, the 2022 and the 2023 recruiting classes took major hits. They lost five-star commitments in both classes and the future looked bleak after Malachi Nelson flipped to USC.

Since Brent Venables and Jeff Lebby have come on board, the tide has turned. They’ve been hot and heavy on the recruiting trail and picked up their first commitment in 2022 four-star quarterback Nick Evers early Monday morning.

Nick Evers is the eighth-ranked quarterback per 247Sports and 10th in their composite rankings. On3 has Evers ranked as the No. 6 quarterback and No. 67 overall in the 2022 class.

The Flower Mound product has had a hot and heavy recruitment of late. After de-commiting from Florida on Dec. 7, the Oklahoma Sooners contingent of Jeff Lebby and Joe Jon Finley paid a visit to Evers the next day. That visit led to Oklahoma extending an offer on Dec. 8. Over the weekend, Evers and his family made an official visit to Norman and now the Sooners picked up the first big win of Jeff Lebby’s tenure in securing the commitment of the four-star prospect.

In Evers, the Sooners get a guy who was a  6-6A All-District selection his junior season when he threw for 25 touchdowns and rushed for another four. In 2021, Evers threw for 19 and rushed for 14 touchdowns as a senior.

After falling into the 20s in 247Sports team rankings, the Sooners are back in the top 15 with Evers commitment. On3 has the Sooners all the way up to ninth in their team rankings.

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Nick Evers’ dad explains son’s decision to decommmit from Florida

After meeting with Billy Napier, Nick Evers knew he had a tough decision to make.

Florida has lost a number of commitments after replacing former coach Dan Mullen with Billy Napier. Perhaps the most notable name to say goodbye to Gator Nation in the last week has been 4-star QB Nick Evers.

The eighth-best quarterback in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports, met with the new Florida coach on Monday and decommitted the next day. The announcement came on social media, leaving fans to wonder what led to one of the team’s most dedicated commits backing out. Less than 48 hours after the shocking news came in, Evers’ father posted a thoughtful explanation and thank you to the Florida faithful.

Evers didn’t decommit because he was scared to compete with others, and Napier’s plan did involve him. It simply wasn’t the right fit anymore with no one left from the group that originally offered him.

It’s not every day that a thank you letter is penned to a fan base after a recruit backs off a commitment. Typically, young men are eager to avoid the drama and ask fans to respect their privacy after an abrupt announcement. The explanation and humility make a tough pill easier to swallow in a way, and it can’t hurt when other programs are deciding whether or not to offer Evers.

Evers leaving is a big blow to Florida’s recruiting class, and hearing that Napier didn’t click with one of the team’s most important commits is understandably concerning to some. But even Evers’ father noted that Napier is committed to creating a championship culture at Florida.

Napier said in his introductory press conference that the staff would be slow and methodical in preparation for the transfer portal and those left unsinged after early signing day. He now needs to find his quarterback for the class of 2022 after losing Evers.

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Oklahoma’s offense now led by Jeff Lebby sends out first quarterback offer of new regime

2022 four-star quarterback prospect Nick Evers is Jeff Lebby’s first QB offer since taking over as the offensive coordinator for Oklahoma.

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Things are moving fast on the recruiting trail, and that’s exactly how Brent Venables and Jeff Lebby want it. New Sooners’ head coach and his new offensive coordinator have hit the ground running with the early signing period just a week away.

Lebby ran an explosive and fast offense at Ole Miss, and you can be sure he’s going to bring that to Oklahoma. Lebby’s first order of business is to settle himself and situate the quarterback situation in Norman.

There’s the massive elephant in the room in approaching Caleb Williams and his family and trying to do what’s necessary to lock him in for the long haul. Williams could conceivably transfer after the coach he signed to play left for another school on the west coast.

With Spencer Rattler entering the portal a last week and uncertainty about Caleb Williams, the Sooners are in no spot to get caught with their pants down.

Enter Nick Evers, the first quarterback offer of the Lebby-led Sooners’ offense. Evers is a four-star quarterback who de-committed from the Florida Gators earlier this week and received a visit from Lebby and Joe Jon Finley. It didn’t take long for the Sooners to offer the four-star quarterback.

This isn’t a random shot in the dark. Evers was being recruited by Ole Miss even before he committed to Florida. Who was Evers’ primary recruiter from Ole Miss? Jeff Lebby.

Oklahoma has a significant need to have another scholarship quarterback on the roster regardless of whatever happens with Caleb Williams. One could make a strong and almost bulletproof argument they could do with another scholarship quarterback on top of that. Not having three scholarship quarterbacks is a slippery slope.

Evers is an athletic dual-threat quarterback who ran for over 600 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He stands 6-foot-3, and his film shows a confident, accurate QB with enough zip to make all the throws. Evers has long strides and seems very alert and comfortable bailing from the pocket if need be. He’s not afraid to let it rip into a tight window.

A staple of Lebby’s offenses has been the utilization of the dual-threat quarterback, which certainly fits Evers and Williams. Another focal point of the offense is the marriage of the quarterback run game with a dynamic running back that provides read-option opportunities in the offensive scheme. That type of stress creates nightmares for teams.

On top of an offer, Gerry Hamilton of On3 reported that Evers will also be in Norman for an official visit this weekend.

There’s no real smoke yet, but Lebby is very much in this race, if nothing else, because he’s had a previous relationship with Evers. And an official visit can change a lot for a prospect in a short amount of time.

There’s no guarantee the Sooners land him. Still, Lebby being on the job less than 48 hours, extending an offer, and setting up an official visit with a quarterback he’s previously recruited makes some noise in the recruiting world. At the same time, he is comfortable and confident in what he sees from the kid from Flower Mound, Texas. That level of comfort could ultimately pay significant dividends.

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Florida football loses two more 2022 commits on Tuesday, another Wednesday

The Gators have lost three of their top recruits in the last two days.

Florida head coach Billy Napier is in his first week on the job at Florida, and as you would expect from a new coach and transition class, the 2022 recruiting class has seen a few shakeups.

Most notably, quarterback commit Nick Evers, a four-star prospect out of Flower Mound, Texas, announced via Twitter that he would be withdrawing his commitment to Florida. The 6-foot-3-inch passer, who is the No. 144 prospect in the nation on the 247Sports Composite, has been committed to the Gators since March 9.

The team also saw Orlando wide receiver Chandler “CJ” Smith leave the class. Smith was the No. 220 player nationally, and the four-star recruit visited Tennessee this past weekend. Smith, a 6-foot-1-inch prospect, is the No. 32 receiver in the class.

Florida’s receiver class took another hit on Wednesday when four-star Winter Garden product Jayden Gibson decommitted. Gibson, a 6-foot-5-inch burner, was ranked as the No. 176 prospect in the 247Sports Composite but was likely due for a boost as he became a top 50 prospect according to Rivals this week.

With these losses, Florida’s recruiting class ranks 40th in the nation and is dead last in the SEC. It may be tough to turn things around before Early Signing Day a week from now, but Napier will certainly look for a decent haul on National Signing Day in February.

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These four Florida football commits made the newest Rivals250 list

One Gator moved up over 150 spots and into the top 50.

The Gators had four recruits from their class of 2022 named in the new Rivals250 rankings: inside linebacker Shemar James (No.40), cornerback Julian Humphrey (No. 55), athlete Isaiah Bond (No. 90) and quarterback Nick Evers (No. 199).

In addition to being the highest-ranked of the bunch, James was one of the biggest movers on the list overall. He joined the top 40 after moving up 170 spots since the last update. In fact, James was the single biggest mover on the list aside from those who jumped up from outside the top 250.

Humphrey comes in as the seventh-best cornerback nationally and Isaiah Bond is the fourteenth-best athlete in his debut ranking. Evers is the only Gator commit outside of the top 100 but he ranks as Rivals’ No. 9 dual-threat quarterback since they separate them from pro-style quarterbacks.

A pair of elite targets for Florida also placed well on the list. Walter Nolen, was again named the nation’s best defensive linemen at No. 2 on the overall list and defensive back Austin Ausberry jumped up 106 spots to No .95 in the country. Nolen placed Florida in his top three earlier this month and Ausberry has the Gators in his top six.

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This Florida QB commit finished top three in Sports Illustrated’s Elite 11 rankings

Florida QB commit Nick Evers entered the Elite 11 finals vastly underrated. After a strong performance, he should be underrated no more.

Florida quarterback commit Nick Evers flew under the radar entering the Elite 11 finals this week. 247Sports had him rated as a three-star prospect and 26th-best signal-caller in the country. The Flower Mound, Texas, native didn’t fare much better in the Rivals rankings, either. He was ranked a three-star and as the ninth-best dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2022.

Evers should surge up both rankings after a strong performance this week. He finished top eight in each of the quarterback rankings and wound up third overall in the Sports Illustrated All-American Elite 11 rankings. Elite 11 themselves included Evers in its rankings, and 247Sports had him listed at 11.

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Here is a recap of Evers’ performance this week from SI All-American.

Among the top five prospects in our final rankings, Florida commit Nick Evers may have been the most underrated entering Elite 11. He exited the week as one of the consensus favorites among the SI All-American staff.

Generating power from a quick release, on the move and in the pocket, came with extreme ease for Evers. His showing in the Accuracy Gauntlet was spectacularly streaky as Evers nailed eight on-target throws in a row – six of which passed through the bullseye and were deemed perfect – in the midst of the challenge.

What stood out to us about Evers the most was his ability to quickly pick up on new footwork concepts. Hailing from a spread option-heavy offense that operates out of the gun, under center and play-action roll-out dropbacks are a bit foreign to Evers. Despite shaky footwork in some of those specific drills, Evers maintained his impressive velocity and accuracy on the majority of his reps.

It’ll be interesting where Evers ends up after both recruiting services adjust his ranking.

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These two Florida football recruits cracked ESPN’s Top 300 rankings

The Florida Gators football program has two recruits land in the ESPN Top 300 rankings released earlier last week. Here’s who they are.

With five commitments in the 2022 recruiting class, Dan Mullen and his Florida Gators staff are off to a good start in this cycle. Following a disappointing 2021 class finish in terms of expectations for the program, many are looking at 2022 in hopes it will be a big class that can help the future in Gainesville.

There is still a long way to go in this 2022 cycle and the Gators will receive more commitments down the line but they have a good base started.

Included in those five commitments are a few players ranked in the ESPN Top 300 for the 2022 class. The publication released their list earlier in the week and two Gators are listed in the top 175.

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Four-star offensive tackle Tony Livingston is Florida’s top-ranked player checking in at No. 114 overall and is followed by another four-star commit in quarterback Nick Evers at No. 166 overall. The commitments from Livingston and Evers came just a few days apart in March, helping Florida pick up some momentum.

Three other Florida recruits weren’t ranked in the top 300 but there is plenty of time left for them to up their stock.

Even so, the month of June could be a big one for Florida as they are set to host two big recruiting weekends. Among those visiting on the two weekends are some pretty big targets including five-star recruits. Mullen and the Gators will have the chance to impress them and hopefully land a commitment eventually.

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