Tag: Nigel Smith

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.

Four-star DT Jayden Jackson commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

After speculation that Texas and Miami were destinations, Oklahoma is the choice for four-star defensive tackle Jayden Jackson.

Oklahoma is starting to heat up on the recruiting trail. Oklahoma just landed their seventh recruit since June 19th as four-star nose tackle [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] committed to Oklahoma on Thursday.

Jackson brings college-ready size and will likely add more to his already impressive frame. Jackson chose the Sooners over Texas, Ohio State, and in-state school Miami.

Oklahoma first offered Jackson in March when they were likely checking in at IMG Academy and continuing to fill out the remainder of their board for 2024. Jackson’s teammate and friend at IMG is five-star defensive linemen David Stone, a priority target for the Sooners. In recruiting Stone, the Sooners identified Jackson as an intriguing option at defensive tackle.

The rest of the story took off. Jackson took an official visit to Norman on June 20th and used the remainder of June for other official visits before ultimately choosing Oklahoma.

Much has been said about Oklahoma’s perceived lack of preparedness for their jump to the SEC. It was felt that the Sooners weren’t in a position in the trenches to compete in the SEC. While that may have been true before Brent Venables’ arrival, it’s quickly becoming a stale narrative that is dying out quickly. The last two recruiting classes for Oklahoma have seen the Sooners recruit some of the most talented defensive linemen.

Jackson is a four-star player in the 247Sports composite. While he may not have a high overall ranking, his offer list clearly reveals that high-level Power Five teams saw him as an impact player.

It’s hard not to recognize how strong he is, how laterally quick he moves for a guy his size, and his motor on the playing field. Teams should line up for that type of one-technique defensive tackle in the middle of their defense to help establish physicality up front.

Here’s what Sooners Wire Managing Editor John Williams had to say about Jayden Jackson when he dropped his top 12 back in April, which included the Oklahoma Sooners.

Jackson is a 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle that is the definition of a people mover. He is quick off the line of scrimmage and displays really good play strength. Jackson can dart through the line to get into the backfield or utilize his strength to defeat double teams at the point of attack. – Williams, Sooners Wire

Jackson’s commitment is another feather in the cap of Todd Bates, who came to Oklahoma with a reputation on the recruiting trail and a notable talent developer. He’s starting to get the guys he wants that fit the style of defense the Sooners want to play.

With Jackson in the Sooners’ 2024 recruiting class, his next objective will be to ensure his teammate and friend David Stone commits to Oklahoma.

The Sooners have appear to be the overwhelming favorite for Stone according to the predictions from 247Sports, On3, and Rivals. However, Stone has yet to announce a commitment date. Still, with his close friend and teammate now a Sooners commit, Stone’s decision may have gotten just a little bit easier.

Oklahoma isn’t done along the defensive front. Stone, five-star EDGE Williams Nwaneri, and four-star prospects Nigel Smith and Danny Okoye still have upcoming decisions that loom large for the Sooners.

Like the weather in Oklahoma, things are heating up for the Sooners and Brent Venables on the recruiting trail.

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Oklahoma Sooners 2024 commitment tracker

Which players are committed to the Oklahoma Sooners 2024 recruiting class and what do they bring to the football field?

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to follow a pair of top-10 recruiting classes in 2022 and 2023 with another in the 2024 recruiting cycle. The Sooners’ 6-7 season didn’t affect the finish to the 2023 recruiting class, which finished No. 4 in the nation according to 247Sports.

Brent Venables and his staff are hoping to have a repeat of that success or better and have themselves well-positioned to be near the top of the rankings when it’s all said and done in 2024.

Much of the success of this class will be determined by how well the Oklahoma Sooners recruit the defensive line ahead of their move to the SEC in 2024. In a strong defensive line class, the Sooners are in a good spot with a number of highly-coveted prospects. They finally broke the ice on their defensive line recruiting with the addition of Wyatt Gilmore, the No. 2 player in the state of Minnesota and a four-star prospect.

All eyes turn to players like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], [autotag]Jayshawn Ross[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], and [autotag]Zina Umeozulu[/autotag].

They will not land all of their targets, but Venables, [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag], [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] have made a strong impression on an impressive group of defensive line prospects.

Still just over five months out from the early signing period, here’s a look at who is committed to the Oklahoma Sooners as of July 1, 2023.

Recruits react on Twitter to time with the Oklahoma Sooners at ChampU BBQ

Recruits react on Twitter to time spent with the Oklahoma Sooners at the ChampU BBQ.

The Oklahoma Sooners completed arguably their biggest non-game day weekend of the year. The ChampU BBQ is their preeminent recruiting event each year, and this year Lee Davis and the on-campus recruiting staff pulled out all the stops to put the Oklahoma Sooners’ best foot forward.

Oklahoma hosted a number of prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle and they made substantial headway with Caden Durham, Mykel Patterson-McDonald and Xavier Robinson. That trio had a number of recruiting predictions issued in favor of the Sooners landing their commitments.

Additionally, Oklahoma hosted five-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley alongside David Stone. The Sooners have made the defensive line a point of emphasis this recruiting cycle, and they’re not holding back in their pursuit of top-tier defensive line talent. Stone and McKinley were on campus a week after five-star edge Williams Nwaneri made his official visit.

If the Sooners are able to land Stone and another highly-regarded defensive tackle or two, like McKinley, it would go a long way to laying the foundation of Brent Venables’ defense for years to come.

IMG Academy DT Jayden Jackson making official visit to Oklahoma

Jayden Jackson is traveling to Norman to have an official visit with the Oklahoma Sooners starting on Monday.

Oklahoma’s search to fortify its defensive line ahead of its move to the SEC has been the top storyline of the 2024 recruiting cycle.

While [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag] and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] are top of mind, the Sooners are turning over every stone to land top-tier defensive line talents from across the nation.

In the wake of the ChampU BBQ, the Sooners are hosting another impressive defensive tackle for his official visit starting Monday. That’s IMG Acadamy’s [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. Jackson will be in Norman June 19-21 to hear Oklahoma’s recruiting pitch.

Jackson is an impressive player, someone who can play both the run and pass game with his elite strength and quickness off the line of scrimmage. Though he’s only a three-star prospect according to On3 and 247Sports, Rivals sees Jackson as a top-200 player, which is more fitting to what he looks like on the field.

Jackson boasts great size at 6 feet, 2 inches and 300 pounds, but what’s more impressive is his agility. He moves like a player much smaller and plays with great leverage and strength.

The IMG standout spent time with Miami and has an official visit scheduled with Texas for next weekend. But the Sooners will get the opportunity to make an impression before his trip to Austin.

While Jackson is trending toward Ohio State, don’t count out Todd Bates and Brent Venables’ ability to recruit a defensive tackle of Jackson’s ability. He could play both defensive tackle positions on all downs and be a terror for interior offensive linemen.

The Sooners are hoping to do with the 2024 defensive tackle class what they did in the 2023 defensive back class. Have a deep group of blue-chip signees that can help make over a unit that was in desperate need of a talent infusion.

If Oklahoma can land Jackson, it would be a huge addition. Though he may not have the star status as some of his contemporaries, he has the ability to be just as productive at the college level.

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ChampU BBQ Visitor List: Who’s coming to Norman this weekend?

A look at who’s coming to town for the ChampU BBQ this weekend.

Oklahoma’s future looks bright. Less than a day ago, they received news of their first slate of SEC opponents when they begin play in their new conference in 2024. It’s a compelling slate and something that gets the competitive energy flowing.

If they plan to make an impact when they get there, the class of 2024 will have a profound hand in that. This class will be the first class that hits the ground and is immediately thrown into the fire that is the SEC. They’ll spend their whole careers being molded by the best football conference in the country. For the Sooners to compete for the top, this 2024 class must be unique.

It’s only fitting that Oklahoma has its premier recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ this weekend, right after the SEC opponents were revealed.

The Sooners can use the SEC to their advantage, selling the appeal of playing in an elite conference to any athlete unafraid of competing against the best in the country.

Last year’s ChampU BBQ had attendees signing with the Sooners and are now on campus with the current roster. Here’s a running count:

  • OT [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag]
  • LB [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag]
  • ATH [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag]
  • RB [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag]
  • CB [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag]
  • WR [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]
  • OT [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag]
  • QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]

In short, a nice chunk of OU’s 2023 class came to the event. Arnold was already committed before the BBQ, but having him there helped Oklahoma recruit and, ultimately, the remaining players committed in the months after.

The visitor list for the event is long, with well over 20 official visitors already confirmed.

This weekend in Norman will be jam-packed with an extensive amount of talent. David Stone, a consensus top-10 recruit, is the headliner. He’s a hometown kid who grew up a Sooner fan. A commitment from him would be massive. He’s at the top of the Sooners’ recruiting board and a must-have in this cycle.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] and [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] are two talented four-star running backs Oklahoma would be delighted to have.

Oklahoma has four 2024 commits in the building this weekend, and aside from them enjoying their officials, they can and will likely be used to recruit some of their uncommitted counterparts. [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] are the four commits who will enjoy their officials as Oklahoma Sooners.

[autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] join David Stone as highly touted defensive linemen in Norman this weekend. Aside from landing Stone, can Oklahoma at least snag two of the remaining three? This weekend of visits could go a long way in determining that.

This weekend will have ripple effects for the 2024 cycle and help lay the foundation for Oklahoma’s future in the SEC. Last year’s event netted Oklahoma seven commits in the weeks and months after. The Sooners will be thrilled if the same happens this year.

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Oklahoma DL Derrick LeBlanc enters the transfer portal per On3 report

According to a report from On3 Sports, 2023 four-star DL Derrick LeBlanc is entering the transfer portal after just one semester with OU.

In an odd turn of events, one of Oklahoma’s 2023 enrollees is entering the transfer portal. After just one semester in Norman, four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag] is entering the transfer portal, according to a report from On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Derrick LeBlanc was Oklahoma’s sixth highest-rated signee in the 2023 cycle and one of two blue-chip prospects signed to the class. Out of Kissimmee, Fla., LeBlanc was the No. 33 defensive lineman in the class and ranked No. 246 overall.

This offseason, the Sooners have been active in the transfer portal, adding interior defensive line options since the portal initially opened in the winter. Oklahoma’s added [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], and [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag] and moved Jonah Laulu from defensive end to defensive tackle this offseason. Those additions, along with the return of [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], could have limited his opportunities to get on the field in 2023.

In 2024, the Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to add an impressive group of defensive linemen headlined by [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], potentially creating a more difficult path toward playing time.

LeBlanc was a big addition for the Oklahoma Sooners, helping them secure one of their best recruiting classes in the modern recruiting era. Now with LeBlanc gone, [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag] remain as the interior defensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting class.

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Oklahoma Football: Must have prospects for the 2024 recruiting class

Who are the “must-have” prospects are for Oklahoma in the 2024 recruiting cycle?

We’ve reached the point of the offseason where fans are already worried about the 2024 recruiting class.

The Sooners have six commits so far and rank No. 38 on the team composite recruiting ranking. But if you ask some Sooner fans, the sky is falling, and the staff is epically failing this year.

I guess they don’t remember last season when Oklahoma recruiting took off in June, July and August. Based on number of commitments and number of blue-chip prospects, they’re ahead of schedule compared to the 2023 cycle.

Let’s take a look at the prospects Oklahoma must have in its 2024 recruiting cycle.

Oklahoma included in top 6 for 2024 5-star DL Dominick McKinley

Oklahoma in 2024 5-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley’s top 6.

The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff continues to lay the groundwork for what they are hoping to be another top-five class in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag].

It’s been clear the Sooners hope to attack the defensive line. They appear to be trending toward five-star [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and five-star [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]. The Sooners are also heavily in the mix for 2024 four-star defensive line prospects [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag].

Now you can add another 5-star to that list in [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag]. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive lineman from Louisiana would be a huge steal right from under LSU’s nose.

On Wednesday night, McKinley released his top six with OU and LSU joined by the likes of Texas, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia.

On3 currently has LSU as the heavy favorite. However, he’s already taken one visit to Norman and is expected to be in town on arguably the biggest recruiting weekend of the year for the Sooners on June 16 for the ChampU BBQ.

McKinley is a top 10 defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle and the No. 1 player in Louisiana, according to On3 and 247Sports.

Now Sooner fans have to sit back and hope Brent Venables and co. can pull off some “Sooner Magic” as they continue to build a strong relationship with the highly-touted lineman with hopes of putting together one of the best defensive line recruiting classes in the last decade.

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Prospect Profile: 2024 four-star EDGE Wyatt Gilmore

Oklahoma is in the top 5 for 2024 prospect Wyatt Gilmore, a four-star EDGE out of Rogers, Minnesota.

Oklahoma’s pursuit of defensive linemen in the class of 2024 is arguably the biggest storyline in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag]. [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] have relentlessly worked to reshape the position group before Oklahoma’s departure to the SEC.

We have extensively discussed names like [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag].

Oklahoma’s net has been cast so vast that even though four-star [autotag]Xadavien Sims[/autotag] is no longer an option, the Sooners are still well-positioned with several other prospects, such as four-star EDGE [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

Gilmore is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound EDGE prospect out of Rogers, Minnesota. Gilmore is ranked by 247 as the No. 20 EDGE in America, and their site has him as the No. 1 player in the state of Minnesota.

Gilmore released his top five schools ahead of the summer recruiting push, and the Sooners made the cut. Joining Oklahoma are Minnesota, Miami, Oregon, and Kansas State. Minnesota has the luxury of being the home state school, but it doesn’t mean Gilmore hasn’t considered leaving home to play college football.

When speaking to Ryan Burns of 247Sports about his top schools, Gilmore shed some light on his inclusion of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is one of the top college football teams in college football. There are so many things I love about Oklahoma including the S.O.U.L. Mission Program. It’s everything to be able to give back to people and have the opportunity to make people’s life’s better. The most important thing to me in my life is my faith. Faith in God is something they really support there. I’m extremely close with coach Venables and coach Chavis and those guys are DUDES. I’m excited to see how they play next season because I think they have a crazy amount of potential. – Burns, 247Sports

The perception of what Oklahoma is building seems to have resonated across the recruiting trail, as other prospects have expressed similar sentiments about Oklahoma’s blossoming potential.

Gilmore is a tough and productive player who would fit best playing strong-side defensive end or sliding inside and winning with speed from the five-technique in Oklahoma’s system. Gilmore plays with tremendous effort and looks the part of a certified Power Five football player.

Wyatt Gilmore’s Recruiting Profile

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