Tag: Oklahoma Sooners recruiting

Sooners earn Rivals FutureCast for 2024 four-star RB Jeremy Payne

Oklahoma received a Rivals Futurecast for four-star RB Jeremy Payne on Monday evening.

The Oklahoma Sooners look like the favorite to land 2024 four-star quarterback Michael Hawkins if he keeps his original commitment date. While getting that QB in the boat is important, so is building a class around him. What better way to do that than to surround him with dynamic playmakers as well?

[autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] is doing his part to make sure that’s a reality, as he has been recruiting running backs for the 2024 class. One running back he’s focused on, Jeremy Payne, received a FutureCast from Rivals national recruiting analyst Nick Harris in favor of the Sooners Monday evening.

Payne, a four-star back out of the Houston area, has built an excellent rapport with Murray. The Sooners’ running backs coach is looking for another strong recruiting class after landing a pair of four-star players in each of the 2022 and 2023 cycles.

Payne was a Texas district 20-6A unanimous first-team selection as a junior and amassed 19 total touchdowns. He showcased the ability to catch out of the backfield and also returned kicks as well. His short-area quickness allowed him to make something out of nothing on multiple occasions.

As it stands, no commitment date is scheduled, and Payne is likely to take his officials before the season starts.

A Payne commitment would be the fifth four-star back in the last three cycles for Murray. It would also still leave the door open for one more running back commitment which could include names like Caden Durham, Stacy Gage, or Taylor Tatum.

Jeremy Payne’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • FutureCast from Nick Harris at Rivals.
  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine projection currently has the Texas A&M Aggies as the current leaders for Payne.

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Sooners receive Rivals Futurecast for recent 2023 offer Taylor Heim

After issuing an offer on Friday, the Oklahoma Sooners received a Rivals Futurecast for 2023 3-Star ATH Taylor Heim out of Bethany, Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners aren’t done on the recruiting trail just yet. They made an offer yesterday to 2023 Athlete Taylor Heim out of Bethany, Oklahoma.

Heim, who’s listed as a three-star prospect over at 247Sports, is projected as a linebacker, stands 6-foot-3, and weighs 190 pounds. He’s the No. 11 player in the state of Oklahoma and holds offers from 13 universities. The Sooners represent his first Power Five offer.

He’s an athletic player that had a prolific career as a tight end and quarterback as well. His versatility and the knowledge that comes with it will help inform his play at linebacker at the collegiate level.

He’s been pursued by Army, Air Force, and Navy. Additionally, Brown, Incarnate Word, Tulsa, North Texas, Louisiana Tech, Ohio, South Dakota State, and Missouri State have made efforts to land the surging prospect.

If Heim does commit, he’d join a linebacker crew in the 2023 class that includes Samuel Omosigho, Lewis Carter, and Phil Picciotti. It’s

Taylor Heim’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • Josh McCuistion of SoonerScoop.com at Rivals issued a Futurecast for Taylor Heim

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

2024 five-star WR Micah Hudson visits Texas

Texas is becoming a destination for top wide receivers like Micah Hudson.

The Forty Acres is a destination for top wide receivers. It appears Micah Hudson is taking notice.

Hudson, the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 6 overall player in the 247Sports composite for 2024, is taking in what Austin has to offer this weekend. This comes just after Georgia receiver transfer Adonai Mitchell chose the Longhorns.

It’s easy to see why big time pass catchers are enamored with playing in Steve Sarkisian’s scheme. Xavier Worthy and Ja’Tavion Sanders each had breakout seasons in their first full-time starting opportunities on campus. Some of their success can be attributed to an offense that leverages the full power of their skillsets.

Sarkisian is known for scheming receivers open and allowing them to get yards after catch in space. As for how he would utilize Hudson, the Longhorns’ offensive play caller may not have to do much scheming to get the elite talent open.

Hudson will be a matchup nightmare regardless of scheme, but playing for Texas certainly wouldn’t hurt his stock. Steve Sarkisian and company will look to make strides in his recruitment.

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2025 prospect Marco Jones out of California

The Oklahoma Sooners offer 2025 linebacker prospect Marco Jones out of California.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been getting a jump start on the 2025 recruiting cycle in recent weeks, and their latest target is San Ramon Valley linebacker Marco Jones.

Out of Danville, Calif., the sophomore linebacker is an exciting prospect. According to Max Preps, in 15 games at the varsity level in 2022, Jones recorded 149 tackles, averaging 9.9 tackles per game.

Jones is a big player already at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and he looks the part of a Power Five linebacker. He’s an explosive player off the snap. On the blitz, his quickness and speed allow him to get by offensive linemen before they can fully get into their pass set.

He’s a physical player who initiates contact with the ball carrier and would-be blockers. As an inside linebacker, he does a nice job of working through traffic to find the ball carrier to make the play.

Though unranked at the moment, it won’t be long before Jones is assigned four-star status. His size and athletic profile will make him a high-priority target for Brent Venables and other coaches at the highest level. He has just four offers at the moment, but as his career continues, his offer sheet will be a mile long. In addition to Oklahoma, he holds offers from Arizona, California, and Colorado.

Marco Jones’ Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 4-Star EDGE Dakyus Brinkley

Working to build their defensive front, the Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 four-star EDGE prospect Dakyus Brinkley.

In an effort to build a deep roster of pass rushers, the Oklahoma Sooners offered 2024 four-star EDGE Dakyus Brinkley.

Brinkley, who plays for Seven Lakes in Katy, Texas, ranks as a top 15 edge in the 2024 class. He’s earned eight Power Five offers to date, including Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Houston (soon to be Power Five).

At 6-foot-5, Brinkley is an incredible athlete. He’s got a great first step on the snap and his speed and length allow him to get to the ball carrier relatively easily. He does a great job setting the edge in the run game and is able to beat multiple blockers to make plays in the backfield. Brinkley’s persistent working down the line of scrimmage in backside pursuit.

Dakyus Brinkley’s length will cause fits for opposing offensive tackles at the next level. In a college strength and conditioning program, he’ll become even more explosive and dangerous as a pass rusher.

Dakyus Brinkley’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 4-star quarterback Walker White

Oklahoma issues an offer to the top player in the state of Arkansas, four-star quarterback Walker White.

The Oklahoma Sooners haven’t been shy about trying to add quarterback talent in the 2024 recruiting class. A departure from the previous regime, Jeff Lebby wants to add a top quarterback every cycle. As they await a decision on four-star quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag], the Sooners joined the fray for another top quarterback with an offer to the No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas, [autotag]Walker White[/autotag].

White is a top 10 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting cycle and ranks NO. 143 in the 247Sports composite rankings. He holds 21 Power Five offers with heavy interest leaning toward Ole Miss, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, and Texas A&M. With the recent offensive coordinator movement, the door could have opened for the Sooners to land White.

White is a big dude at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. Despite the size, he displays impressive athleticism and has parlayed that into some really good rushing numbers for Little Rock Christian Academy. In 2022, White ran for 837 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with his 1,975 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

When Ole Miss originally offered Walker White back in December of 2021, Jeff Lebby was still the offensive coordinator for the Rebels. Lebby’s connection to the talented high school prospect could give the Sooners a shot in the quarterback’s recruitment.

Walker White’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 safety Isaiah Thomas

Going back to The Sunshine State, the Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 safety Isaiah Thomas.

It’s clear that the Oklahoma Sooners want to have a strong recruiting footprint in the southeast. They brought in four players in the 2023 signing class from Florida, and a fifth, if you include Phil Picciotti who transferred to IMG Academy from New Jersey.

Oklahoma issued another [autotag]offer[/autotag] to a prospect from “The Sunshine State.” This time, 2024 safety Isaiah Thomas.

At this point in the recruiting cycle, Thomas is unranked by the four major recruiting services. As we saw in the 2023 cycle, recruiting rankings haven’t stopped Oklahoma from pursuing players they think can play at the Power Five level. Late risers like Markus Strong or Taylor Wein didn’t begin to see their offer sheet grow until very late in their recruitment. Don’t be surprised if Thomas sees a similar trajectory by the time his senior season concludes.

The Sooners mark Thomas’ sixth Power Five offer, with four of those coming in the last few days. Since Oklahoma issued its offer on January 16, Miami, Florida State, and Penn State have joined the fray.

Thomas is an athletic player that displays good awareness both as a run defender and in coverage. He plays primarily as a box safety but has the athleticism to play in single-high if necessary. He’s a wrap-up tackler that uses good leverage when engaging the ball carrier.

Isaiah Thomas’ Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 4-star CB Selman Bridges

Looking to add length to the cornerback position, the Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 4-star corner Selman Bridges.

Over the last week, the Oklahoma Sooners have sent out a flurry of offers for the 2024 and 2025 recruiting cycles.

One such [autotag]offer[/autotag] went out to 2024 four-star cornerback Selman Bridges out of Temple, Texas. The Sooners are one of 18 Power Five offers collected by Bridges at the moment, who’s sure to earn pursuits from several more schools along the way.

At 6-foot-3, Bridges height creates problems in the passing game for opposing offenses. He does a nice job in press-man coverage, using his length to stifle wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and not allowing the ball to get to the receiver without a challenge. He tracks the ball well in the air and does a nice job getting his head around when the ball is pushed down the field.

Selman Bridge’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine puts the Arizona State Sundevils out in front of Selman Bridges’ recruitment.

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Oklahoma Sooners make top 10 for 2024 4-Star OT Daniel Calhoun

The Oklahoma Sooners make the top 10 2024 4-star offensive tackle Daniel Calhoun.

The 2024 recruiting cycle is in full swing, and the Oklahoma Sooners got some positive news in the recruitment of a blue-chip offensive tackle.

Oklahoma lands inside the top 10 for 2024 four-star offensive tackle Daniel Calhoun. The Sooners were included along with Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Ohio State, and LSU. Calhoun also has a host of offers from notable Power Five programs like Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas, Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M.

Calhoun may feel like a longshot at the moment for the Oklahoma Sooners, but we’ve seen this coaching staff pull off some big-time recruiting wins over the last year, so nothing’s over till it’s over. It will be a challenge to go into Georgia and land a top 50 player.

However, with Bill Bedenbaugh’s penchant for developing NFL offensive linemen, don’t count out the Sooners just yet.

Daniel Calhoun’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

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Oklahoma signee Samuel Omosigho among On3’s biggest risers in latest update

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Samuel Omosigho tabbed as one of the biggest risers in the final update in the On300 rankings.

Several members of Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class had fantastic years prior to signing with the Sooners.

Their work in the offseason led to tremendous senior seasons. For [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] and [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] that work earned them five-star status. [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], who was considered a three-star prospect at the time of his commitment, has seen his stock rise dramatically over the last 10 months.

Omosigho earned four-star status and has become a fringe top-50 prospect in the nation, according to the latest On300 update. Omosigho rose from No. 100 to No. 52, making him one of the biggest risers in the country in the latest rankings.

As a prospect from smaller town where he was asked to play multiple positions on both sides of the ball, we needed to see Samuel Omosigho’s ability to play off-ball linebacker with our own eyes and see how he handled the increase in speed of the game. At the All-American Bowl he proved that the game was not too fast for him, and he showed the willingness to stick his head into traffic and get physical with some of the top prospects in the country. – Cody Bellaire, On3 Scouting and Rankings Assistant

Playing in the All-American Bowl, Omosigho impressed Parker Thune of OUInsider at 247Sports.

“He is perhaps the most physically ready player that I witnessed at the All-American Bowl,” Thune shared on the “Locked on Sooners” podcast. “Especially when you limit that query to the linebacker position and you took stock of the linebackers that were there. … Sammy Omosigho looks like a guy that could show up and instantly play Power Five football.”

With as young as the linebacker room is at Oklahoma, it wouldn’t that surprising to see Omosigho earn snaps early in his Sooners career. If he’s able to keep a similar trajectory to the one he’s been on over the last year, the sky is the limit.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.