Tag: On3 Recruiting

Florida made a huge jump in the recruiting rankings after Vernell Brown III committed

Vernell Brown III helps Florida make a huge jump in the recruiting rankings.

With the weekend commitment of Verbell Brown III, Florida made a pretty seismic jump in the recruiting rankings.

The jump in the On3 Industry Rankings underscores how big of a get Brown is for Florida, but also how underwhelming the Gators have recruited so far this year.

Brown is a 5-foot-11 wide receiver from Jones High School (Orlando, Florida). He picked Florida from a final four that also included Florida State, Miami and Ohio State

Florida moved up 19 spots in the On3 Industry Rankings following the Sunday commitment of Brown.

A four-star wide receiver, Brown is a top-40 recruit in the nation according to On3 as well as Rivals and 247Sports. He is the seventh-ranked wide receiver in the class of 2025 according to ESPN.

The Gators, who had the second-worst recruiting class in the SEC heading into the weekend, are now ranked No. 13 in the conference. Brown is the highest-ranked recruit in Florida’s class and is one of five recruits ranked as a four-star.

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Sooners trending for elite safety Omarion Robinson with commitment day looming

Oklahoma trending for safety Omarion Robinson with decision coming next week.

The safety position has grown so much in just a few years since Brent Venables took the reins of the Oklahoma football program. They landed a five-star safety for the first time in a decade or more when they locked down [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag].

Billy Bowman is already a bonafide star at the position, and if you asked anyone to rank the five best players on the Oklahoma roster, he would be named every time.

That brings us to the future of the position in Norman. Bowen’s future is still bright, but Billy Bowman is a senior and will depart Norman for the NFL following this season. Former four-star prospect [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will have a lot more responsibility this coming season. The 2024 recruiting class brought in a group of talented blue-chip safeties in [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag]. The [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] currently has three-star safety out of Arkansas, [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag]. Could it bring another safety from the Natural State?

247Sports composite four-star safety Omarion Robinson is set to announce his decision on July 6, and Oklahoma is duking it out with Arkansas, LSU, and Oregon for his services.

Robinson is a hyper-competitive defender who can disrupt the passing game. He plays great coverage and has the athletic range to be a ballhawk in the middle of the field. His footwork is top-notch, and he’s unafraid of coming downhill to make run fits. He recently won defensive back MVP at the Rivals 5-star challenge.

 

Oklahoma has been steady in this race for some time, and after June’s official visits, the time for a commitment is nearing.

On Sunday afternoon, Chad Simmons of On3 predicted Robinson to land with the Sooners.

The prediction is an eye-opener, with the commitment just days away. Safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] is no stranger to closing out recruitments. It would be foolish to write off his ability to close on another bonafide blue-chip prospect.

With less than a week to his commitment, the Sooners are in a prime spot to continue adding to their already sixth-ranked 2025 recruiting class.

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Oklahoma QB commit Jaden O’Neal named top performer at UA Future 50

Sooners QB commit, and four-star prospect, Jaden O’Neal shines bright at UA Future 50 event.

Oklahoma’s quarterbacking future is in excellent hands. The Sooners have depth on the current roster and have talented quarterbacks committed from the classes of 2025 and 2026.

Oklahoma’s latest quarterback, [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag], chose the Sooners during the last week of June over offers from Miami, Washington, Ohio State, and Florida State.

With his recruitment over, O’Neal’s number one objective is to continue improving as a quarterback so that he’s even better equipped when he officially joins the Sooners in 2026.

O’Neal took his talents to Under Armour’s Future 50 event, where some of high school football’s top 50 underclassmen are invited to train and compete in an intense two-day summer camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

They utilize combined training and skill development sessions that are capped off by a competitive 7-on-7 competition.

Cody Bellaire of On3 recruiting shared his takeaways from the second day of the session, and he mentioned Jaden O’Neal as his third-best performer of the day.

Brady Hart wasn’t the only quarterback that shined out on the field during Saturday morning’s workout. Jaden O’Neal was out there throwing darts today. It felt like every station he moved to throughout the day he got better and better. He is able to generate so much velocity on the football and makes it look so effortless. He utilizes that dense build of his to get so much zip onto the football and he can air it out with ease. O’Neal showed excellent mobility and clean mechanics on the move as well. Even when he had to throw off-platform and rely mostly on his arm, he was able to show off the natural arm talent and ability to throw an accurate football. O’Neal has one of the bigger arms early on in the 2026 cycle and put together a stellar showing on Saturday. – Bellaire, On3

One recurring theme in O’Neal’s game is how effortless he looks as a passer. He has the arm talent to make every throw needed. His one area of improvement that other analysts have keyed in on is being more of a threat from outside of the pocket, and it looks like O’Neal was able to showcase his ability to throw on the move.

Oklahoma and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] have identified a talented player and should be extremely excited about what he can bring to Norman.

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IOL Darius Afalava commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma lands Rivals four-star interior offensive lineman Darius Afalava out of Utah.

Bill Bedenbuagh has struck again. This time, his efforts netted Rivals four-star interior offensive lineman [autotag]Darius Afalava[/autotag], who committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday.

Afalava is an incredibly gifted offensive line prospect who is probably even better than his ranking suggests. He’s a three-star prospect on the 247Sports composite, but Rivals considers Afalava a four-star prospect and the No. 230 prospect in the country. When you cut on the film, he looks and plays like a kid deserving of that fourth star.

Afalava chose the Sooners over Utah, Washington and Michigan State offers. Utah had the heavy home-state advantage, but it’s been clear that proximity to home wouldn’t dictate this recruitment throughout the process. Washington’s staff had an incredible relationship with Afalava as they recruited him when Jedd Fisch and his staff were at Arizona.

Oklahoma entered the race late, offering in April. They quickly closed the gap and became a real contender for the talented blocker in a few months. Afalava told (subscription required) Blair Angulo of 247Sports earlier in June why he liked Oklahoma so much.

“Meeting with coach Brent Venables was great and I felt really comfortable around the whole staff,” Afalava said. “Coach Bill Bedenbaugh is a straight-up dude. He’s very real and I really like that about him. Off the field he’s really nice but on the field and in coaching you, he’s going to be hard on you to get the best out of you.

“I don’t want a coach that’s my friend, so if I went there, I know I’d get honesty, and that would bring out the best in my game. I really enjoyed getting to know him.”

Darius now gets that opportunity, as Bill Bedenbaugh’s development is widely recognized. With Afalava on board, the Oklahoma Sooners remain steady at number five in the 247Sports team rankings.

Afalava is a true guard in every sense. He could slide out to the right tackle slide in a pinch, but with his strength, hand placement and base, he seems like a seamless fit as a guard who can not only handle the size in the SEC but also make a difference in the trenches.

More: SEC Recruiting rankings after recent commitments.

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Oklahoma receives Futurecast for 2025 four-star IOL Darius Afalava

Sooners receive Futurecast for one of the best prospects from the 2025 class in Utah.

Oklahoma has been on a roll with recruits lately. They secured multiple commitments during April and hope May brings the same good fortune as they continue building their [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

To continue the good news, the Sooners received a Rivals Futurecast for a talented offensive line prospect out of Utah. Four-star interior offensive lineman Darius Afalava was predicted to choose the Sooners by Josh McCuistion, Oklahoma recruiting editor for On3 and SoonerScoop.

Afalava’s size is already college-ready. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 320 pounds. He projects to be a guard at the next level, and for good reason. He’s strong and doesn’t get knocked back or off balance. He has a strong base and that allows him to dominate defenders.

Afalava’s recruitment has been on an upswing as we hit the summer. He visited Norman for the spring game and raved about his time in Oklahoma. The experience was smooth enough that Oklahoma seemingly vaulted to the top of his recruitment, hence the prediction.

He doesn’t have an official visit planned for OU, but he has set up official visits to see UCLA and Michigan State. Tennessee, Utah, and Washington are also expected to host him for official visits.

Oklahoma has made up a lot of ground in a short amount of time. This recruitment isn’t over, but the Sooners have to like their trajectory.

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Oklahoma commit Kuol Atak is officially a top 50 prospect in latest On3 150 update

Oklahoma commit Kuol Atak is one of On3’s biggest risers in their top 150 2024 prospect update.

While the current Oklahoma Sooners look to cement themselves as an NCAA Tournament team, it’s never too early to look to the future. And the future for Oklahoma is a little brighter when you consider the Sooners have a top-flight recruit like power forward Kuol Atak on his way to Norman next year.

Kuol Atak, a four-star power forward from Haltom High School just north of Fort Worth, Texas, saw his hard work pay off. He was one of On3’s most significant risers in their latest update top 150 prospects for the class of 2024.

Atak is a long-distance threat the moment he walks into the gym. His shooting ability is his calling card, but he’s spent the last year of high school rounding out his game to be a more complete player, especially as a defender.

The high school season is still in full swing, and teams are pushing for state playoffs. On3’s last 2024 ranking update was in November, the beginning of senior year. Jamie Shaw of On3 has reevaluated the prospects and believes that Atak is one of the nation’s best 50 players. Atak moved up from No. 71 to No. 47 in the second-to-last update for this recruiting cycle.

The biggest hurdle for Atak will be adding size to his rail-thin frame. If he can do that, combined with his shooting skill, he can be a valuable piece of Oklahoma teams in the future.

On3 rates Atak higher than any other primary recruiting service, with no additional service having him ranked higher than 100 in their site rankings.

Atak has already signed and will join the Sooners this summer, along with three-star combo guard Dayton Forsythe.

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Oklahoma firmly in the mix for top-50 2025 PF John Clark

Oklahoma still in the mix for 2025 power forward John Clark.

Oklahoma is putting together its best season in years and is looking to leverage that on the recruiting trail. In the 2025 class, the Sooners are firmly in the mix for 2025 four-star power forward prospect John Clark.

Clark is a 6-foot-9 power forward from the Houston, Texas, area and plays his high school ball at Klein Cain High School. Clark is a consensus four-star prospect across all the primary services and is rated as a top-five player in Texas for the 2025 cycle.

Oklahoma is in the mix with a stacked group of regional powerhouses. Without much surprise, the hometown team, the Houston Cougars, are in the mix. The rest of the list that Joe Tipton of On3 says is contacting Clark the most are Texas, Texas A&M, and Baylor. It seems highly likely, barring something wild, that Klein will leave the Texas or Oklahoma area to play collegiate ball.

Oklahoma offered Clark last summer when he dominated the AAU circuits playing for Texas basketball legend T.J. Ford. Clark has visited the Longhorns twice and made multiple visits to Houston. Clark also has family in Austin, so it’s reasonable to surmise that Texas may be the leader of his recruitment at this point.

Oklahoma has a chance to make a push, but they’ll have to up the ante soon. Clark acknowledged last summer that he’d like to decide on college after his junior season. Porter Moser and his staff have some ground to make up.

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Oklahoma offers one of nation’s top 2026 defensive backs in Justice Fitzpatrick

Oklahoma offered five-star 2026 prospect Justice Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is the younger brother of NFL star Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Oklahoma has been on an offer spree in January, and it’s very apparent the Sooners are attempting to build their recruiting board for 2025 while also starting to piece together their board for the 2026 class.

While the class of 2025 is the next up, relationships start years before they become seniors, which rings true as the Sooners’ offer 2026 five-star defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick is already a composite five-star across the primary recruiting services and is ranked in the top 30 on most recruiting websites.

He stands six feet tall now and showcases a level of feel and understanding for football beyond his years. He’s played both cornerback and safety in his two years at the high school level. He is also a track participant and is the brother of one of the best defensive backs in the NFL, Minkah Fitzpatrick.

He is already a state title winner at St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most well-known football programs in the country. Alabama, his brother’s alma mater, has yet to offer, but some heavy hitters, including Oklahoma, have entered the pursuit for the talented and versatile defensive back.

Justice Fitzpatrick’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 4-star cornerback and Georgia Bulldogs commit

Jay Valai offered four-star cornerback and UGA commit Tae Harris on Wednesday morning.

Oklahoma’s defensive backs had an up-and-down season in 2023. They’ll be looking for more consistency as the Sooners prepare for the SEC. The Sooner defensive backs are a talented unit, and they had excellent production with interceptions, as the Sooners were in the top five as a team in that category. They can improve to be more sticky in coverage going into 2024.

Jay Valai has been an excellent recruiter since coming to Oklahoma, and he’s looking to continue building that room with an offer to Tae Harris out of Cedartown, Georgia, on Wednesday morning.

Harris, a four-star, six-foot cornerback in the 2025 class, is already committed to Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. However, Harris is not planning to shut down his recruitment anytime soon and continues to visit other schools.

The 247Sports composite rankings have Harris rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 221 prospect in the country, the No. 27 cornerback, and the No. 28 prospect in Georgia.

Harris is a dual-sport athlete with excellent track times in the 100-meter dash and some very nice numbers on the gridiron. He is a two-way player for his Cedartown High School team who plays receiver when not locking down receivers. He also showcased versatility as a defensive back and played free safety. He could be a candidate to play the nickel for the Sooners in college given his versatility.

Tae Harris’s Recruiting Profile

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2025 Athlete Marcus James sets commitment date; Sooners look like the favorite

The Oklahoma Sooners are trending to land 2025 athlete Marcus James out of Carl Albert High School.

Oklahoma’s 2025 class is miles ahead of where the 2024 class was at this point last year. In October of 2022, the Sooners didn’t have a single commitment for the class of 2024. Their first commitment didn’t happen until March of this year when four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe hopped on board first.

That won’t be the case for 2025. Oklahoma is in a prime position to add to its 2025 recruiting class. As things stand, the Sooners sit at No. 4 in the nation in 247Sports team recruiting rankings. They already have five commits, with four-star receiver Jaden Nickens as their highest-rated prospect, sitting at No. 88. The class has a heavy Oklahoma flavor, with three prospects coming from the Sooner State.

One of those, quarterback Kevin Sperry, isn’t a native of Oklahoma but transferred to Carl Albert High School this summer. Carl Albert is an Oklahoma football power, and Sperry was the icing on the cake for a loaded squad. Sperry is one of multiple Power Five caliber players on the squad, and his teammate Marcus James could be joining Sperry in Norman.

James is an athlete in every sense of the word. At 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds, it’s easy to see why. James has played offense and defense all season long, but the Sooners offered him on the defensive side of the ball.

He’ll make his decision on November 2 at Carl Albert High. From there, he’ll pick between Oklahoma, Arkansas, TCU, Texas A&M, and Utah. News of his commitment date hit the internet, and not one but two projections have favored Brent Venables’ landing the versatile athlete.

Sam Spiegelman of On3 Sports and Brandon Drumm of OUInsider and Rivals each logged predictions favoring the Sooners.

Brandon Drumm of Oklahoma Insider logged a Rivals FutureCast for James as well.

Oklahoma is pulling away from the pack with less than two weeks to go. The Sooners aren’t clear yet, but people around the recruiting industry favor the Sooners significantly down the stretch.

It will be an uphill climb for the other four schools as James has two Oklahoma commits in his ear daily with Sperry (2025) and 2024 running back commit Xavier Robinson.

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