Tag: On3 Recruiting

Oklahoma continues deep dive into the state of Alabama with offer to 2024 4-star EDGE Sterling Dixon

Oklahoma’s efforts to recruit SEC territory continue as the Sooners offered four-star EDGE, Sterling Dixon, out of Mobile, Alabama.

Oklahoma’s foray into the state of Alabama to find talented football players has been one of the more notable changes in the recruiting philosophy with this new coaching staff under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Oklahoma was never this active or prevalent in the state of Alabama under [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag], but the Sooners are clearly prioritizing the state.

The latest native of Alabama to receive an offer to play at Oklahoma is 2024 EDGE prospect, Sterling Dixon. Dixon, a four-star prospect out of Mobile Christian School, stands 6-foot-3 and has received quite a bit of attention from SEC schools like Auburn and Arkansas. Auburn already has a crystal ball prediction in favor of landing Dixon, however, it’s early in the 2024 cycle, and things could still change.

Dixon’s calling card is his first step quickness and his lateral agility, which allows him to get on top of offensive linemen while they are still off balance. This allows him to beat them to the edge or push outside then cross their face inside with speed to get into the backfield. It’s clear he needs more weight on him to play in college, but Dixon looks like a nice upside player with more refinement to his technique.

Sterling Dixon’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma looks like the trending choice for four-star LB Lewis Carter out of Tampa, Florida

Momentum is starting to pick up significantly in Oklahoma’s favor for four-star linebacker Lewis Carter out of Tampa, Florida.

Oklahoma has become an absolute machine in July and by all accounts, it’s not slowing down this month in the slightest.

After starting the month ranked somewhere in the 40s nationally in team recruiting rankings for the class of 2023, Oklahoma has taken a gigantic Superman-sequel leap into the top 15 of college football recruiting and the best part is: The month of July has more commits to come.

One of the players whom the Sooners are closing in on is four-star athlete Lewis Carter.

Carter, a projected linebacker out of Tampa, Florida, fits the modern off-ball linebacker mold of today. He’s not some hulking 6-foot-3 behemoth but a little undersized with speed to burn and some pop behind his pads. He has the ability to play in space, which is where today’s games are being decided. At six feet tall and playing somewhere around 200 pounds it’s possible the Sooners could move him to safety but it looks like he’ll get a shot as a linebacker out of high school.

The Under Armour All-American boasts over 40 confirmed offers but the Auburn Tigers, North Carolina Tarheels, Clemson Tigers and the Sooners seem to be standing out the most.

Less than 24 hours after Oklahoma landed their 15th commitment of the 2023 class, cryptic “lock” emojis flooded social media from former Sooner great Rufus Alexander and director of recruiting J.R. Sandlin on Friday morning. Those were followed by Carter posting this tweet.

To cap it all off, multiple 247Sports crystal ball and On3 predictions were dropped from Oklahoma and Auburn insiders, raising the idea that Carter’s recruitment could be winding down and Oklahoma looks to be the favorite.

With that said, a Carter commitment would be another major pickup as Brent Venables continues to remake the defensive roster in his image. One that more closely resembles the elite defenses he built while at Clemson.

Lewis Carter’s Recruiting Profile

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On3 National Recruiting Analyst predicts Oklahoma will land 4-star RB Daylan Smothers

Just a couple of days out from his commitment, On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman predicts the Sooners to land Daylan Smothers.

The Oklahoma Sooners look like they’re about to have another domino fall in the 2023 recruiting class. Already putting together an incredibly strong July with five commitments, Oklahoma received another prediction to receive a commitment from 2023 four-star running back [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag].

At the end of June and beginning of July, the Oklahoma Sooners received several predictions from OU and Florida State insiders to land Smothers. Now, with the North Carolina product’s commitment right around the corner, On3’s National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman missed a prediction that Daylan Smothers is headed to Norman.

The Sooners have been battling it out with the Florida State Seminoles, Alabama Crimson Tide, and NC State Wolfpack, who were in his top four on June 27.

All signs point to Smothers becoming the second commitment at the running back position for the Sooners, who also have a pledge from [autotag]Kalib Hicks[/autotag] out of Denton, Texas. Landing Smothers would mean [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] would have successfully landed two four-star runners in back-to-back recruiting classes.

Daylan Smothers is set to announce his commitment on July 14.

Daylon Smothers’ Recruiting Profile

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2023 safety from Lake Wales, Florida Jaremiah Anglin picks up Oklahoma offer

The Oklahoma Sooners look to add to their defensive backfield with an offer to 3-star safety Jaremiah Anglin out of Florida.

Despite their recent recruiting success in July, Oklahoma is focused on adding more to their 2023 class. They’ve likely finished up adding to their offensive line, and they’ve already gotten their quarterback, but one area that could see some more bodies is the safety spot.

With that in mind, it makes sense why they felt the need to offer 2023 three-star safety Jaremiah Anglin out of Lake Wales, Florida. Anglin stands 6-foot-1, plays on the offensive side of the ball, and also is a basketball player, so he is quite the athlete in his own regard. Anglin also has a notable connection to one of the NFL’s most talented defenders, as Anglin is the cousin of former Florida State Seminoles safety turned Los Angeles Charger Derwin James.

His tape shows an athlete that looks extremely comfortable playing as the deep safety and coming up to make plays in run support. His athleticism allows Anglin to showcase a great feel for angles and route recognition. He displays excellent ball skills which makes sense considering he has experience playing on both sides of the ball.

Brandon Hall has been active recruiting safeties since the moment he’s gotten here. While he’s landed Erik McCarty, it’s pretty obvious from the sheer volume of offers that the Sooners are far from satisfied. Anglin looks like a player the Sooners would love to keep monitoring and see if they can put themselves in a good spot in his recruitment as the fall comes around.

Jaremiah Anglin’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • Rivals Futurecast: Florida State is leading the way for Anglin.
  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine: Florida State dominates the predictions at the time at 88.9 percent.
  • Early crystal ball projections favor Florida State.

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3 days, 3 commitments: Oklahoma Sooners land four-star EDGE Adepoju Adebawore

The Sooners come on top as EDGE Adepoju Adebawore commits to Oklahoma Sunday.

If you’re reading this, we can assure you it’s not a dream. The commitments have come on consecutive days that it almost feels like deja vu. However, the fact of the matter is this, Oklahoma has landed another commitment.

We are now at three consecutive days with the Oklahoma Sooners receiving a commitment. If you’re counting at home it’s five commitments since the 4th of July. This one is another defender as four-star EDGE Adepoju Adebawore out of Kansas City, Missouri commits to the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday evening.

Adebawore was firmly entrenched in a recruiting battle that had the Sooners competing with Northwestern and Missouri. Obviously, neither school supports the football pedigree in any capacity compared to Oklahoma but Adebawore’s brother plays at Northwestern and Missouri is the home state school.

Ultimately, the allure of playing for one of the best programs in the nation and being coached by an elite defensive staff  won out.

Adebawore’s pledge marks the first major commitment for first-year defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. Chavis lands the first Top 100 commit of his tenure at Oklahoma. Chavis has energy and passion and it has resonated with edge defenders on the recruiting trail since taking over.

Adebawore also is another representation of the types of defensive ends the Sooners want in Crimson & Cream under Brent Venables. At 6-foot-4, with a 7-foot wingspan, he looks closer to the defensive ends you see in the SEC in terms of the physical makeup which has been a major emphasis since Venables and Co. took over.

Adebwore is surely not the only EDGE the Sooners hope to land in this class but his commitment marks a fantastic start. Four-star Tausili Akana is a major priority for the Sooners off the EDGE as well.

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Oklahoma extends an offer to No. 2 player in Louisiana 4-star S Tyler Singleton

The Oklahoma Sooners look to Louisiana as they offer 2024 safety prospect Tylen Singleton.

While the 2023 class is filling up by the day it seems, college football recruiting is not a one-year business. In order to be truly great, you must have the ability consistently string together top 10 classes on a regular basis.

Oklahoma is flying up the team recruiting rankings for 2023 and looks well on its way to another top 10 class.

How do they follow that up in 2024?

A good start would be by landing the commitment of one of their newest offers, 2024 safety prospect Tylen Singleton.

The four-star and second-ranked player out of the state of Louisiana earned an Oklahoma offer earlier this week. Singleton has impressive size for a rising high school junior standing at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. He competes in track and field and was a major part of his high school team making it to the state championship game last year.

Singleton’s ball skills immediately jump off when you look at his film. He had interceptions displaying quick processing, understanding of routes and angles, and the athleticism to recover if a step behind. He can play both safety spots and doesn’t look afraid to get in the mix and make a tackle either.

Singleton is a consensus top 50 player in the nation and will almost assuredly be recruited by every major school in the country. Oklahoma did well to extend an offer and assert themselves now before teams turn the page on the 2023 guys and start working on 2024. Singleton joins 16 others as Brandon Hall has cast a wide net at the safety position as he looks to recruit for the 2024 class.

Tylen Singleton’s Recruiting Profile

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No crystal ball predictions at this time

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Oklahoma adds one of nation’s most electric playmakers as four-star WR Jaquaize Pettaway commits

Oklahoma Sooners pick up big-time commitment from Top 50 player in the 2023 class, wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway.

Oklahoma’s quest to make fools out of people who questioned their recruiting prowess is officially full steam ahead. As the month of July continues on the Sooners have landed their 11th commitment in the 2023 class and their third prospect in less than 10 days.

Jaquaize Pettaway, a four-star wide receiver from Houston, Texas bypassed a chance to go play on the Forty Acres in Austin on Wednesday.

It was a Red River battle to the end but ultimately the Sooners won out as Pettaway joins the Sooners 2023 recruiting class. He stands at 5-foot-11 and clocks in under 180 pounds but he’s as dynamic and explosive a player in the nation. With legit short area quickness, a lightning bolt first step, and top-end sprinter speed, Pettaway is a certified speed merchant.

Cale Gundy continues to be as steady as they come at recruiting top flight offensive playmakers from the state of Texas. He can add Pettaway to a list of players that includes Adrian Peterson, Marvin Mims, Theo Wease, CeeDee Lamb, Rodney Anderson, and Austin Stogner.

Pettaway looks to be an easy candidate for day one snaps considering he offers something currently no one else in the remainder of the Sooners’ 2023 class does and that’s elite speed.

He can return punts and kicks and has scored on multiple returns in his high school career and he can take jailbreak, bubble screens, and jet handoffs for big plays. Those are simple and easy ways to get an explosive player like him the ball that may not know the full nuances of a college offense just yet.

With Pettaway’s commitment, Oklahoma now has two top 50 recruits with five-star QB and Elite 11 MVP Jackson Arnold being the other. Pettaway now joins Floridian Keyon Brown as the Sooners’ lone wide receiver commits.

There’s still room for one maybe two more wide receivers in this class for Oklahoma and having someone like Pettaway who offers game-changing speed is very noteworthy. There’s no reason to belive that Pettaway with an excellent senior year and a good postseason showing in All-Star settings couldn’t challenge for a fifth star either.

Nonetheless, the talented wide receiver is a Sooner and will get an opportunity to make plays in the open field under Jeff Lebby’s lightning fast offense.

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A surprise projection has the Oklahoma Sooners landing Top 75 2023 LB Tausili Akana

Oklahoma earns crystal ball prediction to land top 75 2023 recruit Tausili Akana out of the state of Utah.

Reports of Oklahoma’s recruiting demise have been highly exaggerated, and we explained why here at Sooners Wire. If that doesn’t move you, what should drive you to reconsider your stance is predictions on the recruiting trail that Oklahoma will land a top 75 prospect like four-star linebacker Tausili Akana.

Akana is one of the nation’s best players and reigns supreme as the state of Utah’s number one player. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he’s incredibly well built for a high school player and has plenty of room to add on weight in college.

He’s plenty athletic to play the run and the pass from the edge spot but we won’t honestly know where he fits until he gets to college. His film showed him rushing the passer with his hand on the ground one play and dropping into coverage the next.

Oklahoma has been on him since last July. While the previous regime ahead of Brent Venables’ arrival started the recruitment, Brent Venables and Co. have locked in on it and were able to get Akana to sign up for an official visit on July 29th. A crystal ball projection from Parker Thune of OUInsider at 247Sports provides cautious optimism that the Sooners will land the highly-regarded defender.

Tausili Akana’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma offers 2023 4-star DL Johnny Bowens, a former Texas A&M commit

Oklahoma offers four-star defensive line prospect Johnny Bowens out of Converse, Texas, who recently decommitted from Texas A&M.

Oklahoma is picking up some serious momentum on the recruiting trail and they look to capitalize on it in any way they can. While they might have started slow, the Sooners have a plan and are content to let that plan manifest itself. Aside from quarterback, every position group could very well use another commitment or two in the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class.

There is currently no defensive line commits for 2023 but Oklahoma continues to recruit and reach out to prospects almost daily. The latest defensive line prospect they issued an offer to was four-star DL Johnny Bowens. Bowens hails from Judson High School in Converse, Texas.

Bowens was previously committed to Texas A&M but backed off the commitment on June 28th. The Sooners swooped in with the offer on June 29th.

At 6-foot-2 and 265 pounds, Bowens was a Texas 27-6A first-team all-district selection at DE as a junior. He plays multiple spots along the defensive front lining up with his hand in the ground, rushing standing up, and playing in the interior as well. That versatility will serve him well in college as modern defenses love positional flexibility from their defensive linemen.

While the Sooners are getting a late start, they have a chance here. They also have the added bonus of having already seen Bowens before as they’ve scouted his high school well considering they are also recruiting his high school teammate wide receiver Anthony Evans. The Sooners are looking for a rare two recruits from one high school in the same class. It won’t be easy but the next step is getting Bowens on campus

Johnny Bowens’ Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 top 100 OT prospect out of Texas Michael Uini

Oklahoma extends an offer to 2024 offensive tackle prospect Michael Uini out of Copperas Cove, Texas.

With names like Cayden Green and Payton Kirkland slated to announce in the month of July, the Oklahoma Sooners will know whether or not offensive tackle will be a position of need on the recruiting trail as they get closer and closer to the start of the 2022 season.

Securing the commitments of both in addition to the commitment of Heath Ozaeta, would essentially bring their offensive tackle search to an end for the 2023 recruiting class.

With that in mind, it would only make sense that offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh would start to look for 2024’s crop of offensive tackles. In doing so, Bedenbaugh’s search led him to Copperas Cove, Texas where 2024 offensive tackle Michael Uini resides. Uini received an offer from Oklahoma and according to 247Sports Composite rankings, he’s one of the nation’s 75 best players in the class.

Uini is a massive young man who stands 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds and is not even 18 years old. He is an athletic player and shines blocking off the edge where speed can be a detriment to offensive tackles who are larger than the standard offensive tackles.

His recruitment is still relatively new with no one team really firmly ahead but over the next few months heading into his junior year, he should see his recruitment hit another gear.

Michael Uini’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Texas a slight lead over Texas A&M.
  • No crystal ball predictions from 247Sports at this time.
  • No Rivals Futurecast predictions at this time.

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