Tag: On3 Recruiting

Marvin Burks Jr. is the latest safety to receive an offer from the Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma offered four-star safety out of Missouri Marvin Burks Jr.

As the summer wears on, more and more offers are going out for Oklahoma for their 2024 class. That said, the class of 2023 remains their number one priority.

Brandon Hall will lead Oklahoma’s safeties this year and in his first year as safeties coach, he already off to a solid start. Hall helped bring Erik McCarty into the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class. He’s not satisfied, though. and considering they’ve already offered 20 safeties for 2023, it’s a pretty safe assumption they want multiple players at the position in the recruiting class.

With that in mind, it makes sense they offered 2023 four-star safety prospect Marvin Burks Jr. out of St. Louis, Missouri.

The talented prospect stands at 6-foot-2 and showcases some impressive burst, play recognition, and a willingness to stick his nose in to make a play.

He plays in the box and played a little deep safety as well but it looks abundantly clear he thrives on reading and reacting more than anything else. He’s primarily a strong safety but also took game reps at the nickel spot and outside linebacker.

Burks is being courted by multiple SEC programs and while the Sooners are late to the party, their recent success and current exploits in the state of Missouri make them a dark horse candidate if they can grab Burks’ attention

Marvin Burks Jr.’s Recruiting Profile

Crystal Ball

Film

 

Hudl

Multiple Sooners targets figure into 247Sports’ latest five-star update

Several Oklahoma Sooners targets saw some movement or earned their fifth star as 247Sports integrated On3’s recruiting rankings.

With the bulk of summer still ahead of us, tomorrow’s stars have plenty of time and leeway to improve and move up in the recruiting world’s rankings. In the case of the Oklahoma Sooners, multiple targets they have honed in on for their 2023 class saw some reshuffling as they became five stars for the first time or moved up and down amongst the other five stars around them.

247Sports took the opportunity to update their five stars in the new-and-improved 247Sports Composite rankings that now include rankings from On3 recruiting in addition to those from 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN.

David Hicks is the first notable Sooner target to pop up and he comes in at number five. The massive and insanely talented defensive lineman is a certified five-star across every major service and he is a high priority for Todd Bates and the Oklahoma staff. A&M looks like an early leader but Oklahoma is right on their heels and this fall’s results could very well be the leader.

Another Texas high school star, Anthony Hill also is a 247 Sports composite five-star in the latest update as well. The No. 16 ranked Hill just finished a weekend in Norman for his official visit. The Sooners are once again fighting the Aggies for another defender but are very much still in the race at this present time.

Behind Hill at No. 21 sits another highly-rated defender in Peter Woods out of Alabama. Todd Bates has been at the forefront of this recruitment since taking over at Oklahoma and is building on his relationship with Woods that he started while still working for the Clemson Tigers. Woods is already planning officials to Clemson and the Sooners would be wise to see if they can land one as well. Woods’ calling card is his versatility as he can play inside and out.

No.22 goes to running back Richard Young who the Sooners also hosted for an official visit this weekend. Young is the first Sooners offensive target to make this list and while his recruitment favors UGA and Alabama, an official visit plus his relationship with running backs coach DeMarco Murray still gives the Sooners a puncher’s chance.

The last major Sooners target of note is the last five-star in the new rankings. Samson Okunlola, a tackle out of Massachusetts comes in at No. 33. The massive six-foot-five, 305-pounder, with a seven-foot wingspan has the Sooners in his top 9. Bill Bedenbaugh’s reputation precedes him and while the Sooners offered a little late they have a shot to make up some ground and possibly sneak into the top five.

While it’s entirely possible the Sooners don’t end up with all of these prospects, there’s a real chance that at least one or two are very serious possibilities for Oklahoma. There’s a long time between now and signing day but it’s encouraging to see the Sooners still in the mix for quite a few five-star prospects considering the turnover that unfolded last winter. Oklahoma still being in the mix is a testament to the new coaching staff and their recruiting prowess.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://soonerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

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, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Sooners priority OL target Cayden Green sets commitment date

After a long and tough recruitment, priority target Caysden Green announced his commitment would air on CBS Sports HQ on July 8th.

The summer will offer closure for the Sooners for at least one 2023 target they’ve prioritized. Cayden Green, a consensus four-star offensive tackle out of Missouri announced via Twitter on Thursday that he plans to commit on July 8th.

Green has arguably been at the top of offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh’s list for the 2023 class for months. With Bedenbaugh’s efforts here there is no reason to believe the Sooners aren’t the leaders heading into the final stretch before his commitment.

 

There’s been a significant amount of smoke over the last few months and that smoke has a noticeable crimson and cream color. Some of his other major suitors are the Michigan Wolverines and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

In March, Green received predictions from 247Sports in Oklahoma’s favor. The momentum wouldn’t stop as the Sooners received another from an On3 recruiting analyst in April.

A Green commitment would be a big win for the program. On a more intimate level, it would be amazing for Bill Bedenbaugh to land one of the best offensive line prospects after his group had some consistency issues in 2021. Green would also give momentum to a program that could use some positive mojo on the recruiting front.

Chris Singletary of 247Sports said this about Green:

“Green is a guy that has the tools and traits to be able to play either tackle spot once he gets to college,” 247Sports analyst Chris Singletary explained in regards to Green’s ability. “He also can be a guard because of his frame and possesses position versatility that is essential on the offensive line. There is still ample room and growth in his game which is encouraging for someone as good as he is at this stage in his career. I view him as a guy that can be a multi-year starter on the Power-5 level with the potential to play on the professional level as well.”

Green’s commitment can be watched by all on CBS Sports HQ on July 8th.

[listicle id=61032]

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, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Oklahoma Sooners lose 2023 4-star WR commit Ashton Cozart to Oregon

2023 four-star WR Ashton Cozart flips commitment from the Oklahoma Sooners to the Oregon Ducks.

It wouldn’t be summer recruiting without any surprises. Recently, it was a bit of a surprise to hear that 2023 WR commit Ashton Cozart was visiting the Oregon Ducks. So, it doesn’t come as much of a shock that Cozart has decided to flip his commitment from the Sooners to the Ducks.

The commitment is less of a surprise than some may think because Cozart had been vocal in recent interviews about recruiting and visiting other schools. We chronicled the news that Cozart would be visiting Eugene, Oregon this weekend earlier in the week. That visit coupled with the likely communication that has been taking place over the last few weeks was enough to seal the deal for Cozart who now becomes a Duck.

Cozart told On3 Recruiting, “The biggest factors with my decision are development, culture, and the relationships I have with the University. I’ve grown up in the Pacific Northwest most of my life and have dreamed of playing there since I was a kid.”

Cozart represented the Sooners’ only skill-position commit for the 2023 class when he picked Oklahoma just over three months ago. A promising visit helped solidify his thoughts on OU in the wake of Lincoln Riley’s departure and the hiring of Brent Venables as head coach and Jeff Lebby as offensive coordinator.

Considering how it all went down, this seems like a final split between Oklahoma and Cozart with the Sooners now resetting their board at wide receiver to focus even heavier on names like Mikal Harrison-Pilot, Jaquaize Pettaway, and Anthony Evans. The Sooners recently landed two receivers in the transfer portal with multiple years of eligibility, Javian Hester and LV Bunkley-Shelton, and it’s hard not to imagine that those commitments also likely played a factor in Cozart’s decision to look around elsewhere too.

In the end, this entire mini-saga is just another day in the college football recruiting world. The Sooners have multiple wide receiver targets in their sights and will spend the rest of the summer and fall trying to land two if not all three of them.

[listicle id=35808]

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, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Four-star cornerback Jasiah Wagoner earns an Oklahoma offer

The Oklahoma Sooners send offer to the Pacific Northwest for four-star cornerback Jasiah Wagoner.

Here at Sooners Wire, we’ve documented just how different the recruiting strategy has been for the Oklahoma Sooners in short order under Brent Venables.

For most of the new staff, their recruiting prowess and success have been on targeting the southeastern. They’ve maintained a similar strategy for the most part, targeting their old stomping grounds from their time at Clemson.

However, that doesn’t mean they’ll ignore other regions like the Pacific Northwest, which is where the latest Oklahoma offer is headed.

Four-star corner Jasiah Wagoner hails from Spanaway, Washington, and reeled in an offer from cornerbacks coach Jay Valai recently. Wagoner is a playmaker on the backend and showcases the ability to attack the ball in the air. He isn’t afraid at all of getting his pads on someone, making plays as a tackler. Wagoner also made plays as a receiver and on special teams as a punt returner.

The list of offers that have been sent to cornerbacks for the 2023 class has erupted to 19 and the Sooners look determined to sign multiple players considering they could lose at least two or three cornerbacks following the 2023 season and that’s not accounting for possible transfers.

Jasiah Wagoner’s Recruiting Profile

Film

Via Hudl

2023 four-star EDGE Jaybron Harvey out of North Carolina earns Oklahoma offer

With their noted success in the southeast, Brent Venables and his staff sent an offer out to 2023 defensive end Jaybron Harvey out of NC.

Miguel Chavis has been a busy, busy man since taking his first major coaching position as the Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive ends coach. He hit the ground running and landed a few late 2022 targets in R Mason Thomas and Kevonte Henry.

In his continued pursuit of defensive ends for the 2023 class Chavis finds himself targeting Jaybron Harvey, a four-star edge rusher out of North Carolina. Harvey plays in Durham at Southern High School.

Harvey’s a true edge player in terms of build and explosiveness and can play standing up or with his hand on the ground. His junior year saw him finish with 28 sacks and over 100 tackles. His scouting report on 247 Sports reads as such:

Verified size with length. Has frame and skill set for edge rusher. Will be able to play at 230 pounds. Incredibly productive player with 28 sacks, 129 tackles as junior. Plays both sides of ball in various roles at Southern. High-level athlete with excellent burst at snap. Twitchy prospect gets off quickly and stay lows while eating up space in first few steps. Plays standing up and with hand on ground. Has motor and works to fight through double teams. Changes direction well and chases down plays on back side. Timing and anticipation of snap are excellent. Shows closing speed and body control. Uses a swim move at times, especially when feigning outside and moving inside. Has to continue to develop in the weight room. Relies heavily on physical talent but must refine technique. At times loops to the backfield rather than dipping shoulder and exploding toward ball carrier. – Brian Dohn, 247Sports National recruiting analyst

While the Sooners are in pretty good spots for the likes of Bai Jobe and Adepoju Adebawore, taking a long hard look at Harvey makes a lot of sense, especially with Jobe’s recruitment still growing and things far from being locked up with any prospects.

Chavis also was part of the same defensive staff led by Venables at Clemson that has had some significant success recruiting defensive linemen in the state of North Carolina over the years. Their success and connections on the recruiting trail amongst North Carolina high schools could pay dividends as they look to position themselves in the race for Harvey.

Jaybron Harvey’s Recruiting Profile

Film

Via Hudl

The Oklahoma Sooners extend an offer to four-star DB Jordan Pride

Brandon Hall continues his journey to land his first 2023 or 2024 commit and offers four-star safety Jordan Pride from Florida.

Brandon Hall is still looking for his first commit in the 2023 or 2024 classes as the safeties coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. He’s been active on the recruiting trail going after anyone he sees as a fit for the Sooners’ defense. Even if they are committed elsewhere.

Enter four-star defensive back Jordan Pride, a member of the 2024 recruiting class who is currently committed to Florida State. Late last week, the Sooners made an offer to the multi-sport athlete out of Florida.

Pride is a two-way player for his high school and earned all-state recognition as a wide receiver. However, his true calling is as a defensive back where he was credited with 28 tackles and 2 interceptions this past season. Pride becomes Hall’s latest target as he expands Oklahoma’s safety offers list to 15 in total. The Sooners seem to be casting a wide net in terms of safety prospects under Brent Venables and hopefully, sooner than later it will pay off.

Jordan Pride stands at 6-foot-2 and is just under 200 pounds but his athleticism and ability to cover like a corner make him an intriguing prospect for Hall as projects better as a safety at the college level because of his long speed.

Though Pride is committed to Florida State, it remains to be seen how significant or solid that commitment is as he’s been offered by the Sooners, Miami Hurricanes, and reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs in recent months too. His offer list may not amaze you but it’s clear to see his recruitment is about to switch into another gear with the caliber of programs giving him attention.

Jordan Pride’s Recruiting Profile

FILM

Via HUDL

On3 Recruiting Analyst predicts the Oklahoma Sooners to land 2023 OT Cayden Green

A priority target for Bill Bedenbaugh, 2023 offensive tackle Cayden Green receives another prediction in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners.

There’s an old adage that goes, “the writing’s on the wall.” For the Oklahoma Sooners, it couldn’t be more true as they look poised to close in on an offensive line target they have prioritized for a while. Lee’s Summit North offensive tackle [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] has been heavily recruited by the Oklahoma Sooners and their efforts have the rest of the recruiting world on notice as yet another prediction was logged in the Sooners’ favor this week.

The latest prediction comes from On3 Recruiting and is now the third prediction from On3 in favor of Oklahoma for Green’s commitment. This prediction comes from recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton and brings the prediction percentage to 98.5% in favor of Oklahoma.

The Sooners have also received a 247Sports Crystal Ball and Rivals Future Cast predictions to land Cayden Green in the 2023 cycle. The Sooners would love to lock Green down as they continue to build a foundation for their 2023 class that is being built around quarterback commit Jackson Arnold.

Nebraska, Michigan, Miami, and Missouri are the biggest threats for the Sooners. Michigan is the biggest threat to Cayden Green moving to Norman to play his college ball.

Cayden Green’s Recruiting Profile

FILM

Sooners receive prediction from On3 for elite 2024 prospect Colin Simmons

Elite 2024 edge Colin Simmons out of Duncanville, Texas lands a prediction in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners.

While the Oklahoma Sooners have only four prospects committed to their 2023 class, their work over the last two months looks as if it’s starting to bear fruit in the 2024 class.

Less than two months after offering him and without a visit to Norman, Oklahoma for Junior Day, the Sooners received a prediction from On3 national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman to land 2024 LB/EDGE Colin Simmons. Simmons, a five-star according to 247Sports composite, hails from Duncanville, Texas where current Sooner offensive linemen Savion Byrd comes from. Simmons’ primary recruiter is Todd Bates and Bates is no rookie to landing elite defensive talent.

While the prediction only comes with a confidence of 40%, it’s important to note that Bates is positioning the Sooners in the race until an actual commitment.

Simmons ranks as a top 75 recruit across all four major recruiting services meaning that the rest of his suitors will likely be other elite programs. Oklahoma building enough of a connection for a national recruiting analyst to post a prediction can only bode well for the Sooners going forward.

There’s a high likelihood that this race for Simmons’ services becomes an old fashioned OU vs in-state university battle as Texas and Texas A&M have made themselves players too. But for right now, Bates and the test of the Oklahoma staff have been on top of their game.

Colin Simmons seems like a sure-fire prospect to ascend in the rankings with another season similar or better to the one he had as a sophomore in which he led Texas class 6-A with 12 sacks. His best days seem squarely in front of him

Colin Simmons’ Recruiting Profile

FILM

 

Oklahoma Sooners make top 4 for 2023 defensive line prospect Peter Woods

Elite defensive line prospect Peter Woods lists Oklahoma Sooners in his top four.

With the spring and summer on the horizon for the 2023 class, it’s only natural to expect some of the 2023 prospects to begin winding their recruitments down. A lot of players don’t like the idea of having their recruitment looming over their heads as they prepare for their final year of high school football.

2023 defensive line prospect Peter Woods is one of those guys as he announced his final four list of schools still in the running.

The Oklahoma Sooners were joined by the Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Clemson Tigers as the four remaining teams with the best shot to land Woods’ services.

Woods hails from Alabama, so of course the Tide with their gaudy reputation for winning, and sending defenders to the NFL would always be a factor.

The Sooners are in this race on the backs of Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis. Both have been extremely diligent in making Woods feels like a priority but also showing him what he could become as a member of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Woods told 247Sports that the next step in his process will be taking official visits.

“I want to take my officials as early as April and June and try and make my decision before the season,” he explained when asked about what’s next after having trimmed down his list to just four schools.

Woods had this to say about Oklahoma and why they made it into his top four:

Whenever Coach Bates, Coach Chavis and Coach Venables went over there, those were the main relationships I had at Clemson and why I was so high on them. I look forward to seeing what the program has to offer and take off. I want to visit up there as soon as possible and as far as relationships they’re second to none. Woods to 247Sports

Woods isn’t particularly locked into a singular position along the defensive line but as he continues to develop physically more clarity should come. In the present, he’s a bit of a tweener that looks like a strong side edge defender. His film shows the versatility to play in multiple defensive schemes across the defensive line and he has the strength to play inside.

In 2021, he helped lead his 7A high school Thompson to its third consecutive state title, in which he tallied 11 sacks and 26 tackles for loss as a junior.

Peter Woods’ Recruiting Profile

Film

Sooners Wire breaks down his full profile.