Tag: On3 Recruiting

2023 four-star offensive lineman Cayden Green includes Oklahoma in his top 5

Four-star offensive tackle Cayden Green lists his top 5 with the Sooners making the cut.

The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to build some momentum with their 2023 recruiting class as spring and summer approach. With several weekend events in the month of March, the Sooners are making strong headway to improve upon a class that currently ranks No. 16 in the 2023 cycle. As the days tick by to the 2022 season, 2023 recruits will begin to narrow the list of schools that they’re considering. One such recruit is 2023 four-star offensive tackle Cayden Green. He hails from Lees Summit, Missouri, and Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has been heavily recruiting him since last year.

Green has taken a diligent and fairly meticulous in his recruiting process and has narrowed down his choices to a group of five schools, which includes the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners join Nebraska, Miami, Missouri, and Michigan as the schools Green has decided to focus on moving forward. Oklahoma has laid an incredible foundation and is firmly entrenched as the leader in this race. Parker Thune of OUInsider at 247Sports is the only analyst to issue a Crystal Ball projection at the moment, and he has the Sooners locked in as Green’s destination. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Sooners a 97% chance to land the top 10 offensive lineman in the 2023 class.

Michigan and the home school, Missouri, are also contenders as it stands right now. A decision may not be imminent but the Sooners should like their positioning at this point

Cayden Green’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
ESPN 4 90 2 9
Rivals 4 29 2 3
247Sports 4 64 2 7
247 Composite 4 103 2 13
On3 Recruiting 4 300 8 25
On3 Composite 4 75 2 6

Vitals

Hometown Lees Summit, Missouri
Projected Position OT
Height 6’5
Weight 310

Recruitment

  • Offered on March 1, 2021
  • Visited on March 5th, 2022

Notable Offers

  • Oklahoma Sooners
  • Michigan Wolverines
  • Miami Hurricanes
  • Tennessee Volunteers
  • Iowa Hawkeyes
  • Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  • USC Trojans
  • Baylor Bears
  • Washington Huskies
  • Minnesota Gophers

Crystal Ball

Film

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Sooners receive projection for 2023 3-Star ATH Samuel Omosigho from On3 National Recruiting Analyst

On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman submitted a prediction for three-star athlete Samuel Omosigho to wind up with the Oklahoma Sooners.

March has the potential to be a big month for the Oklahoma Sooners with two recruiting weekends. The first, this past weekend, drew players across several recruiting classes, and the Sooners are already seeing positive returns.

Oklahoma received a crystal ball projection from Brandon Drumm of OUInsider at 247Sports for 2023 four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson and they gained a favorable projection for another 2023 athlete. This time it’s three-star prospect Samuel Omosigho out of Crandall, Texas, who looks to be landing with the Oklahoma Sooners.

On3 Sports national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman predicted Monday that Oklahoma will be the next stop for Samuel Omosigho. “Omosigho, a defensive target, meshed with new Sooners head coach Brent Venables over the weekend. I’ve entered a new RPM pick for Oklahoma there, too,” Spiegelman wrote.

Omosigho is a talented two-way player who lined up as the weak side linebacker in Crandall’s three-four defense and played wide receiver on offense.

On defense, he showed good burst off the edge, rushing the passer or working down the line to attack the ball carrier. Displays good effort in backside pursuit and is a natural athlete. Shows a good understanding of zone coverage and gets good depth on his drops. Good wrap-up tackler. After making the tackle, Omosigho offered to help up the ball carrier on several occasions.

He has fantastic ball skills attacking the ball in the air and is a natural hands catcher. Once Omosigho has the ball in his hands, he knows what to do with it, too, taking receptions, interceptions and fumbles for touchdowns from distance.

He doesn’t go down on first contact, breaking tackles and making opposing defenders miss. He has solid route running skills and lined up both in the slot and out wide during his junior season.

In 2021 Samuel Omosigho was the 8-5A-II co-offensive player of the year and a first-team selection at outside linebacker.

According to Spiegelman, the Sooners are recruiting Omosigho to play in Brent Venables’ defense. His versatility and athleticism would give him an opportunity to play several spots on the defensive side of the ball.

Samuel Omosigho’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
ESPN — — — —
Rivals 3 — 79 37
247Sports 3 — 70 44
247 Composite 3 475 78 40
On3 Recruiting 3 — 73 17
On3 Consensus 3 449 81 22

Vitals

Hometown Crandall, TX
Projected Position ATH
Height 6-1
Weight 200 lbs

Recruitment

  • Offered on Nov. 2, 2021
  • Visit on March 5, 2022

Notable Offers

  • Oklahoma
  • Oklahoma State
  • Stanford
  • Texas Tech
  • Michigan
  • Nebraska
  • USC

Film

Hudl

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Pair of Sooners recruiting targets see rise in latest On300 2023 rankings

Two in-state Sooner recruiting targets get a bump in the latest set of On300 rankings.

Recruiting doesn’t have an offseason. It’s the life of college coaches and recruiting analysts across the country. As OU continues its push for the 2023 recruiting class, a pair of in-state products are on the rise as Oklahoma closes in.

The recruiting team at On3 has done an excellent job of covering recruiting since bursting onto the scene and the lead recruiting aficionados have formulated their rankings of 2023. The On300 features 300 of the country’s best high school players.

As high school football moves to private camp and 7-on-7 season, On3’s updated their latest recruiting rankings. 

The Oklahoma Sooners have a few targets they are in very hot pursuit of who saw massive rises in the On300.

2023 four-star EDGE Bai Jobe

Jobe is one of the most improved players in the cycle on junior video, making the move from 191 to No. 25. Jobe has greatly improved his initial movement skills, pad level, bend and ability to turn the corner without wasted motion. And Jobe’s offer list has exploded as well with 30 offers, including 10 Power Five programs in February. The list includes Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Texas and Ole Miss. Jobe’s is a must get recruit for the Sooners in the 2023 cycle. – Gerry Hamilton, On3 Recruiting

Bai Jobe is a local product from Norman Community Christian. The Sooners are the perceived leaders but with each passing day, Jobe seems to get better and the spotlight gets brighter, leading to more competition.

The Sooners have done the work and are in a good spot. However, with Jobe teetering on five-star status across the board, the race could get interesting soon. Look for Miguel Chavis, in his first year to try and land the biggest recruiting win of his young career with Jobe.

2023 four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson

Another big mover in the state of Oklahoma is Johnson. The 6-foot-3 two-spot star with mid-major interest in basketball jumps from No. 101 to 38. The junior video was that of a fluid athlete at his size with exceptional hip flexibility, acceleration and ability to make defenders miss in numbers. A must-get recruit for new Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, the Sooners are fighting to hold off Alabama, Miami and others. – Hamilton, On3 Recruiting

Like Jobe, Jacobe Johnson is an in-state product. Out of Mustang, OK, Johnson is as much of a must-have as anyone on their board and his rising star only further cements that.

He’s a long, rangy athlete who could play on either side of the ball but with his speed, it seems almost a crime not to keep him with the offense. He’ll be a major get and one of the most important offensive recruits for this cycle if Jeff Lebby and his offensive assistants can seal the deal.

Two in-state products are becoming full-fledged national stars right in front of the OU’s coaching staff. Neither recruit is one Oklahoma can afford to let leave the state. Look for the Sooners to apply more pressure to keep both in Oklahoma over the coming months.

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Oklahoma lands second On3 prediction for 2023 five-star defensive lineman David Hicks

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons issues prediction for the Oklahoma Sooners to land 2023 five-star defensive lineman David Hicks.

Brent Venables’ hiring of Todd Bates has already yielded positive results for the Oklahoma Sooners. Bates has been an excellent interior defensive line recruiter and coach for years. He’s a draw for prospective defensive tackles. The Clemson Tigers regularly landed recruiting victories for top defensive line targets with Venables and Bates leading the charge.

His efforts, along with defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis, helped the Sooners land seven defensive linemen in their 2022 recruiting class and the transfer portal, and they should reap huge rewards for the 2023 recruiting class.

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons issued a prediction for five-star defensive lineman David Hicks for the Oklahoma Sooners. This is the second prediction that On3 Recruiting has issued in the Sooners’ favor. Back on Jan. 21, Gerry Hamilton predicted Hicks to land with the Oklahoma Sooners.

With a year until 2023’s national signing day and Texas A&M also in the mix, it seems significant that the Sooners are out in front on this recruitment. In August, Steve Wiltfong last issued a 247Sports crystal ball projection that had Texas A&M out in front of the battle for David Hicks. It appears that the tide is turning in favor of the Sooners and relationships with the coaching staff might be the difference.

Here’s what On3’s Jeremy Crabtree had to say about Hicks’ recruitment:

Hicks talks a lot about how relationships and family will be important to him in his decision-making process. That’s why Oklahoma and Texas A&M have gotten out to the early lead in this recruiting battle. David Hicks was on campus at both schools in late January, and the Sooners have done an outstanding job building a bond with him. That bond is really strong with co-defensive coordinator/defensive tackles coach Todd Bates. He was recruiting Hicks heavily when he was at Clemson. – Crabtree, On3

According to a story from Chad Simmons (On3+), Hicks doesn’t plan to decide until January when he plays in the Under Armor All-American game. He plans to take several recruiting visits out west and in Big Ten country. They mentioned visiting USC, setting up a potential battle between the Sooners and former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.

Simmons spoke with Hicks’ father, David Hicks Sr., who indicated the Sooners have a strong relationship with the five-star defensive lineman. He told Simmons, “That coaching staff is out of this world. They are really good people, very positive, and Venables is bringing the same principles from Clemson to Oklahoma. The new staff at Oklahoma helped them tremendously. The relationships are strong.”

Bates, Venables, Chavis, and even Jay Valai from his time at Alabama, have strong relationships with David Hicks Jr. that could serve the Sooners well over the next 11 months as the recruiting battle for the talented junior will heat up.

Early in the recruiting cycle, anything can happen and the Oklahoma Sooners will be up against the top schools in the nation for the top five 2023 prospect. However, the Sooners look to be in a solid position to bolster their defensive line with a consensus top-10 talent in the 2023 class.

David Hick’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
ESPN 5 10 2 2
Rivals 5 2 1 1
247Sports 5 6 1 1
247 Composite 5 4 1 1
On3 Recruiting 5 7 1 2
On3 Composite 5 4 1 1

Vitals

Hometown Allen, TX
Projected Position DL
Height 6-4
Weight 250 lbs

Recruitment

  • Offered on Jan. 18, 2021
  • Unofficial visit Jan. 22, 2022

Notable Offers

  • Oklahoma
  • Texas A&M
  • Alabama
  • Clemson
  • LSU
  • Texas
  • Oregon

Film

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Oklahoma football’s official recruiting class after national signing day 2022

A look at the 2022 recruiting class and where each player ranks with the four major recruiting services after national signing day.

The Oklahoma Sooners put together one of the eight best recruiting classes in the country through national signing day. The declarations of the Sooners’ demise was greatly exaggerated as Brent Venables and his staff has breathed new life into a program that had struggled to maintain its top spot in the Big 12 over the last couple of years. That ultimately led to missing the Big 12 title game altogether in 2021.

Unlike other major college programs that experienced a coaching change, the Sooners were able to create positive momentum heading into the spring despite the coaching change.

The Sooners are the only team in the top 10 without a five-star recruit. While it would be nice to land Josh Conerly or Lebbeus Overton in the 2022 cycle, the teams high ranking in the cycle reveals just how good their four and three-star players are.

The Sooners have several incoming freshman that could come in and earn an opportunity right out of the gate. A top eight class is nothing to sneeze at and it speaks to the tremendous talent of the players and the work done by the coaching staff to get the guys on board.

As we continue our look at national signing day, here are where the Sooners 21 incoming freshman rank across the four major recruiting services; 247Sports, On3, Rivals, and ESPN.

On3 Recruiting analyst submits prediction for five-star DL David Hicks to land at Oklahoma

On3 senior national recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton put in a prediction for five-star defensive lineman David Hicks to land at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is hosting players on visits this weekend from across the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes. It looks like the weekend might have already payed off in a big way.

On3 senior national recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton submitted a prediction for five-star defensive lineman David Hicks to land at Oklahoma.

Hicks is a 6-foot-4, 255 pound defensive lineman out of Allen High School in Texas that is rated as a top-10 player nationally by all of the major recruiting services.

Hicks is rated by Rivals as the nation’s No. 2 player overall in the 2023 class, No. 7 nationally by 247Sports, No. 8 by On3 and No. 10 by ESPN.

David Hicks’ Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247Sports 4 7 1 2
Rivals 5 2 1 1
ESPN 4 10 2 2
247 Composite 5 5 1 2
On3 Recruiting 5 8 1 3
On3 Composite 5 5 1 2

247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna gave Hicks a first-round NFL Draft projection in his Aug. 4 evaluation. Here’s what Petagna had to say about Hicks.

Possesses ideal size and growth potential to add additional weight to frame. Displays good athleticism and shows the ability to play multiple roles in a four-man front. Three-sport athlete with a dynamic track and field background. Flashes an explosive first step while exhibiting good foot and body quickness off the line of scrimmage. Shows the ability to bend the edge while possessing good burst to close ability. Demonstrates good play strength at the point of attack and an ability to play with power. Versatile defender that can beat you with speed, quickness, and power on the perimeter and on the interior. Plays the run better than he plays at this point in his development. Project him to move inside as a 4-3 interior lineman as he continues to grow and develop into his frame but does have the athletic capability to maintain a presence on the edge. Ultimately, Hicks is a prospect that possesses the athletic makeup, physical upside and versatility to validate his position as one of the premiere defensive linemen in the 2023 class. – Cooper Petagna, 247Sports.

Oklahoma associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates was the lead recruiter for Hicks while at Clemson. That relationship could be pivotal for the Sooners in this recruiting battle for one of the premiere players in the 2023 class.

According to 247Sports, Hicks also holds offers from schools such as Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas and Texas A&M.

It’s also worth noting that 247Sports director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong has a crystal ball prediction in for Hicks to Texas A&M, but that prediction was from Aug. 4 so it will be interesting to follow whether or not Wiltfong’s prediction changes.

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Mario Williams is reportedly in Los Angeles for a visit with USC

Talented freshman wideout Mario Williams is in LA for a visit with the USC Trojans per a report.

While the Sooners continue to bring players in via the transfer portal and  this recruiting cycle, the players that have transferred out of Oklahoma are knee-deep in their own decisions as they look around to decide what’s best for them.

Freshman wide receiver Mario Williams declared he would be entering the transfer portal in the aftermath of his fellow 2021 classmate Caleb Williams’ decision. There was speculation he may head for the southeast but a Mario Williams has indicated that he’d like to continue playing with Caleb.

 

That in itself sounds like the two may have had  preliminary discussions about where they could reunite.

Mario Williams indicated through his Instagram account that he’s in Los Angeles and Chris Hummer of 247Sports confirmed a report by USC insiders that Williams was taking a visit to meet with the Trojans. On3’s WeAreUSC confirmed that Mario Williams will be meeting with USC (subscription required) brass this weekend as he explores his transfer options

Caleb Williams, easily the biggest name in the portal, is still looking around and trying to decide where he will land next. With each passing moment, it’s looking increasingly like the ship has sailed for Oklahoma, but a familiar name and place has entered the mix.

Caleb Williams is likely to visit UCLA and USC as well in the coming days. Williams on a visit to USC with Mario Williams lines up with what the receiver from Plant City, Florida said about playing with Caleb.

Who knows if that’s the last school the two visit, but it’s certainly the most notable one considering the head coach and wide receivers coach at USC have quite a history with the two players in question.

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October was full of treats for Sooners recruiting: How Oklahoma won the month

On3 recruiting dubs Oklahoma winners in recruiting for the month of October.

While Halloween has passed for this year, the Sooners found themselves with a lot of treats as they enter the month of November. On the field, they made a switch at QB and their offense has seen a massive uptick.

Off the field, recruiting efforts of two years or more paid off in a big way as the Sooners landed two of the top 50 players in USA TODAY Sports’ High School Composite Player Rankings.

Gentry Williams and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy both have ties to the Sooner state. Dindy is an Oklahoma legacy, the son of two former Sooners who then moved to Florida, where he’s spent the majority of his life. Williams is an in-state star from Tulsa, Oklahoma who grew up rooting for the Sooners. Both are major defensive additions for a Sooners team flipping the script on the narrative of how the Sooners play defense in Norman these days.

On3 recruiting put together a list of a few teams that won the month of October in recruiting and Oklahoma’s efforts landed them in the company of recruiting juggernauts like Alabama and Georgia.

Chad Simmons of On3 wrote this on Oklahoma:

Lincoln Riley wants to keep the best of the best at home and he did that with Gentry Williams. Schools like Arkansas, Florida and USC gave the four-star athlete something to compare the Sooners to, but he committed to the in-state school.

Williams wasn’t the only highly-touted defender to commit to the Sooners last month. Oklahoma went into Florida to land five-star defensive lineman Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy. The No. 3 player in the country chose Oklahoma over Texas A&M. Dindy’s parents graduated from Oklahoma. – Simmons

Both are massive headliners for a consensus Top 8 class across all recruiting services. With the way Oklahoma’s depth chart projects for the next year, it’s very likely both players see the field early as well.

On top of the pledges of Williams and Brownlow-Dindy, Oklahoma hosted Nicholas Anderson over the Halloween weekend. If the Anderson name raises your eyebrows, it’s because he’s the younger brother of former Sooners running back Rodney Anderson. The familiarity, the fact that Oklahoma had no commits at receiver all led to a perfect storm. Anderson joined the 2022 class on Nov. 1 but his Halloween visit proved more than enough to flip the former Oregon commit.

So taking into account Anderson’s visit and commitment, the Sooners seemingly landed three commits at three important positions in need of talent over the course of October. It was a month full of treats, king-size candy if you must. The Sooners head into November with a mountain of recruiting momentum and look poised to add more over the next few months.

WR Luther Burden decommits from Sooners’ 2022 class

Oklahoma losses a four-star prospect as wide receiver Luther Burden decommits from the 2022 class.

Four-star wide receiver Luther Burden of the Sooners’ 2022 recruiting class has decommitted, as announced by Hayes Fawcett of on3.com.

Burden, a senior at East St. Louis High School, was Oklahoma’s top offensive recruit from the 2022 draft class according to ESPN. However, the four-star prospect is now the third receiver from next year’s class to decommit from the Sooners since July.

Burden announced his departure in a statement disclosed to on3.com:

“I would like to thank the entire Oklahoma coaching staff for giving me an opportunity to be a part of the Sooner family,” Burden said. “But after a long conversation with my family, I have decided to decommit from the University of Oklahoma.”

The 6-2, 195-pound wideout has over 40 scholarship offers, but Georgia and Missouri have emerged as favorites.

While the Sooners boast a deep roster of pass catchers heading into the 2021 campaign, uncertainty now surrounds the position over the upcoming seasons. With Marvin Mims, Mario Williams, and Jalil Farooq in their sophomore and freshmen years entering 2021, the Sooners have a young and talented receiving group.

The loss of Luther Burden certainly hurts the level of talent the Sooners will have on the roster, but the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes are still looking very strong.

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Oklahoma signee Caleb Williams viewed as the No. 1 prospect according to new recruiting service

New recruiting service On3 Sports ranks 2021 Oklahoma Sooners signee Caleb Williams as the No. 1 prospect, they see Clayton Smith higher than 247Sports composite ranking as well.

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In the world of college football recruiting there are three major recruiting services. ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports are the major sites to provide coverage of college recruiting. According to the composite scores, quarterback Caleb Williams was viewed as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 6 player of his class.

A look at the breakdown from each recruiting service

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 5 7 1 1
Rivals 5 5 1 1
ESPN 4 16 1 1
247 Composite 5 6 1 1

All three services ranked Williams as the No. 1 quarterback but his overall ranking varied from No. 5 to No. 16. ESPN was the only service that ranked him below a five-star. Whichever way you view it, the Oklahoma Sooners landed the top quarterback of the 2021 class. For now, he will back up fellow five-star signee from the 2019 class, Spencer Rattler. Williams is viewed as the quarterback of 2022 and beyond.

Now there is another recruiting service getting into the mix with On3 Recruits. From the founders of Rivals and 247Sports, On3 is expected to officially launch in August of this year just ahead of football season. Despite the fact that they haven’t launched yet hasn’t prevented them from putting out content already. They ranked the five-star prospects from the 2021 class and Williams was the top overall player of the class.

This just goes to show you how highly touted the 2021 classes’ top prospect for Oklahoma is viewed. He will be the No. 2 quarterback for the Sooners in 2021 but could rise to No. 1 provided Rattler exits stage left when the NFL draft takes place for 2022.

On3 also ranked another player in their top 32 players of the 2021 class, edge defender Clayton Smith. He ranked at No. 37 nationally according to his 247Sports composite ranking. On3 viewed him as a five-star prospect at No. 22 overall.

On3’s ranking of Smith was more in line with how Rivals viewed him. He was a five-star prospect ranked top two at his position at No. 23 overall. ESPN was much lower than both 247Sports and Rivals as they listed him as the No. 84 prospect overall as a four-star player.

On3 Sports will be yet another service to check out when it comes to recruiting.