Tag: ou football news

Trio of Sooners among ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season

The Oklahoma Sooners were represented on both sides of the ball in ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a number of talented players on both sides of the ball. If there’s reason for optimism heading into the season it’s that the defense is as talented or possibly more talented than the group on offense.

And that’s a good thing.

The Sooners needed a more well-rounded team during the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] era and appear to be trending toward that under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. The defense has talent at every level of the defense, led by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag].

Offensively, they’ve got the talent to have one of the best offenses in the nation. If [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] lives up to expectations, the Oklahoma offense will be humming all year long.

The Sooners may not have as much name recognition as some of the other teams across the country, but they have a trio of players that will be household names in 2024. ESPN released its top 100 college football players heading into the season and the Sooners had three players land on the list.

74. Deion Burks, WR

Despite playing for a 4-8 Purdue team last season, Burks was one of the top non-quarterback additions in the winter transfer portal. He gives new Oklahoma QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] a No. 1 target who can find the end zone (seven touchdowns in 2023) and stretch defenses. Burks had a reception of 42 yards or longer in four games last fall, including an 84-yard score against Fresno State. – ESPN

Outside of the quarterback, there may be no player more important to Oklahoma’s offensive success than [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. He looks like a thicker, stronger version of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Taking over in the slot after [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] had a career year, expectations are high for Burks after he electrified in the Sooners spring game.

73. Billy Bowman, S

Bowman has started 29 of the 35 games he has played in his career and was named a first-team All-Big 12 player for his efforts in 2023. He was second in the country with six interceptions (three of which he took back for touchdowns) and ranked third on the team with 63 total tackles. – ESPN

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] took the nation by storm in 2023 with his six interceptions and three interceptions returned for a touchdown. Now in his fourth season and third in Brent Venables defense, the sky is the limit for the athletic safety.

32. Danny Stutsman, LB

The senior linebacker is one of the players who will be key to Oklahoma’s success in 2024. An All-Big 12 first-team selection last season, Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, 51 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks, a pick, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. – ESPN

Everything’s prepped and ready for Danny Stutsman to have another fabulous season for the Oklahoma Sooners. With improved defensive line play and linebacker depth, OU will get the most out of their star linebacker this season.

Notables

  • In the Oklahoma Sooners’ first SEC game, the offensive line will have to do battle with ESPN’s No. 1 player, James Pierce, Jr. It will be quite the test for the offensive tackles Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor.
  • One-time Oklahoma commit turned Missouri Tiger, [autotag]Luther Burden[/autotag] comes in at No. 5.
  • LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, who has been on a bunch of preseason first team All-American squads alongside Danny Stutsman ranked No. 14 in the nation.
  • Former Sooners quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] came in at No. 16 overall, seven spots ahead of Texas’ [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag].

That’s just a few of the 19 players that the Oklahoma Sooners will face in 2024.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Is Texas QB Maalik Murphy being courted by other teams?

One analyst implies schools are probably already tampering to court Maalik Murphy.

Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy set the field ablaze with a strong spring game performance on Saturday. One college football analyst thinks he could already be seeing attention from other schools despite not being in the transfer portal.

Late Kick podcast host Josh Pate said the following after Murphy’s impressive showing.

(Murphy) opened some people’s eyes yesterday… I don’t just think in Austin, Texas. I think if you probably check his most recent followers on (social media), you’ll find staffers from all different sorts of schools following him. Now, I am not suggesting that anyone would ever preemptively tamper with anybody’s roster out there for a position like quarterback… except that I am.

Texas fans should be well aware of the tampering that goes on in college football. Last offseason saw the team fend off schools who tried to poach wide receiver Xavier Worthy and nickelback Jahdae Barron.

There are a handful of programs who have shown a penchant for doing whatever it takes to field a winning college football program. For that reason, it’s likely Murphy has already seen some interest from other schools. As to whether or not those efforts will go anywhere is still to be seen.

For now, it appears evident that Murphy is locked in with the school and coach that believed in him. Presently, he looks to be next in line to start following Quinn Ewers at Texas.

Stewart Mandel: “Texas could contend for a Big 12 title”

The Athletics’s Stewart Mandel, who had Texas going 4-8 last year, says the Longhorns could contend for the Big 12.

Texas football really appears to have turned a corner. Even one of the program’s most vocal critics appears to be drinking the burnt orange kool aid after an impressive showing in Saturday’s Orange and White game.

Stewart Mandel, the college football editor-in-chief for The Athletic, has higher expectations for the team than he had last season. If you recall, Mandel had the Longhorns going 4-8 in 2022. Apparently he read his crystal ball backwards as Texas finished the regular season with a record of 8-4.

On Wednesday, Mandel responded to a comment posed by an Oklahoma fan who voiced concerns that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns heading in the right direction. The Athletic’s editor had the following to say about Texas.

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“Against my better instincts, I came away from Saturday’s spring game feeling more optimism for the Horns than I expected,” Mandel wrote. “(Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers), who was underwhelming for most of his debut season, looked noticeably more polished than at any time last fall. Texas already had a lot of weapons at receiver even before adding Georgia transfer AD Mitchell, but I was particularly impressed with the running backs post-Bijan/Roschon.”

Mandel went as far as saying Texas could compete for the Big 12 if players up front, like defensive tackles Alfred Collins and Byron Murphy II, live up to expectations. If one of the team’s most vocal doubters views the Longhorns as a contender, perhaps this is the year they break through into meaningful football into late November and beyond.

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CFB analyst says rival Oklahoma Sooners’ DT room is in a world of hurt

Oklahoma just doesn’t have the defensive tackles necessary to field great defense.

The Oklahoma defensive tackle room is seemingly struggling. That is, if one college football analyst is to be believed.

Ian Boyd of Inside Texas shared his thoughts following the analysis of legendary OU linebacker Teddy Lehman and ex-Sooners offensive lineman Gabe Ikard on Oklahoma’s 2023 squad.

Boyd had the following to say about the Sooners’ diminutive interior defensive linemen.

OU has been taking flyers on DTs from places like Tulane and Texas State… If you look at their recruiting at DT in 2022 and 2023, there’s nothing on the horizon coming to save them. It generally takes a while to build true anchors and even then you need guys with big frames. They’re in a world of hurt.

Boyd is spot on in his analysis here. The lack of playmaking can extend to edge rusher as well with players like Ethan Downs lacking the physical ability to wreak havoc on the opposing quarterback. Downs, like Oklahoma cornerback Woodi Washington, is a good football player without a good positional fit.

With regard to how they match up with Texas, certainly the Longhorns will have to bring their best game in October. Nevertheless, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has to feel good about his team’s prospects against Oklahoma this season offensively.

Five-star RB Raleek Brown makes commitment

Five-star Mater Dei High School running back Raleek Brown, a 2022 recruit, has committed to the Oklahoma Sooners

Five-star running back Raleek Brown has committed to the Oklahoma Sooners. Brown is in the class of 2022 and is ranked as the No. 3 running back in his class.

Raleek Brown is diminutive in size, but very talented. LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire helped prove that smaller running backs can still make a huge impact. Brown is a junior and plays at football powerhouse Mater Dei High School in California.

Raleek Brown will look to be the next player from Mater Dei to make the NFL. Brown has received interest from major college football programs across the country. He picked Oklahoma over Georgia, Alabama, USC, Oregon, Michigan, LSU and more.

The five-star running back was favored to attend Oklahoma. His decision did not shock too many folks.

Raleek Brown has impressive highlights. He flashes insane short-area quickness and speed. Oklahoma Sooner fans should be very excited to secure a commitment from the Mater Dei product. Check them out (per MaxPreps):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV00KpL_h70

These highlights are from his freshman year, before he transferred to Mater Dei. Raleek Brown will compete for the No. 1 running back ranking in the class of 2022.

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UGA, OU football vie for commitment from five-star RB

The Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners are looking to land a commitment from five-star Mater Dei running back Raleek Brown.

The Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners are looking to land a commitment from five-star running back Raleek Brown. Brown is a member of the class of 2022 and is ranked as the No. 3 running back in his class.

Brown is short but very talented. He plays at football powerhouse Mater Dei High School in California.

Both Matt Barkley and Matt Leinart played at Mater Dei. Will Brown be the next player from Mater Dei to make the NFL? Georgia’s starting quarterback, J.T. Daniels, played there as well.

Brown has received interest from elite college football programs across the country. Now, Brown has set his commitment for Feb. 5. He will decide among Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, USC, Oregon, Michigan and LSU.

The five-star running back is favored to attend Oklahoma.

Brown has some incredible highlights. He flashes insane short-area quickness and speed. Check them out (per MaxPreps):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV00KpL_h70

These highlights are from his impressive freshman year, before he moved to Mater Dei. He will be fun to watch in college!

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Jan. 1, 2018; Pasadena: Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel (1) runs in a touchdown against Oklahoma Sooners safety Chanse Sylvie (28) in the third quarter in the 2018 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Commitment day for UGA, Oklahoma football recruiting target

Mario Williams, a four-star Georgia and Oklahoma recruiting target, is making his commitment. He plays football at Plant City in Florida

The Georgia Bulldogs are in the top schools for 2021 wide receiver Mario Williams. Williams is a talented four-star recruit, who plays high school football for Plant City High School in Florida.

Williams is an explosive athlete with a smaller frame. Here’s who elite wide receiver Mario Williams put in his top schools:

Williams is picking between four SEC teams: LSU, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and one Big-12 team in Oklahoma. Georgia is continuing to battle the Florida Gators for talented recruits in the Sunshine State.

In recent years, elite talent in Florida has been eluding the traditional in-state programs to go to Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and others. Mario Williams is a high-stakes recruit because if he doesn’t come to Athens, then the Dawgs will play against him, unless he goes to Oklahoma.

Williams is actually favored to attend Oklahoma. That being said, he’s making his commitment May 15th at noon, so Dawg fans won’t have to wait long to find out where he’s headed.

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UGA, Oklahoma among 4-star CB’s top schools

The Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners are competing for a commitment from four-star cornerback Latrell McCutchin.

The Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners are battling yet again. Unfortunately, this time it is not in the Rose Bowl. Instead, it is for a commitment from four-star cornerback Latrell McCutchin.

McCutchin is a member of the class of 2021. He plays high school football at LBJ Early College High School in Austin, Texas.

The four-star released his top schools via Twitter:

McCutchin puts UGA, Oklahoma, Florida, USC, Ohio State, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, FSU, and Virginia Tech. In a somewhat surprising move, the Austin CB did not put the Texas Longhorns in his top ten.

Where will McCutchin go next? The 6-1, 175 pound prospect is favored to go to Oklahoma.

Can Kirby Smart and UGA recruit another elite corner from Texas? The Dawgs currently have four 2021 commitments and are looking for more. It is currently a dead period for NCAA recruiting.

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