ou sooners football – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Where did Oklahoma Sooners land on CBS Sports’ top 151 players in college football?

Where did Oklahoma Sooners stars land among CBS Sports top 151 players for the 2024 college football season?

The Oklahoma Sooners have increased the talent on the roster during each year of the Brent Venables era. It’s not that it wasn’t a talented team under Lincoln Riley. It was. But what Venables has done with a more holistic recruiting approach has created a roster far more capable of playing complementary football.

As we approach the 2024 college football season, all eyes are on Oklahoma as it makes its way into the SEC. Much of the concerns about the Sooners’ potential in 2024 falls on the offensive side of the ball, which is a far cry from what this team has been over the last decade.

Typically, analysts have wondered if the defense would be good enough for the Sooners to contend. While the questions on offense are warranted, the Sooners have a defense that can help mitigate some of those concerns if they can live up to expectations.

Blake Brockermeyer of CBS Sports released his top 151 players entering the 2024 season. Six Sooners made the list, including four from the defensive side of the ball, signaling a shift in what this team is about under Venables.

Here’s a look at the Sooners who made the top 151.

28. Danny Stutsman, LB

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] returning for the 2024 season was a monumental moment of the Oklahoma Sooners offseason. He sets the tone for everything the Sooners want to be about on the field. Confidence, toughness, physicality, and a defensive mindset. He was missed in the Sooners’ two regular-season losses last year. Stutsman believes there’s unfinished business for the Sooners and hopes to have OU in contention this season.

Stutsman flirted with going to the NFL but will be back and looking to improve even further on a very productive season: 100 tackles, 16 TFLs, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. He’s perfect for Brent Venables. Stutsman is an excellent box backer who has the ability to roam sideline to sideline and is solid in coverage, only allowing 21 catches for 242 yards. Oklahoma is glad to have him ahead of a brutal SEC schedule. – Brockermeyer, CBS Sports

68. Deion Burks, WR

[autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] has a chance to put together a phenomenal season. The Sooners are going to get the former Purdue wide receiver the ball in a variety of ways to maximize his game-breaking speed and ability to make plays in space.

The explosive slot receiver turned a ton of heads this spring after transferring from Purdue. His spring breakout comes as no surprise if you’re a Purdue fan. Burks is a weapon with excellent speed and the ability to create space and hit the home run. – Brockermeyer, CBS Sports

Up Next: A pair of Veteran Defenders

Pages: 123

College Football experts say Sooners freshman DT has a chance to start

Could a freshman defensive tackle be on the verge of starting for the Oklahoma Sooners?

The Oklahoma Sooners worked overtime to reestablish a defensive culture over the last several years. In particular, head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] made improving the defensive line a top priority.

In their first two recruiting classes (2022, 2023), they made splashes, adding four-star prospects [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] (2022) and five-star defensive end [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. But the big recruiting win came in the 2024 recruiting class when they added five blue-chip prospects: [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

There’s a great deal of excitement about the defensive line that’s been put together, but it can be challenging to make the jump from high school football to playing in the SEC. A pair of college football experts believe one of those true freshmen could start up front for the Venables and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s defense.

On a recent episode of “The Oklahoma Breakdown” with Sooners legends [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabe Ikard[/autotag], the duo was asked what they thought the starting offensive and defensive lines would look like for Week 1. Lehman mentioned Jackson could start.

“Well I think defensive line, right now, I would say it’s probably going to be [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag]. Then, between [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], I would probably say I slightly lean toward [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].”

Ikard said he considered Williams, Jackson and Terry to all be “starters,” with [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] working in rotation roles for the Sooners.

There have been reports Jackson has been having a great camp, continuing the upward trajectory in his development over the last few years. The former IMG Academy prospect had a number of offers out of high school. With his unique blend of size, strength and quickness, Jackson has a chance to be a three-down defensive tackle, making an impact against the run and on passing downs. He plays with really good leverage, and his first step is special. He’s disruptive and does a great job holding his spot when double-teamed.

The Sooners upgraded their defensive tackle room significantly this offseason by adding transfer Damonic Williams. While the hope was their 2024 signees would make an impact, the possibility of Jackson starting signals the potential the class offers in 2024 and beyond.

Along with Williams and Jackson, both Ikard and Lehman agreed [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] would be the starting defensive ends for the Sooners Week 1 against Temple.

Downs has been the foundation of the Sooners defensive line over the last few years. His consistent ability as a pass rusher and run defender makes him invaluable along the defensive line. Entering his fourth season, the veteran will lead the way for the Sooners.

Thomas has special athleticism. Injuries have kept him from making a consistent impact, but when he’s been on the field, he’s flashed immense potential. If he can stay healthy this season, he’ll flirt with eight sacks.

The Sooners defensive line is better than what it was a year ago when they improved in short-yardage situations and really across the board. Now it’s only a matter of seeing how much better the defense will be as a whole with an improved unit up front.

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.

Where does Oklahoma land in Athlon Sports’ defensive back unit rankings?

Oklahoma’s secondary has plenty of potential, featuring a good mix of veterans and youth.

The Oklahoma Sooners will be looking to take another step forward on defense in 2024, as OU enters Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era.

Venables was hired because of his defensive acumen and because of his championship merit at both Oklahoma and Clemson. In his first season, the Sooners gave up 30 points per game on their way to a subpar 6-7 record. Last year, Oklahoma bounced back to go 10-3, giving up just 23.5 points per game.

Now the time has come to make another leap on that side of the ball, and one unit that can help make that happen is the secondary. It’s a unit that was bad in 2022 but improved last season, along with the rest of the defense. It’s also a unit that gave up too many big plays, had the occasional coverage bust last year, and needs to continue improving.

Fortunately, Athlon Sports thinks Oklahoma will have one of the best secondaries in the nation this year, as they revealed their Top 20 defensive back units in the country on Saturday. The Sooners came in at No. 11 overall, third in the SEC. Only Georgia (No. 2) and Texas (No. 10) came in above OU. Ohio State topped Athlon’s list.

The reason for the optimism is the mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters that have the opportunity to mesh well and create great things for the Sooners in 2024.

Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] has plenty of different options to work with on both sides of the field. Sixth-year senior [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] will still likely play multiple positions on the defense (cornerback, safety and Cheetah), but is going to reportedly be playing a bunch of cornerback once again. The trio of [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] will also be counted upon heavily, and all four will see plenty of action. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] could also get some run, as they’re both younger players with very high upside.

Similarly, safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] will get to mix-and-match different combinations in the back end of the defense. Safety might be even deeper than corner on this year’s team. The return of [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] is what unlocks this position group. The senior is one of the best players on the team in 2024. He’s become a leader for the Sooners and was a ball hawk last year, making big play after big play.

The combination of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will share snaps at the other safety spot, and OU is excited about what that duo can do.

The depth at the position is strong with [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] providing an interesting group of skillsets and plenty of youth. If the injury bug bites, Washington, [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] could move from primary positions to help out on the back line.

Venables and new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] know that the defense has to continue their ascent to get where they want to go in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Fortunately, the time for talking is almost over, as the Sooners will begin their season in less than two weeks. The Temple Owls come to Norman on Friday, August 30th.

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 Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Pro Football Focus comes in lower than polls in preseason power rankings

Oklahoma was ranked lower by Pro Football Focus than the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.

The Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 16 in the country in the initial Top 25 polls by both the Associated Press and the US LBM Coaches Poll to begin the 2024 season. Both polls had OU ranked eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], as did the SEC media poll. However, one site has Oklahoma ranked even lower nationally than the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

Pro Football Focus revealed their preseason Top 25 rankings earlier this week. The Sooners checked in at No. 18, two spots lower than the two official polls. PFF did still have OU at eighth in the SEC, keeping consistent with most other lists. Here’s what PFF writers Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman had to say about [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team in 2024.

Oklahoma might take some time to fully acclimate as it debuts in the SEC and with all of the new moving parts on its roster, but the Sooners can still compete for a playoff spot if they jell quickly. – Pro Football Focus

The Sooners will look to the defense to lead the way this season, a change from years past.

A talented, productive, and veteran defense breaks in new coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag], but has all of the pieces to dominate opposing offenses in 2024. Inside linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and new TCU transfer defensive tackle [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] lead the way for a unit with high expectations.

Offensively, the Sooners are younger and have a few more concerns. They’re also breaking in new coordinators in [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag]. A much-discussed offensive line had to replace all five primary starters from last year’s team and is tasked with protecting new starting quarterback, sophomore [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

The former five-star prospect has plenty of weapons on offense, led by running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and wide receivers like Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and returning players [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag]. If the new offensive line can gel and the tight end position can give the Sooners better production than last year, OU could once again have a high-scoring offense.

Special teams analyst [autotag]Doug Deakin[/autotag] is also new this year, and he takes over a unit that must be better in 2024. [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] is entrenched as the starting punter, but all of the other major positions within special teams seem to be up for grabs. Most notably, the kicker spot is still yet to be decided.

Brent Venables enters Year 3 as the head coach at Oklahoma and has been diligent in the process of turning over the roster. Only nine players remain on the 2024 fall camp roster that were on the roster at the end of the 2021 regular season. Slowly but surely, the Sooners have been rebuilt to defend the standard that has been set in place in Norman.

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 Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Sooners duo named to ESPN’s true freshman All-America team

A pair of Oklahoma Sooners made ESPN’s list of the best true freshmen in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners kick off their 2024 season in less than two weeks. Talking season is almost over, and fall camps are beginning to wrap up across the country.

But before the season begins, ESPN unveiled their true freshmen All-America team (ESPN+). All of the players included were high schoolers last year and members of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

OU had two players make the team: offensive lineman [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

Brooks was the No. 145 player in ESPN’s 300 rankings coming out of high school. Here’s what ESPN staff writer Tom Luginbill had to say about the young offensive lineman.

Brooks is currently running with the second team at guard. The former Under Armour All-American has had his ups and downs during training camp, but he has also shed close to 60 pounds off his frame to help aid his quickness and agility. With that type of discipline and work ethic, clearly Brooks is serious about getting on the field this fall. – Luginbill, ESPN

Brooks was a solid acquisition for offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] in the most recent class out of Sierra Canyon High School in California. 247Sports ranked him as a four-star prospect and their third-ranked interior offensive lineman.

Brooks isn’t in line to start in 2024, but he represents part of the future of the offensive line that has been a major talking point this offseason. While the Sooners had to replace the entire unit with some portal additions this offseason for 2024, it will be paramount to recruit and develop players on the o-line, especially heading into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Jackson was just a three-star prospect coming out of high school, according to ESPN, but has a chance to be special in Norman.

Jackson started the Oklahoma spring game but likely will be in the rotation at defensive tackle with fellow freshman [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], among others. With the move to the SEC, Oklahoma needs upgraded defensive front personnel, and Jackson has impressed. He will need to grow up quickly as the rise in the level of competition in the trenches from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to the SEC will be steep. – Luginbill, ESPN

Jackson was part of an excellent 2024 defensive line haul by defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. He hails from IMG Academy and was the 23rd-best player in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports. He was extremely impressive in the spring, and like Brooks on the other side of the ball, he won’t be starting right away, but he represents part of the defensive line’s future.

He’s been one of the standout performers in spring and fall camp and has a chance to earn playing time early and often due to his size, quickness, and strength.

Defensive tackle improved dramatically in the post-spring portal window with the addition of [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], but Jackson, Stone, and others will need to be ready to take up the mantle of leadership inside soon.

As third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners enter a conference where games are won and lost in the trenches, they look to be in good hands with their 2024 class on both sides of the ball.

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 Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Texas insider flips pick for 5-star offensive tackle from Longhorns to Oklahoma

Texas Longhorns writer flips prediction from UT to the Oklahoma Sooners for five-star offensive tackle.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a big-time recruiting battle with their longtime foes, the Texas Longhorns. Five-star offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag] is one of the most coveted players in the 2025 recruiting class, and it appears the Sooners have a leg up on the Horns.

On Wednesday, Brandon Drumm of OUInsider and Rivals released a futurecast projecting the Sooners to be the landing spot for Fasusi. That was the first prediction on Fasusi since April. At that time, Texas had seized momentum in the recruitment, but a strong summer has allowed Oklahoma to push ahead.

Geoffrey Ketchum, who covers the Texas Longhorns for Rivals, flipped his prediction from the Longhorns to the Oklahoma Sooners.

It’s an encouraging sign: Fasusi’s planned commitment date is Aug. 21. The Sooners have a nice group of offensive linemen committed to the class, but adding Fasusi would be monumental to the future of Oklahoma’s offensive line and a huge feather in the cap of Sooners offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

Update

Since the original publication, Eric Nahlen, who covers the Texas Longhorns for On3 has flipped his prediction from Texas to Oklahoma.

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.

Danny Stutsman named to Lombardi Award watch list

OU’s senior linebacker made another preseason award watch list on Thursday.

Watch list season rolls on, and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]’s added another accolade to the ever-growing list of preseason honors for the senior linebacker.

This time, Stutsman was named to the Lombardi Award watch list. “This prestigious accolade continues to honor the Outstanding College Football Lineman, whether on offense or defense, who displays exceptional performance and ability and embodies the character and discipline that Vince Lombardi championed throughout his life,” said the Lombardi Award website.

Stutsman heads into 2024 as one of the best off-ball linebackers in college football. He’s been named to the USA TODAY Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN All-American teams. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the media and has been named to the Butkus, Bednarik, Nagurski, and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.

Stutsman was also ranked the No. 32 player in the country by ESPN in their top 100 players released this week.

Three Sooners have previously been honored with the award. [autotag]Lee Roy Selmon[/autotag] first won the award back in 1975. [autotag]Tony Casillas[/autotag] earned the distinction in 1985, and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] took home the trophy in 2003.

Ohio State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame are the only programs with more Lombardi Award winners than the Oklahoma Sooners.

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.

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.

Josh Bates making a strong impression in Sooners fall camp

Josh Bates standing out as the Oklahoma Sooners work to figure out their offensive line.

The offensive line continues to be the top storyline in Oklahoma Sooners’ fall camp. The Sooners are going to be relying on incoming transfers to fill several of the spots along their offensive line. But one position that continues to be up for grabs is center.

The expectation is SMU transfer [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] will be the starter for 2024. However, as he continues to get acclimated to the offense, 2022 four-star center signee [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] has been getting a lot of snaps with the first team.

Bates has impressed Brent Venables with his work ethic and how he’s improved since arriving in Norman in spring of 2022.

“(Bates) has been much more consistent, No. 1, with his snaps,” Venables said after practice. “He’s been a lot cleaner that way. Again, he’s a guy that helps make everyone around him better. Because he loves to compete, he loves football. Again, I got a small Rolodex of guys that I could say the same thing about.

“But I just love guys that love to come to work every day. They love their brothers, they love the environment, they love to go to practice, they love to work, they love to compete. They know how to strain. They’re just great examples. And that’s why you’re seeing him improve and get better, but he’s also had a really strong impact with the guys around him and in the locker room.”

Bates sat behind [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] the last two seasons, learning and honing his craft. Though Oklahoma went the transfer route to add the experienced Hickman, Bates has put in the work to create an opportunity for himself. Even if he’s not a starter for [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]’s offensive line, Bates has positioned himself to be the front-runner to start in 2025.

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.

Oklahoma Sooners predicted to land 2025 5-star offensive tackle

The Sooners are picking up momentum in the recruitment of 2025 offensive tackle Michael Fasusi.

If there’s been a big fish in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag], it’s offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag]. As was the case for [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] in the 2024 cycle, all eyes have been on Fasusi the last couple of years.

He has been a priority target for OU and offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. As we near Fasusi’s planned commitment date on Aug. 21, the process appears trending in a positive direction for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Late Wednesday night, Brandon Drumm of OUInsider and Rivals dropped a futurecast predicting Fasusi to land with the Oklahoma Sooners. It’s the first prediction issued by one of the major recruiting sites since April for Fasusi.

Back in March and April, it appeared the Texas Longhorns held a substantial lead in Fasusi’s recruitment. Analysts from Rivals and 247Sports placed predictions favoring Oklahoma’s Red River Rivals. But with his commitment date less than a week away, the start of the high school football season upon us and just a few months away from the early signing period, the Sooners have grabbed some momentum.

According to ESPN, he’s one of the 32 best players in the 2025 class overall, ranking as high as No. 9. 247Sports has Fasusi as the No. 27 player in the cycle and the No. 5 offensive tackle. Rivals ranks the Lewisville native as the No. 11 player in 2025 and the No. 2 offensive tackle.

It’s a key recruitment to continue to follow for Bedenbaugh and the Sooners. He’s a dynamic player who has the potential to compete for a starting role early in his collegiate career. At 6 feet, 5 inches and 295 pounds and a strong athletic profile, Fasusi has a chance to be great at the next level.

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.