Tag: Peyton Bowen

Where each Notre Dame ‘23 commit landed on 247Sports updated Top 247

This list is long and impressive for the Irish

The Irish have amassed one of the top recruiting classes for the 2023 cycle, it has been an impressive group in the little time that Marcus Freeman has been leading the program. Yes, the news on this front has not been the best in the recent weeks, but the work has still been put in and the results are fantastic.

Since 247Sports has now analyzed the play from the past high school season, they made one of their final class updated and released their latest Top 247 recruits. Plenty of future Irish stars made their list and you can find out below which ones did and where they ended up.

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New projections have Sooners as favorites for 2023 4-star edge Tausili Akana

Oklahoma has surged into the lead for four-star LB/edge Tausili Akana. From @thatmanbryant

We are eight days away from the opening of the early signing period for the 2023 football recruits across the country. Teams are making last-minute pushes to secure commitments those early signatures next week.

Along with the transfer portal, December is a crazy month. Especially if you factor in bowl prep for the teams fortunate enough to play in one.

Recruiting never stops, however. As Oklahoma looks to finish strongly, it is trending in a positive direction for another top-flight defensive prospect.

One of their remaining targets, four-star edge Tausili Akana is trending in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Akana plays his high school ball in Utah but is a native of Hawaii. He’s been on the Sooners’ radar for months, and Brent Venables took the lead in his recruitment. It seems the head coach’s efforts have been rewarded. Three predictions in favor of Oklahoma hit the internet Tuesday afternoon

Not only are there three predictions, but one of them came from national recruiting director for 247Sports Steve Wiltfong. Wiltfong’s ears are everywhere, and if he’s confident enough to drop a crystal ball, that’s great news for the Sooners.

In addition to Wiltfong’s prediction, Brandon Drumm of OUInsider at 247Sports, Josh McCuistion of Sooner Scoop and Rivals and Tyler Bannerman also of Rivals issued predictions in favor of the Sooners.

Oklahoma on Monday secured the services of four-star safety Daeh McCullough as it continues to round out its 2023 class. It two big fish (Peyton Bowen and David Hicks) remain committed to other schools, but Oklahoma will fight to the end.

A commitment by Akana would help push Oklahoma closer to a top five finish in the team recruiting rankings.

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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. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma Sooners offer 2023 Arkansas commit Quincy Rhodes, Jr.

Looking to close the 2023 recruiting cycle strong, the Oklahoma Sooners offered 2023 EDGE and Arkansas commit Quincy Rhodes. From @john9williams

As we inch closer to the early signing period and national signing day, the Oklahoma Sooners are attempting to put a bow on their 2023 recruiting class.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff are looking to turn the holiday season into Flipmas with a late push for Notre Dame commit [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], Texas A&M commit [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag], Cincinnati commit [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], and their latest 2023 offer goes out to Arkansas commit Quincy Rhodes.

Rhodes committed to Arkansas back in February but has seen his recruitment gain some steam in the last week. In addition to grabbing an Oklahoma offer, Missouri, Tulane, and Arizona issued offers to the talented Little Rock native.

Rhodes, a four-star EDGE in the 247Sports composite, is the No. 2 player in the state of Arkansas and ranks No. 41 at his position. At 6-foot-7, he possesses incredibly disruptive length at the point of attack.

Despite his height, Rhodes does a nice job playing with leverage and is assignment-sound as a two-gap edge in the run game. He does well setting the edge to help string run plays wide and displays good closing speed to the ball carrier.

As a pass rusher, Rhodes’ long-arm rush allows him to keep the offensive lineman’s hands from engaging their blocks and displays an effective shoulder dip that allows him to corner the offensive tackle and close on the quarterback.

As a late offer in the cycle, the Sooners hope to add the strong-side defensive end to their 2023 EDGE group that includes five-star prospect [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] and three-star [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag].

Quincy Rhodes’ Recruiting Profile

Projections

Film

via Hudl

5 lingering questions about the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class

We are in the stretch run of the 2023 recruiting cycle, and the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to close strong. From @thatmanbryant

We are exactly two weeks away from the first day of the early signing period. Though a only added to the calendar in recent years, it’s provided another element of excitement and intrigue to the recruiting process.

Oklahoma, as it stands, owns the No. 7 ranked class in the nation. They are headlined by consensus five-star QB Jackson Arnold, who has blown everyone away with his senior season. He and his Denton Guyer team look for a state title at Texas’ highest classification.

While Oklahoma sits inside the top 10, there is room to move up, and Brent Venables and Co. are road-tripping across the country to improve the class.

Oklahoma has several high-profile targets in its sights and they’re well within reach. However, recruiting is about closing. It’s never how you start but how you finish.

Here are five lingering questions about the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class as we sprint to the finish line for this recruiting cycle.

Sooners receive crystal ball flip for 4-star S Daeh McCullough from 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong

The Oklahoma Sooners received a crystal ball from 247Sports Steve Wiltfong and Brandon Drumm to flip 2023 four-star safety Daeh McCullough from Cincinnati. From @john9williams

The Oklahoma Sooners are entering the stretch of the 2023 recruiting class. The early signing period is only a couple of weeks away, and Oklahoma looks to be closing in on top prospects from across the country.

As we eagerly away the decision of five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], the Oklahoma Sooners appear on the verge of flipping another safety. Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports flipped his previous crystal ball for 2023 four-star safety Daeh McCullough from the Cincinnati Bearcats to the Oklahoma Sooners. Since Wiltfong’s crystal ball flip, Brandon Drumm of OUInsider at 247Sports has also flipped his commitment from Cincinnati to the Sooners.

McCullough has been committed to the Bearcats since June, but the Sooners have made a late run on McCullough, issuing an offer in early November. With Luke Fickell making the move to Madison to take over the Wisconsin Badgers, Oklahoma looks to be in a prime position to add McCullough.

The South Bend, Indiana, native, is a top-five player in the state and ranks as the No. 34 safety in the 247Sports composite.

According to Drumm, the McCulloughs have a strong tie with Oklahoma cornerbacks coach Jay Valai. Deland McCullough, a running backs coach that was with Indiana and is now with Notre Dame played with Valai during their time with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Daeh’s older brother Dasan just entered the transfer portal after a strong season with the Indiana Hoosiers. Dasan, a defensive end, posted 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Could the McCullough brothers unite to play college ball for the Sooners? It looks like they’ll get the younger Daeh if the Steve Wiltfong prediction flip holds true.

On Daeh, the four-star safety brings good size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. McCullough plays fast, coming downhill in a hurry in run support from single-high safety looks. Playing both ways for St. Joseph’s High School, Daeh shows off good ball skills, attacking the ball in the air and knows what to do with it when he has it in his hands. He times his blitzes well as both a pass rusher and run defender. He’s sticky in man coverage and able to carry players across the formation.

Daeh McCullough’s Recruiting Profile

Crystal Ball

Film

Hudl

Recruiting provides optimism for Oklahoma’s future under Brent Venables

What Brent Venables and his staff are doing on the recruiting trail over the last year provides optimism for the Oklahoma Sooners’ future. From @john9williams

Transfer portal season is wild. Players you might have counted on for significant contributions will find new homes, and your favorite team will be left searching for answers. Possibly in the transfer portal, but with a guy like Brent Venables, the optimism comes through what he and his staff are doing on the recruiting trail.

This time a year ago, the Oklahoma Sooners’ 2022 recruiting class fell apart and dropped from inside the top 10 to 28th in the country in 247Sports team recruiting rankings. Lincoln Riley’s departure for USC left the Sooners recruiting class in shambles.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff arrived in Norman and got to work, and finished the 2022 cycle strong. Oklahoma ended up with the No. 8 recruiting class in the cycle. Sure, the Sooners have since lost Nick Evers and Alton Tarber, but that shouldn’t diminish what they accomplished in less than two months in Norman.

Fast forward to now, and the Sooners are sitting with the No. 7 recruiting class in the 2023 cycle with a chance to make it a top five or even top three group by national signing day in February.

The Sooners have 22 commits in the cycle. Two five-star players and 11 four-star players. Led by [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], the Sooners are in a great spot for 2023, even if they don’t add anyone else. However, they’re probably going to add another handful of commitments and signings over the next two months.

They’ve been projected to land five-star safety, and Notre Dame transfer Peyton Bowen and still have a shot to land five-star Texas A&M defensive line commit [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag]. In addition to the five-star targets, the Sooners could land a few more four-star targets as well.

Oklahoma may circle back to Arkansas commit and Tulsa native Micah Tease and have made an offer to Texas A&M commit and high school teammate of Hicks, Daymion Sanford.

it remains to be seen what the Sooners will do in the transfer portal this winter, but they look to be headed for a strong finish on the recruiting trail.

Despite a 6-6 season, the future remains incredibly bright for Oklahoma in large part because they’re recruiting their tails off. By February, they will have landed two top-10 recruiting classes, with the 2023 class trending toward one of the best recruiting classes in the modern era.

Brent Venables and his staff have work to do this spring on the field and in the film room to improve upon their first season in Norman. However, they’re building something with their last two recruiting classes that will lay the foundation for years to come.

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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, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Where does Oklahoma land in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting rankings?

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in ESPN’s 2023 team recruiting rankings ahead of the early signing period?

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the final stretch of the 2023 recruiting cycle with the early signing period just a few weeks away and national signing day two months away.

Brent Venables and his crew are sitting in a great spot led by five-star commitments from Jackson Arnold and Adepoju Adebawore. Oklahoma has 22 commitments in the 2023 cycle at this point and a strong chance to add several more as they look to close out their first full recruiting cycle.

In recent weeks, the Sooners began to trend in a positive direction with five-star safety and Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen. Though five-star defensive tackle David Hicks is still committed to Texas A&M, the number of decommitments and transfer portal entries potentially puts that pledge on shaky ground.

After finishing with the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2022 cycle, per 247Sports, the Sooners have a chance to do something special if they can earn flips from the highly-coveted five-star players on their radar.

With the regular season out of the way, recruiting jumps to the forefront as Brent Venables and company try to improve the foundation of Oklahoma Sooners football.

The Oklahoma Sooners currently have 12 commitments inside the ESPN 300, which is the seventh-most in the nation. That’s headlined by Arnold on the offensive side of the ball, and ESPN currently ranks Jacobe Johnson as their highest-rated defensive player.

Here’s where the Sooners rank in ESPN’s team recruiting rankings ahead of the early signing period.

Who ESPN believes is Notre Dame’s key commit in their 2023 class

Who is your key 2023 Irish recruit?

The Irish have a full class of 25 members and could be adding another one this evening, but of their current commits, there is one that stands out more than everyone else. ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren looked over each top 25 class and selected on key verbal (insider).

For Notre Dame, the selection was easy, Texas defensive back [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. He is ranked as the 14th best player in the country on the second rated 2023 recruiting class. Bowen is the highest rated player committed to [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag], and VanHaaren believes “it’s not out of the question to expect Bowen to contribute early in the secondary as well,” especially after seeing the impact true freshman Ben Morrison had for the Irish this season.

No disagreement from me here, as it is clear that Bowen is the best player in the class. Now Freeman’s job will be to keep him commitment through the early signing period as Bowen has been linked with potentially flipping to Oklahoma or Texas A&M.

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What’s next for Oklahoma? 5 offseason storylines follow

Oklahoma may not play for almost a month but there are still plenty of things to monitor in the coming weeks. From @thatmanbryant

It’s been just over a year since Lincoln Riley’s defection to Southern California. The Oklahoma Sooners have just completed their first regular season under first-year head coach Brent Venables. It wasn’t pretty but the Sooners find themselves bowl-eligible after a 6-6 season.

The only thing consistent about this team was their inconsistency.

Week to week we never knew what we would get from them. With only the bowl game remaining, Oklahoma has the ability to showcase itself one more time and get over .500 with a win.

With that said, there are notable storylines to follow as we get closer to the offseason even while the Sooners prepare for the eventual bowl game to come. Take a look at the five storylines we’ll be looking at with the regular season behind us.

Updated Oklahoma Sooners 2023 commitment tracker

Which players have committed to the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2023 recruiting cycle?

The 2023 class is about a month away from early signing day and less than three months away from national signing day.

Since Brent Venables’ arrival in Norman, the Sooners have been one of the top recruiting schools in the country over the last two cycles. After finishing eighth in 247Sports team recruiting rankings for 2022, the Sooners sit at No. 7 and have a great chance to move into the top five by national signing day.

With the recent additions of Ashton Sanders and Taylor Wein, Oklahoma has 22 players committed to the 2023 class. Recent projections favor the Sooners to add more talent if the Rivals Futurecasts come to fruition. Oklahoma received a pair of projections from Rivals analysts to land five-star safety and Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen after he spent time in Norman for Bedlam.

Brent Venables, his coaching staff, and the recruiting support staff have done an excellent job over the last year building out their 2023 recruiting class and they don’t appear close to being done.

The final tally will come on national signing day, but the Oklahoma Sooners look well-positioned to have one of the country’s best group of signees.

Let’s take a look at the updated commitment tracker.