Tag: Peyton Bowen

Oklahoma receives crystal balls for 3-star Arkansas prospect Marcus Wimberly

Oklahoma has landed three crystal ball projections in favor of landing three-star S Marcus Wimberly.

Oklahoma’s safety position for 2024 has the best talent it has had in quite some time. [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], a former five-star prospect, is set to take over as a full-time starter. At the same time, Oklahoma returned [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], one of the nation’s most dynamic defensive playmakers and future NFL Draft pick.

[autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will be the first to spell either of them. Talented athlete Erik McCarty will be making his return after suffering a knee injury in the final game of his high school career, which forced him to red shirt his freshman season.

Recruiting has been solid, and now true freshmen [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], Jaydan Hardy, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald are set to join the mix.

Oklahoma has no safety commitments for the 2025 class, but 247Sports director of national recruiting Steve Wiltfong believes that may end soon if his recent crystal ball prediction is any indication.

Tuesday morning, Wiltfong logged a crystal ball for Oklahoma to land three-star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag] out of Arkansas. Wimberly is a strong prospect who plays baseball and competes in track and field. He ran an 11.45 100 and a 23.61 200 as a sophomore in the spring of 2023.

Wimberly visited Oklahoma for their junior day earlier this year. He likes the on and off-the-field culture fit for Oklahoma, so it should be no surprise that Oklahoma has a significant footing in his recruitment. An Arkansas crystal ball was logged previously, so discounting the in-state school would be unwise. Two Michigan insiders have also logged crystal balls in favor of Oklahoma landing Wimberly, so it’s safe to say that the Sooners are the trending favorite.

Marcus Wimberly’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

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Sooners earn crystal ball from 247Sports director of football recruiting

247

The Oklahoma Sooners look like they’re in the driver’s seat for a five-star defender in the [autotag]2025 recruiting cycle[/autotag].

Over the weekend, predictions rained down from On3, favoring the Sooners to land five-star defender [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag]. Williams, out of Galveston, Texas, is a two-sport athlete and one of the best defenders in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

On Tuesday, 247Sports national recruiting director Steve Wiltfong issued a crystal ball prediction supporting the Sooners’ standing with Williams.

Williams is an incredible talent who has a knack for making plays in deep safety roles as well as in run support. His ability, combined with his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, makes him an intriguing option for the cheetah role in [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] and [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ defense.

He’s the No. 14 player in the 247Sports composite. Listed as a linebacker with 247Sports, he’s the No. 2 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class.

Whether he plays linebacker, safety or cheetah at the next level, just get him on the football field. He’s the kind of player that can help take your defense to the next level with his playmaking ability.

Oklahoma put itself in a comfortable position in Williams’ recruitment, but it can’t get too comfortable. Williams has offers from the who’s who of college football and every one of those programs would love to turn the momentum in their favor.

If the Sooners eventually sign Williams, he would be their fourth five-star prospect in the last three recruiting classes, joining [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag].

That’s how you build a defense.

More: 5-Star prospect Jonah Williams recruiting profile

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Sooners receive prediction for 2025 5-star defender Jonah Williams

Oklahoma Sooners received a prediction to land 2025 five-star defender Jonah Williams.

In each of the last two recruiting cycles, the Oklahoma Sooners have found a way to land a trio of five-star defenders in [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. They might be heading to another recruiting cycle with a five-star defender in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

[autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag], out of Galveston, Texas, was predicted to land with the Oklahoma Sooners by Texas recruiting insider for On3, Justin Wells.

Williams looks like a player who could play multiple positions with the Oklahoma Sooners. He’s got the athleticism and size to play either safety or cheetah for the Sooners. But if Brent Venables and his staff wanted to bulk him up, he could also be a factor at linebacker.

Regardless of where he ends up on the field, Williams will make an impact. Simply put, he’s a really good football player. He could probably start at wide receiver, running, back, cornerback, or safety for a large number of Power Four programs.

Williams holds offers from 27 programs across the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12, including notable programs like Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oregon, LSU, and Ohio State.

As a safety, Williams shows fantastic awareness in zone coverage and a natural ability to attack the ball in the air. He’s a wrap-up tackler, displaying good form when attacking ball carriers and wide receivers. And he attacks the line of scrimmage with aggressiveness and speed.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a long way to go in this recruitment, but this is a strong indication that Oklahoma is in a strong position to add one of the most talented defenders in the nation to their 2025 recruiting class.

Jonah Williams Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • (Rivals Futurecast
  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine favors the Oklahoma Sooners with a 91.8% chance to land Williams
  • (Crystal Ball)

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Oklahoma offers Courtland Guillory, a 2025 safety from Klein Oak High School

Oklahoma offered 2025 DB Courtland Guillory earlier this week. a versatile defender with nice size.

Billy Bowman and Peyton Bowen are likely your starters at safety in 2024, barring any health issues, and that gives Oklahoma as talented a duo on the back end as there is in the country. Billy Bowman spurned NFL opportunities to play one final season as a Sooner, while Peyton Bowen’s story as an emerging star will look to unfold this in 2024.

Behind them is some uncertainty, but there are plenty of intriguing names like Robert Spears-Jennings, Erik McCarty, and true freshmen Jayden Hardy, Michael Boganowski, Reggie Powers, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald as possible options. Each of the true freshmen safeties have received praise over their high school careers for their versatility and physicality.

As Brandon Hall and Jay Valai build their positional boards for the 2025 class, those two things stick out the most. That’s why it shouldn’t be surprising that Oklahoma recently offered 2025 defensive back Courtland Guillory.

Guillory has played cornerback for his Klein Oak High School team. He’s has also been positioned as a safety or middle-of-the-field player. His athleticism stands out, as does his 6-foot-1 frame. Whether he sticks at corner or safety remains to be seen, but early returns show he has the athleticism to play both, which makes him an exciting option for the Crimson and Cream.

Courtland Guillory’s Recruiting Profile

Film

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5 positions where the Oklahoma Sooners are better than they were a year ago

Every year there is roster turnover, but where are the Sooners better? Here are five positions Oklahoma’s better than they were a year ago.

Every offseason teams around college football have to deal with a significant amount of turnover to their roster. That’s been the case for the Sooners each season of the Brent Venables era.

No position group was hit harder than the offensive line. They lost the five guys that were starters for the majority of the season. Though they’ve been able to retool the lineup with transfer portal additions, it will be months before we know if those additions will work out.

Elsewhere, however, the Sooners look to be in really good shape, especially when you compare it to how several positions looked this time last year.

Here are five position groups that look better compared to where they were a year ago.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee among On3’s best fits

The Oklahoma Sooners added to their already deep safety room with one of On3’s best fits of the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been on a tear on the recruiting trail since Brent Venables and his staff arrived. In three recruiting cycles since arriving in Norman, Venables has put together three top-10 classes.

The biggest difference in Oklahoma’s recruiting is coming on the defensive side of the ball. One area where Oklahoma has had a lot of success is the safety position.

Venables and Brandon Hall have added [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag]. To go along with Billy Bowman, the Sooners may have one of the best safety groups in the nation.

The Sooners earned Powers’ commitment after he decommitted from Michigan State early in the fall. According to On3, Powers to the Sooners was one of the best fits in the [autotag]2024 early signing period[/autotag].

Reggie Powers could be the thunder to Peyton Bowen‘s lightning. Powers is 6-foot and already over 200 pounds that loves to play violently. His demeanor and attitude when it comes to playing near the line of scrimmage is rare for a secondary player. Bowen covers so much grass and is able to play as a true center field safety in the secondary, and he also plays a lot of man coverage in the slot. Having a player like Powers complement him as a downhill weapon from the secondary that can take on a heavier box role could be one of the better pairings in college football. – Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

More: Where do the Sooners rank in average team recruiting rankings for 2024?

According to On3, Powers was the No. 10 safety in the cycle and the No. 152 player in 2024. He is the seventh-highest-rated prospect in the Sooners’ 2024 class.

His combination of size, speed, and power, to go along with his versatility, will make him a great fit for the Sooners’ defense. Brent Venables loves to move his safeties around in his multiple defense. Powers could be deployed near the line of scrimmage as a strong safety or the cheetah or could be used as the deep free safety.

The Sooners’ safety depth chart looks like one of the deepest position groups on the roster for 2024. As Oklahoma continues to build its defense, Reggie Powers and the other safeties will be key to their success.

More: “He is serious about defense”: What led to Reggie Powers Oklahoma decision?

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Oklahoma Sooners continue Denton Guyer pipeline, sign cornerback Eli Bowen

The Sooners have had a lot of success recruiting Denton Guyer recently and they continue that with the signing of Eli Bowen.

[autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] had his hands full in 2023 thanks to a lot of injuries at his position. The one steady spot was [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], but the other side constantly saw guys in and out.

A lot of those young guys showed their youth but also showed promise, which just shows how important it is to recruit the right guys. Valai hopes he has another one of those guys with the signing of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag].

Bowen is the younger brother of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] but is no slouch himself. He’s a four-star cornerback who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds.

His role in 2024 is unclear. As I mentioned before, it’s a position that suffered a lot of injuries, so he could be thrown into the fire in year one. He joins a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers, and Jacobe Johnson. Ideally, he spends a year with [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag] getting bigger because he has a bright future in the Crimson and Cream.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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Dynamic in-state playmaker signs with the Sooners

Mykel Patterson-McDonald signs national letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another dynamic playmaker to their secondary when Westmoore standout [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] signed his national letter of intent with the Sooners during the early signing period.

A four-star safety over at Rivals, Patterson-McDonald is considered the No. 2 player in Oklahoma and the No. 13 safety nationally. He plays with an edge in the secondary and has a penchant for creating turnovers.

Patterson-McDonald is an aggressive safety who attacks the ball in the air. He’s also a willing tackler, playing with speed and physicality in run support.

The Sooners earned Patterson-McDonald’s commitment in July, beating Missouri, Iowa State and Michigan State. His recruitment and signing reflects the concerted effort from the Sooners coaching staff to lock up the top talent in the state.

Mykel Patterson-McDonald joins a safety group that returns [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], along with 2024 signees [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag].

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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4-star safety Reggie Powers signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

During the early signing period, four-star safety prospect Reggie Powers signs with the Oklahoma Sooners.

As the Oklahoma Sooners work to build their defense, much of the focus has been on the defensive line. However, safeties coach Brandon Hall has quietly been one of the Sooners’ better recruiters since coming on board with Brent Venables.

Joining a deep group of safeties put together by Hall is four-star prospect Reggie Powers out of Dayton, Ohio. Powers signed his national letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners during the early signing period.

Powers was originally committed to Michigan State before backing off that pledge in September. He took visits to Norman and UCLA before ultimately choosing the Oklahoma Sooners.

In Powers, the Sooners get a big, tall, fast, athletic, and versatile safety prospect. He can play both free safety and in the box. With his size and athleticism, he could be a candidate to get some work at cheetah in Brent Venables defense.

More: What led to Reggie Powers’ commitment to the Sooners

Powers adds to a safety position that includes [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and fellow 2024 signees [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] and Mykell Patterson-McDonald.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 2024 schedule

Oklahoam received its first schedule as SEC members and here our five takeaways from the daunting slate.

It is here, and it is glorious. Wednesday was a busy day for Oklahoma as a program.

The Sooners landed a commitment from transfer running back Sam Franklin, prepping for the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag] began and recruiting high school and [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] players was in high gear.

To end the night, the Sooners received a look at what Oklahoma will be going up against in their first year as SEC members. ESPN released the schedules for SEC teams, and Oklahoma now knows when and where it will play in its first SEC season.

Here’s a full look at the 2024 schedule and now we’ve got five instant takeaways from Oklahoma’s first SEC schedule.