Tag: Rivals 250

Sooners make top four for 2024 QB Samaj Jones, expect a return visit this summer

Oklahoma included in the top 4 for 2024 QB prospect Samaj Jones.

April 8 is a huge day for the Oklahoma Sooners. 2024 quarterback prospect Michael Hawkins plans to announce his college decision.

The choices are between Oklahoma and the TCU Horned Frogs. Oklahoma has been in a very favorable spot in this recruitment for a long time and they can seal the deal and land the dual-threat quarterback.

Elsewhere, another 2024 quarterback is similarly high on the Sooners as 247Sports composite four-star QB Samaj Jones listed Oklahoma among his top four schools.

Penn State looks like the leader in Jones’ recruitment. Being the in-state school for the Pennsylvania native will make it much harder for Oklahoma to pull a recruiting win. West Virginia also seems like a real threat to land Jones as well.

Oklahoma offered Samaj Jones on March 1st and promptly received Jones’s visit over Future Freaks weekend. Despite Oklahoma’s standing with Hawkins, Jones could easily join the class, considering the Sooners could lose Dillon Gabriel and Davis Beville after this upcoming season.

Though unlikely, it’s possible Jones and Hawkins could both join the Sooners in 2024, similarly to Alabama’s signing of two four-star QB prospects in the 2023 class. Both would be in contention  QB to back up Jackson Arnold in Oklahoma’s first season in the SEC.

“I am not committing until maybe the first week of July,” Jones said to 247Sports(Subscription required). “That is my time, and I will stamp it now.”

Here’s what Jones had to say about Oklahoma:

Has been my dream school since I can remember. I was growing up and watching all the quarterbacks come out of there — Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts is my favorite player. It’s a quarterback academy.

To play in that environment, and especially with them, moving to the SEC, and just being in that town with the people, I think that is something I am prepared for. A lot of guys don’t get to experience their specific dream school, and that is my dream school. The best thing about it is, it is a great fit. – Samaj Jones to 247Sports

Jones’ thoughts on the Sooners show that Oklahoma is very much a player in his recruitment. He also plans to visit Oklahoma in the summer before his anticipated commitment date.

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A surprise projection has the Oklahoma Sooners landing Top 75 2023 LB Tausili Akana

Oklahoma earns crystal ball prediction to land top 75 2023 recruit Tausili Akana out of the state of Utah.

Reports of Oklahoma’s recruiting demise have been highly exaggerated, and we explained why here at Sooners Wire. If that doesn’t move you, what should drive you to reconsider your stance is predictions on the recruiting trail that Oklahoma will land a top 75 prospect like four-star linebacker Tausili Akana.

Akana is one of the nation’s best players and reigns supreme as the state of Utah’s number one player. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he’s incredibly well built for a high school player and has plenty of room to add on weight in college.

He’s plenty athletic to play the run and the pass from the edge spot but we won’t honestly know where he fits until he gets to college. His film showed him rushing the passer with his hand on the ground one play and dropping into coverage the next.

Oklahoma has been on him since last July. While the previous regime ahead of Brent Venables’ arrival started the recruitment, Brent Venables and Co. have locked in on it and were able to get Akana to sign up for an official visit on July 29th. A crystal ball projection from Parker Thune of OUInsider at 247Sports provides cautious optimism that the Sooners will land the highly-regarded defender.

Tausili Akana’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma offers 2023 4-star DL Johnny Bowens, a former Texas A&M commit

Oklahoma offers four-star defensive line prospect Johnny Bowens out of Converse, Texas, who recently decommitted from Texas A&M.

Oklahoma is picking up some serious momentum on the recruiting trail and they look to capitalize on it in any way they can. While they might have started slow, the Sooners have a plan and are content to let that plan manifest itself. Aside from quarterback, every position group could very well use another commitment or two in the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class.

There is currently no defensive line commits for 2023 but Oklahoma continues to recruit and reach out to prospects almost daily. The latest defensive line prospect they issued an offer to was four-star DL Johnny Bowens. Bowens hails from Judson High School in Converse, Texas.

Bowens was previously committed to Texas A&M but backed off the commitment on June 28th. The Sooners swooped in with the offer on June 29th.

At 6-foot-2 and 265 pounds, Bowens was a Texas 27-6A first-team all-district selection at DE as a junior. He plays multiple spots along the defensive front lining up with his hand in the ground, rushing standing up, and playing in the interior as well. That versatility will serve him well in college as modern defenses love positional flexibility from their defensive linemen.

While the Sooners are getting a late start, they have a chance here. They also have the added bonus of having already seen Bowens before as they’ve scouted his high school well considering they are also recruiting his high school teammate wide receiver Anthony Evans. The Sooners are looking for a rare two recruits from one high school in the same class. It won’t be easy but the next step is getting Bowens on campus

Johnny Bowens’ Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma has nine commits, signees in final Rivals 250 rankings

Claiming the No. 14 2020 class in the nation, Oklahoma has nine commits and signees inside the Rivals 250.

Claiming the No. 14 2020 class in the nation, Oklahoma has nine commits and signees inside the Rivals 250.

AARON PARKS–NO. 69

The 6-foot-5, 294-pound offensive tackle slid three spots from his No. 66 position due more to others excelling and less about his own digression. Parks is the No. 10 overall tackle in the 2020 class and is the No. 5 prospect from Maryland. Parks signed with the Sooners during the early signing period.

REGGIE GRIMES–NO. 142

Oklahoma’s highest-rated defensive prospect comes in at No. 142. Grimes is a four-star defensive end from Brentwood, Tenn. Grimes chose the Sooners over Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and LSU. Grimes is the fourth-ranked defensive end in the nation. Grimes has yet to sign with the Sooners but is expected to make his verbal commitment official during the late signing period.

ANTON HARRISON–NO. 165

Harrison makes one of the bigger jumps through the rankings in the Rivals 250. Bolting up 45 spots to land at No. 165, Harrison already looks to be in prime shape for Oklahoma. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 332 pounds, the four-star offensive tackle is a block of clay ready to be molded by Bill Bedenbaugh. Harrison signed with the Sooners during the early signing period.

NATE ANDERSON–NO. 169

Adding to Bedenbaugh’s stockpile of linemen is four-star tackle from Frisco, Texas, Nate Anderson. Anderson stands 6-foot-5 and comes in at an agile 260 pounds. Anderson signed with the Sooners in December.

SETH MCGOWAN–NO. 174

The first skill position player for Oklahoma is a running back from Mesquite, Texas. McGowan is a four-star running back and chose the Sooners over Alabama, Baylor, LSU, and Texas. McGowan signed with Oklahoma in December.

BRYSON WASHINGTON–NO. 190

Washington, a four-star safety, jumped up one spot to take over No. 190 int eh Rivals 250. The 6-foot-3 safety is exactly what Alex Grinch wants in his secondary: speed and length. Washington may very well get an early opportunity with the departures of defenders over the past few weeks.

ANDREW RAYM–NO. 227

Oklahoma’s No. 1 in-state prospect stays home. Raym signed with the Sooners back in December and rounds out a fantastic offensive line class constructed by Bedenbaugh. Standing 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, Raym will be making the move from tackle to guard when he steps on campus.

marvin mims–no. 247

Arguably the greatest high school wide receiver in the history of Texas high school football is making his way to Norman, Okla. Mims holds both the Texas state and national records for most receiving yards in a season and surpassed former Texas Longhorn, Jordan Shipley for career receiving yards in the state of Texas.

JALIN CONYERS–NO. 249

Sneaking into the Rivals 250, moving up one spot is four-star tight end, Jalin Conyers. Conyers comes in at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds making him an immediate red zone target opposite of current Sooner tight end, Austin Stogner. Conyers signed with Oklahoma in December.

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