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Six other schools have added blue chip recruits since then, though.
Normally a quiet time of year, this week has seen a flurry of activity on the recruiting circuit. The biggest prize so far has gone to Ohio State, who got a commitment from Chicago five-star DL Justin Scott on Sunday night.
Six other schools have added blue chip recruits since then, though. That includes a couple of edge prospects for both Miami and Michigan. Here’s a quick review of who they are and where they are headed at the next level.
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A look at who’s coming to town for the ChampU BBQ this weekend.
Oklahoma’s future looks bright. Less than a day ago, they received news of their first slate of SEC opponents when they begin play in their new conference in 2024. It’s a compelling slate and something that gets the competitive energy flowing.
If they plan to make an impact when they get there, the class of 2024 will have a profound hand in that. This class will be the first class that hits the ground and is immediately thrown into the fire that is the SEC. They’ll spend their whole careers being molded by the best football conference in the country. For the Sooners to compete for the top, this 2024 class must be unique.
It’s only fitting that Oklahoma has its premier recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ this weekend, right after the SEC opponents were revealed.
"We have 28 monsters on campus this weekend." – #OU HC Brent Venables talking #ChampUBBQ & using 2024 SEC schedule to recruiting advantage
— Bob Przybylo (@BPrzybylo) June 14, 2023
The Sooners can use the SEC to their advantage, selling the appeal of playing in an elite conference to any athlete unafraid of competing against the best in the country.
Last year’s ChampU BBQ had attendees signing with the Sooners and are now on campus with the current roster. Here’s a running count:
In short, a nice chunk of OU’s 2023 class came to the event. Arnold was already committed before the BBQ, but having him there helped Oklahoma recruit and, ultimately, the remaining players committed in the months after.
The visitor list for the event is long, with well over 20 official visitors already confirmed.
Three-star DB Justin Denson
This weekend in Norman will be jam-packed with an extensive amount of talent. David Stone, a consensus top-10 recruit, is the headliner. He’s a hometown kid who grew up a Sooner fan. A commitment from him would be massive. He’s at the top of the Sooners’ recruiting board and a must-have in this cycle.
[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] and [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] are two talented four-star running backs Oklahoma would be delighted to have.
Oklahoma has four 2024 commits in the building this weekend, and aside from them enjoying their officials, they can and will likely be used to recruit some of their uncommitted counterparts. [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] are the four commits who will enjoy their officials as Oklahoma Sooners.
[autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] join David Stone as highly touted defensive linemen in Norman this weekend. Aside from landing Stone, can Oklahoma at least snag two of the remaining three? This weekend of visits could go a long way in determining that.
This weekend will have ripple effects for the 2024 cycle and help lay the foundation for Oklahoma’s future in the SEC. Last year’s event netted Oklahoma seven commits in the weeks and months after. The Sooners will be thrilled if the same happens this year.
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Recruiting profile for OU target and four-star QB Samaj Jones from Philadelphia, PA.
Oklahoma’s cast a wide net for quarterbacks in the class of 2024. Michael Hawkins has long been their primary target but with the increasing likelihood that Dillon Gabriel and Davis Beville will not be back next year, the Sooners may have to take an additional quarterback on top of Hawkins. That is if they were to land Hawkins when he announces his college commitment on April 8.
Last week, 2024 four-star QB Samaj Jones included the Sooners in his top four schools. He’s an athletic player with great developmental potential if he were to choose the Sooners.
Jones displays great movement in the pocket and uses excellent athleticism to make plays out of structure to find teammates downfield. He’s a legitimate dual threat and has been asked to run the ball pretty frequently for his high school team.
In addition to Penn State and Oklahoma, Jones is considering Cincinnati and West Virginia. He also holds offers from Tennessee, Louisville, Boston College, Maryland, and Kansas.
HUDL
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.
Philadelphia QB Samaj Jones just named a top 4 of Penn State, Cincinnati, West Virginia, and Oklahoma and has two visits coming up.
He breaks it all down here: https://t.co/9klhYpqqoD pic.twitter.com/0FyfYPLxbT
— Adam Friedman (@RivalsFriedman) March 30, 2023
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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Penn State is in the top four for 2024 QB Samaj Jones from Philadelphia
Penn State has turned the corner on the recruiting trail and finds itself in a four-team race down the final stretch of the recruiting process for Class of 2024 quarterback Samaj Jones. Jones, from St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, released his top four schools on Thursday night via his Twitter account.
In addition to Penn State, Jones included West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Cincinnati in his top four. Jones is rated as a four-star recruit by On3 and ESPN and three stars by 247Sports and Rivals. He does have a four-star rating on the 247Sports composite ranking, however.
Jones most recently made an unofficial visit to Oklahoma after being extended an offer from the Sooners earlier in the month. Penn State extended an offer to the Philadelphia target in June 2022 and hosted Jones for an unofficial visit in September 2022.
The Best In PA… pic.twitter.com/DdDvpougJm
— Maj Jones (@SamajJones2) January 23, 2023
At the moment, there is one crystal ball prediction on the board at 247Sports, and it favors Penn State. The On3 recruiting prediction machine also skews heavily in Penn State’s favor with a 90.1% chance of winning over a verbal commitment from Jones. West Virginia has the second-best shot at a commitment with a 2.6% chance.
Penn State’s quarterback situation is full of youth going into the 2023 season. Drew Allar and Beau Pribula are both in their second season (Allar a sophomore, Pribula a redshirt freshman) going into the next season, with Allar expected to be the team’s top quarterback for the next couple of seasons at the minimum. Penn State also added Jaxon Smolik to the roster in the Class of 2023.
The Top 4. #AMDG pic.twitter.com/Qku1eutQiH
— Maj Jones (@SamajJones2) March 30, 2023
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