Tag: Taylor Wein

Oklahoma Sooners pass rush will be better in 2023

With added talent and more experience, the Oklahoma Sooners pass rush will be much better in 2023 than it was a year ago.

Among the many issues the Oklahoma Sooners ran into when they entered Big 12 play was the dropoff of their pass rush. In a defense predicated on pressure, the Sooners finished tied for 64th in the nation with 2.15 sacks per game. Much of that success came in their nonconference, when the Sooners defense was looking pretty good. Once they entered Big 12 play, the pass rush was a different story.

The losses of [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag], and [autotag]Perrion Winfrey[/autotag] were felt up front as Oklahoma broke in several new starters along the defensive line.

There was solid play from guys like [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], who got off to a hot start to the season, and [autotag]Ethan Down[/autotag]s, who closed the season strong. However, the play from their defensive line was inconsistent, and that was felt throughout the back seven.

With Downs and Grimes returning, along with other prominent fixtures in the defensive line rotation like [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], there’s hope that the Sooners’ pass rush will be improved this year.

[autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] showed flashes last fall, as did [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] in the spring. Both Thomas and Halton play with incredible quickness that they can create pressure in a hurry.

With more experience and another year of development, Oklahoma’s key returners along the defensive line will play a big part in the Sooners’ pressure resurgence.

But the Sooners’ coaching staff didn’t sit on their hands and assume the defensive front would develop. Brent Venables and his crew attacked the transfer portal with the same intensity that he coaches.

Oklahoma Added four defensive tackles in [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag], and [autotag]DaJon Terry[/autotag]. They also added defensive ends [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag]. [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], who figures to factor in at Cheetah, played EDGE for Indiana in 2022 and accumulated four sacks as a true freshman. In Bothroyd, Ford, and McCullough, the Sooners added 28 career sacks to their defensive end room.

Then there are the incoming freshmen like [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag]. Adebawore is the five-star edge rusher that is long and super athletic. Wein flew under the radar until late in his senior year, but he’s also a very good athlete in his own right. Sanders and Strong offer good size and athleticism in the middle and can be disruptive. It only remains to be seen how quickly the freshmen can acclimate and help add to the Sooners’ depth along the defensive front.

If there’s truly strength in numbers, the Oklahoma Sooners have turned what was a weakness a year ago into a strength ahead of the 2023 football season. The talent added to the development they had in-house will be a big reason why the Oklahoma Sooners improve from the six-win team they were a year ago.

The Sooners raised their talent floor along the defensive line for 2023. Although we won’t be able to truly evaluate the pass rush until they get into Big 12 play, and the Texas game in particular, this team has added talent to rush the passer. They’ve raised the talent floor, minimizing any dropoff the Sooners might see from their starters to their rotational guys. That improved talent and more experience will help Oklahoma win on the rush a lot more frequently than it did in 2023.

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Oklahoma Sooners make top 12 for 2024 DL Jayden Jackson

The Oklahoma Sooners were included in the top 12 for 2024 three-star defensive tackle Jayden Jackson.

Oklahoma is leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit of talent in the 2024 recruiting cycle. At the end of March, the Sooners offered a three-star defensive lineman from the IMG Academy, [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. The Sooners were included in Jackson’s top 12 released Monday morning.

His top 12 included Oklahoma, Texas, Notre Dame, Miami, Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wisconsin.

Jackson is a 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle that is the definition of a people mover. He is quick off the line of scrimmage and displays really good play strength. Jackson can dart through the line to get into the backfield or utilize his strength to defeat double teams at the point of attack.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been heavily invested in stockpiling talent along their defensive line. In 2022, they brought in blue-chip talents like [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag]. They also added intriguing three-star prospects [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag].

As they continue their pursuit of blue-chip defensive linemen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], the Sooners are also looking to add Jackson, who holds offers from the top recruiting schools in the country. Jackson played with Stone in 2022 at IMG Academy, and it looks like the two wouldn’t mind playing together at the college level.

Jayden Jackson’s Recruiting Profile

Film

Hudl

Ranking Oklahoma’s last 10 recruiting classes

Ranking the Oklahoma Sooners last 10 recruiting classes.

The Oklahoma Sooners closed the early signing period of the 2023 cycle with a ton of momentum, earning a last-second flip of five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen joined Guyer teammate [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] in the 2023 class to give the Sooners three five-star players for the cycle.

It was a huge recruiting haul for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff, who worked their way into the top five of the 247Sports recruiting class composite. This class has Venables fingerprints all over it with a heavy emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.

The Sooners ended up with 16 four- and five-star signees, and 10 of those came on the defensive side. Six were defensive backs, two were linebackers, and two were defensive linemen. The three-star players they signed on defense can play. [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] are athletic players with high motors. Each has a chance to outperform his recruiting status.

It was an historic class for the Sooners, marking just the second time in the 247Sports database (since 2000) that they signed multiple five-star defensive players, and only the second time they had three five-star signees. Looking back, let’s take a look at how it stacks up with the last 10 recruiting classes for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Breaking down the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class by position

How does the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class look broken down by position?

The Oklahoma Sooners have put together a really nice recruiting class through the early signing period of the 2023 cycle. We haven’t even made it to February’s national signing day, and Oklahoma’s sitting with the No. 5 class in 247Sports recruiting rankings.

The Sooners have added a four- or five-star player at every position save for tight end. Even there, the Sooners added one of the best players in the state to Joe Jon Finley’s room.

It’s an incredible collection of athletic, fast and versatile players that will, along with the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes, be the foundation of Oklahoma’s journey into the SEC.

Let’s break it down by position group.

Which players signed with the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class?

Which players in the 2023 cycle have signed with the Oklahoma Sooners?

The Oklahoma Sooners had a great day on the opening of the early signing period. Unlike a few other schools, the Sooners signed everyone that was committed coming into Wednesday.

While they didn’t land a couple of their highly-regarded targets at the end, the Sooners have put together a really nice class in the 2023 cycle.

Led by five-star players Jackson Arnold and Adepoju Adebawore, Oklahoma signed 15 four or five-star players. They were particularly successful on the defensive side of the ball, adding nine blue-chip players.

The defensive backfield is the place where they had the most significant infusion of talent. In Jacobe Johnson, Jasiah Wagoner, Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers, Daeh McCullough, and Erik McCarty, the Sooners added five four-star talents and a player in McCarty who will be a big-time contributor for Oklahoma’s secondary in the years to come.

In his early signing period press conference, Brent Venables indicated that the Sooners weren’t done adding talent. That could be through the transfer portal or on the high school recruiting trail. That would take an already great recruiting class to another level.

Here are the players who have signed with the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2023 cycle.

Rising star Taylor Wein signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

2023 three-star edge Taylor Wein signs with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The early signing period is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners are beginning to put pen to paper with their [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag].

Flying under the radar until a huge senior season, [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag] went underrecruited until November of this year. Wein’s first Power Five offers came on Nov. 9 from Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, and USC. He picked up five more Power Five offers before committing to the Sooners on Nov. 21.

A three-star prospect, Wein is the No. 56 EDGE in the country and the No. 22 player in Tennessee. However, given another year, he likely would have seen his profile gain more momentum on the recruiting trail.

Here’s what I had to say about Wein after Oklahoma received their first crystal ball prediction for the 2023 defensive end.

The first thing that jumps off the page about Wein is his first step. He’s quick off the snap, often allowing him to beat his blocker before they even come out of their stance. He displays good hand usage at the point of attack to defeat blockers. Wein shows off a strong set of pass rush moves, deploying a diverse set to keep blockers off balance. He can win inside and outside when rushing the passer. As a run defender, it’s clear his length causes problems for offensive linemen. Despite his height, he shows a strong ability to play with leverage and does a great job at setting the edge and playing with discipline in the run game. Taylor Wein’s a playmaker too. He’s adept at ripping the ball out of the ball carrier’s hands. -Williams, Sooners Wire

At 6-foot-5, Wein is a terror off the EDGE. He’s got the length to cause offensive tackles fits and plays with good leverage at the point of attack. He projects as a strong-side defensive end and will be a force in Brent Venables’ defense.

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Ashton Sanders signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

During the early signing period, defensive tackle Ashton Sanders signed his national letter of intent for the Oklahoma Sooners.

The early signing period is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners are beginning to put pen to paper with their [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag].

After being committed to Cal and being courted heavily by Wisconsin, it’s the Oklahoma Sooners who landed three-star defensive lineman [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag].

Though Oklahoma didn’t offer him a scholarship until late in the cycle, they worked quick to secure the commitment of the uber-athletic Sanders.

Sanders experienced a breakout season of sorts for Cathedral, racking up 12 sacks, 6.7 tackles per game, and 60 quarterback hurries. He lived in opposing teams’ backfields due to his quick get-off and strength.

At 300 pounds, Sanders’ best spot will likely be the nose tackle or one-technique spot for Brent Venables. He does have the athleticism to play defensive end in three-man fronts. That versatility will be invaluable for the Sooners, who want to use multiple defensive fronts to keep offenses off balance.

 

Like fellow signees [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], and [autotag]Kade McIntyre[/autotag], Sanders has the tools to outperform his recruiting rating.

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.

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

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.

Oklahoma earns commitment from rising 2023 edge rusher Taylor Wein

Oklahoma’s been gaining a lot of positive momentum since their 28-13 win in Bedlam, picking up their second commitment in as many days, this time from 2023 DE Taylor Wein. From @john9williams

The Oklahoma Sooners have had a phenomenal few days. They beat their in-state rival on the backs of a fast start from the offense and the defense’s best game of the season. In the aftermath, Oklahoma earned Rivals projections in favor of landing 2023 five-star safety Peyton Bowen and landed a commitment from three-star defensive lineman Ashton Sanders.

Now the Sooners have added another piece to a 2023 recruiting class that has the potential to be a top-three group in the nation when it’s all said and done. Monday afternoon, Oklahoma got a commitment from fast-rising 2023 three-star defensive end [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag].

Wein’s commitment began to blossom of late, picking up offers from the Oklahoma Sooners, Virginia Tech, USC, Ole Miss, Missouri, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Oklahoma State since the first of November.

As an official visitor for Bedlam, Wein got a glimpse of what a Brent Venables defense can look like as the Sooners got to Cowboys’ quarterback Spencer Sanders six times on the way to a 28-13 win.

With a host of the 2023 class in attendance, Wein got to know many of his future teammates over the weekend. Though rated as a three-star player, Wein has the natural athleticism and pass-rush repertoire to exceed his current recruiting status.

Wein is ranked as the No. 63 edge rusher in the 2023 class, but that doesn’t tell the tale of the type of player he is. Here’s what I had to say about Wein after Oklahoma received their first crystal ball prediction for the 2023 defensive end.

The first thing that jumps off the page about Wein is his first step. He’s quick off the snap, often allowing him to beat his blocker before they even come out of their stance. He displays good hand usage at the point of attack to defeat blockers. Wein shows off a strong set of pass rush moves, deploying a diverse set to keep blockers off balance. He can win inside and outside when rushing the passer. As a run defender, it’s clear his length causes problems for offensive linemen. Despite his height, he shows a strong ability to play with leverage and does a great job at setting the edge and playing with discipline in the run game. Taylor Wein’s a playmaker too. He’s adept at ripping the ball out of the ball carrier’s hands. -Williams, Sooners Wire

The Sooners got a player in Taylor Wein. He’s a long-athletic player with a strong set of tools he’ll be bringing to Norman, but also has a ton of upside because he can develop from both a technical and physical aspect.

Oklahoma now has 22 players committed to their recruiting class and still hold steady at seven in the 247Sports team 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, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.