Tag: zion ragins

Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from 2025 four-star running back Tory Blaylock

Oklahoma adds another weapon to their 2025 recruiting class, earning a commitment from four-star running back Tory Blaylock.

The Oklahoma Sooners [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] is in a really good spot as the Sooners work through spring ball. It’s currently a top 10 group and just added another blue-chip prospect to the class, earning a commitment from four-star running back [autotag]Tory Blaylock[/autotag].

Blaylock is the first running back to commit to the Sooners in the 2025 cycle and brings OU’s total pledges back to 10.

He’s considered a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN and held offers from notable schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, SMU, South Carolina, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCF, and Wisconsin.

He chose the Sooners over the Buckeyes, Longhorns, Ducks, Crimson Tide, and Volunteers, who were in his top six back at the beginning of March.

Running backs coach DeMarco Murray and the Oklahoma Sooners have been pursuing Blaylock since their initial offer back in August of 2022.

Blaylock is an incredible athlete with great speed. And when we say great speed, not just football speed, but track speed. Blaylock and his Atascocita teammates just set the national 4×100 relay record at a track meet in Texas a week ago.

At that same meet, Blaylock ran a 10.62 100-meter dash.

On the football field, he displays that speed and twitchiness and combines it with good strength and great lateral agility. When he gets a lane, he’s hard to stop because of his burst.

Blaylock adds another big-time speed element to a Sooners offense that has been recruiting track speed over the last several years, earning commitments from guys like [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], and [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag].

The commitment of Blaylock moves the Oklahoma Sooners from No. 8 back into the No. 5 spot in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

More: Oklahoma Sooners 2025 recruiting commitment tracker

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Oklahoma Sooners enter spring with tons of depth at wide receiver

Emmett Jones and the Oklahoma Sooners have assembled an incredibly talented group of players at wide receiver for 2024.

In each of the last two seasons, the Oklahoma Sooners have lost their leading receiver.

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], who led the team in 2022, earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Denver Broncos in his rookie season in 2023. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] is hoping to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL draft after his breakout season in 2023.

And despite the turnover, the Sooners are still stacked at wide receiver.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is back after his breakout season in 2023. Anderson caught 38 balls for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. He led the nation in yards per reception among qualified wide receivers. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], who also experienced a breakout year in a rotational role also returns looking to build off of a season in which he had 14 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. Swiss Army knife wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] returns to give the Sooners a veteran in the room. He had a solid year that was marred by ball insecurity that reared its head in the Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona. Farooq was second on the team in receptions and third in receiving yards last season.

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] returns after suffering an ACL tear in the Red River Rivalry win over Texas. Prior to his injury, Anthony was leading the Sooners in receiving, winning at every level of the passing game.

Also back are speedsters [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]. Though they saw limited playing time, their speed put defenses on notice last year. Thompson provided big play ability every time he stepped on the field and will look to earn a bigger role this offseason. Pettaway was getting his feet wet as a true freshman but could see an increased workload on offense and special teams.

And if that was the depth chart at wide receiver heading into 2024, you’d feel great about what Jackson Arnold will be throwing to. And yet, the talent that Emmett Jones has assembled at wide receiver looks like the heroes arriving at the culmination of Avengers: End Game for the battle with Thanos.

Jones also brought in talented playmaker [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] from Purdue. Burks could be a candidate to start for the Sooners in the slot, taking over for Stoops in 2024. And if that weren’t enough, the Sooners added a really good freshman class with [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag].

To say the Sooners are talent-rich at wide receiver heading into 2024 would be an understatement. From top to bottom, it’s easily the deepest position group on the roster. And with Jackson Arnold taking over at quarterback and transition along the offensive line, a lot will be expected of Emmett Jones’ wide receiver crew to provide big plays for the Sooners in 2024.

And with the talent that Jones and the Sooners have assembled, they’re about to have a huge season in their first in the SEC.

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Oklahoma Sooners’ 2024 signing class position outlook

A position by position look at who signed with the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2024 signing class.

The Oklahoma Sooners put together another top-10 recruiting class, signing all 27 of their prospects on the first day of the early signing period.

It’s a class that will help define Oklahoma’s success in the SEC. It’s a class that’s balanced, with 14 offensive signees and 13 on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive front is garnering all of the attention, but the Oklahoma Sooners brought in a number of really talented players on both sides of the ball.

Here’s a position breakdown of the Sooners’ 2024 signing class.

More: [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag] coverage

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 Early Signing Period Tracker

Get to know the 2024 recruiting class with our Oklahoma Sooners 2024 early signing period tracker.

It’s Day 1 of the [autotag]2024 early signing period[/autotag], and the Oklahoma Sooners are already off to the races. A number of their prospects started the ball rolling first thing this morning, signing their national letters of intent to play ball at Oklahoma.

It’s expected that nearly all of Oklahoma’s committed players in the 2024 class will sign for the Sooners on Day 1 of the early signing period. However, as we saw in the Peyton Bowen recruitment a year ago, there could be a surprise or two during the early signing period.

As Oklahoma welcomes in its 2024 recruiting class, here are the players that officially became members of the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners have officially signed each of their 2024 commitments.

Get to know the Sooners 2024 recruiting class with our early signing period tracker.

Follow along for all of our [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Speedster out of Louisiana signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners

Dynamic Louisiana playmaker K.J. Daniels signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners have built a diverse and dynamic wide receiver room since the arrival of Emmett Jones. The latest addition during the early signing period is an impact player with dynamic speed, Kelly “KJ” Daniels.

Daniels signed his national letter of intent for the Oklahoma Sooners during the early signing period.

Considered a three-star prospect, Daniels is a big play waiting to happen. Whether in the passing game or the running game, he is a cheat code with his ability to accelerate and break away from defenders. He’ll be an impact player for the Sooners on the outside, but he could carve out a role in the slot as he continues to refine his game.

The three-star wide receiver out of Franklinton, Louisiana, was a priority recruitment for wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag], who recruited Daniels while with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In choosing the Sooners, Daniels joins a wide receiver room that could be the best in the SEC in 2024. That group includes returning players Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson, Andrel Anthony, Brenen Thompson and Gavin Freeman. As impressive as that group is, the six will be pushed by the 2024 signees at wide receiver: Daniels, [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] and [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag].

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

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Sooners add one of nation’s fastest players in Zion Ragins

Wide reciever Zion Ragins signed with the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday. Ragins is an electric playmaker out of Georgia.

Emmett Jones has had one heck of a year. He was hired in January and completely changed Oklahoma’s outlook at wide receiver. His work in development is well documented. The wide receiver room was incredibly productive for the Sooners this season.

Outside of his development work, Jones already has a claim to the “best recruiter on the staff” title. He has a loaded receiver class set to come to Oklahoma, and one of those receivers is a pure playmaker.

[autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], a lightning bolt of a receiver out of Jones County High School in Gray, Georgia, signed with the Sooners.

Ragins is a state champion sprinter in the 100-meter dash, and on the football field, he is simply a player who needs the ball in his hands. It doesn’t matter how, but get him the ball and let him do his thing.

He should be an immediate candidate to return punts and kicks next year as a freshman. It would behoove Oklahoma to at least try and get him involved via the screen game as well.

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

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3-star WR Dozie Ezukanma decommits from the Oklahoma Sooners

2024 three-star wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma decommits from the Oklahoma Sooners.

Anytime there is a coaching change, there’s bound to be some turbulence in that year’s recruiting class. Jeff Lebby leaving to be the head coach at Mississippi State was sure to create some disruption.

Big names like Michael Hawkins, Davon Mitchell, Zion Kearney, David Stone, and Daniel Akinkunmi have affirmed their commitment to Oklahoma following Lebby’s departure. However, the Sooners saw their first player decommit from the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Three-star wide receiver [autotag]Dozie Ezukanma[/autotag] announced via X that he’s reopening his recruitment.

“After careful consideration and reflection, I have made the decision to recommit from the University of Oklahoma,” Ezukanma said in a statement. “This choice is not made lightly. I’d like to thank OU and the coaching staff for the incredible opportunity given to me.”

Ezukanma has been committed to the Oklahoma Sooners since June 20. He holds offers from Missouri, Kansas, Oregon, Kansas State, Arizona, Arkansas, Houston, North Texas, Miami, TCU, Purdue, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

With the decommitment, the Sooners still have four wide receivers pledged to their 2024 recruiting class. That includes [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], the No. 103 player and No. 20 wide receiver in the cycle, [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] (No. 217, No. 31), [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag] (No. 223, No. 32), and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] (No. 70 WR). [autotag]Andy Bass[/autotag], the talented in-state athlete also figures to be a factor at wide receiver for the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners likely have a deep group of returning players for the 2024 season at wide receiver as well. Andrel Anthony, who suffered a season-ending knee injury, is likely to return in 2024. Nic Anderson and Jayden Gibson saw their roles increase throughout the season and should be back. Jalil Farooq, who’s been a starter for the Sooners each of the last two seasons, could be a candidate to move to the slot to replace Drake Stoops. Brenen Thompson, Gavin Freeman, and Jaquaize Pettaway also return.

The Oklahoma Sooners are deep at the position heading into the offseason and with the transfer portal, could add a name or two to improve their depth.

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Oklahoma Sooners one of the biggest team ranking risers of the summer

The Sooners continue to hit it out of the park in the 2024 class being one of the biggest risers since the summer.

Not many teams in the country have had as big of a rise in the recruiting rankings as the Oklahoma Sooners over the last few months. The Sooners have been on an absolute heater since July.

With the most recent commitment of [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], the Sooners are No. 7 in 247Sports’ team composite ranking and No. 8 over at On3. On3 Sports ranked the teams to make the biggest jump since the summer, and the Sooners were included, moving up nine spots.

Brent Venables and Co. flexed their recruiting muscles in a big way last cycle, ending with the nation’s No. 6 recruiting class. It featured three five-stars and 15 blue-chippers in total. Beating that haul in 2024 was always going to be a tall task, but the Sooners are yet again on the verge of securing a top-10 class. Five-Star Plus+ DL [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] choosing OU over Miami was the highlight of the summer in that regard, but the Sooners have also added four-star pass-rushers [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] and Danny Okoye to a very good defensive class. Not to be outdone, OC [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] and the Sooners offense has amassed some weapons this summer with elite running back [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag], four-star tight end [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag], and wideouts [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] and [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], among others. – Keegan Pope On3 Sports

This move has ranked the Sooners as the fourth-biggest riser of any team in the country. But the Sooners are not done yet. They are still waiting on the decision of offensive linemen [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag]. They also are waiting for defensive back [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

Of the three players mentioned, Oklahoma holds a lead for only Akinkunmi, according to On3 Sports. There’s also always that potential of a flip from a five-star or two, but we don’t need to get everyone’s hopes on that just yet.

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Sooners ranked 16th in ESPN’s team recruiting rankings with plenty of time to rise

Oklahoma’s 19 commits have them No. 16 on ESPN’s team recruiting rankings. Craig Haubert takes a look at Oklahoma’s class.

The Oklahoma Sooners went from zero commits in the class of 2024 to 19 pledges in a little over four months. Their first one of the cycle came when four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe out of Arizona announced his commitment out of nowhere on March 25. Since then, the Sooners have been rolling along, progressively claiming the recruiting rankings where they sit 16th with a massive commitment decision looming on August 26 for five-star defensive tackle David Stone. His commitment could help vault Oklahoma ever so close to the top 10.

ESPN has the Sooners ranked 16th overall (ESPN+) with seven commitments in the ESPN300. The Sooners are also the top team in the Big 12 in their latest update.

That seems right in line with other services like 247Sports, who also have Brent Venables’ team slotted at No. 16 in their team rankings. Craig Haubert of ESPN had this to say about Oklahoma. The Sooners’ win over USC for [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] is the highlight of the class thus far.

One of the top RBs in the class, Taylor Tatum has put up impressive testing numbers on the camp circuit, and that translates to his play as he brings a dangerous blend of speed and power.  – Haubert, ESPN

Oklahoma’s recruiting haul has been heavy on the offensive side of the ball. 13 of their 19 commits will be featured in [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]’s offense. The top three prospects in Oklahoma’s class, according to ESPN. Tatum comes in as the No. 38 prospect in the nation. But the Sooners also have other ESPN300 players like wide receivers [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], four-star tight end [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag], and four-star quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag].

Defense is less represented right now, with [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] the lone commit in the ESPN300 at No. 146. That could change if Oklahoma wins recruiting battles for blue chip defensive linemen [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] (8/26) and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] II (9/8) in the coming weeks. The Sooners enter the home stretch of both recruitments as leaders, but recruiting isn’t about how you start but how you finish.

Oklahoma knows that well. Last summer provided much of the same recruiting push we’ve seen this summer. They closed their recruiting class for 2023 by flipping five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] from Oregon on signing day. Could they do the same to five-star EDGE player [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]? Recent comments from the Lee’s Summit North prospect suggest the Sooners are still in pursuit despite his commitment Monday to the Missouri Tigers.

There are so many unknowns with this 2024 recruiting class despite Oklahoma’s hot summer. One thing Brent Venables and Co. can hang a hat on is that this staff has shown a penchant for finishing strong on the recruiting trail. The Sooners will look to do the same this fall as well.

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Oklahoma Sooners receive Rivals FutureCast for 2024 5-star DT David Stone

New Rivals FutureCast favors the Oklahoma Sooners in the recruitment of 2024 five-star defensive lineman David Stone.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been on a recruiting tear in recent weeks, rising into the top 20 of the 247Sports team rankings for the 2024 cycle. Over the last week, Oklahoma’s added four-star defensive tackle Jayden Jackson, four-star wide receiver Zion Ragins, and composite five-star running back Taylor Tatum.

Well, the momentum isn’t slowing down for Oklahoma heading into the second-to-last weekend in July.

On Friday evening, Rivals recruiting analyst Cole Patterson issued a FutureCast favoring the Oklahoma Sooners in the recruitment of priority target David Stone.

Stone, a native Oklahoman who plays his ball at IMG Academy, is one of the top players in the 2024 recruiting class. He’s the No. 10 player in the nation, according to Rivals and 247Sports, and the No. 2 defensive tackle in the class.

The Sooners have long been one of the favorites to land David Stone’s commitment, but as one of the top players in the class, he’s been targeted by a number of Power Five schools across the country. He has 34 offers on his ledger, with 31 of those coming from Power Five programs. Of the 16 teams that will represent the SEC starting in 2024, Stone has offers from 12 of them, including Alabama, Texas A&M, Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.

Though the battle has long been between Oklahoma, Oregon, Miami, Michigan State, and the Aggies, the Sooners look to have gained some traction. As the Sooners look to put together what could be another top-five class, David Stone could be a cornerstone player for Oklahoma as it makes the jump to the SEC.

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