The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] saw a red-hot July and early August for recruiting. But with the most recent loss of the No. 1 player in the country, [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], Sooner faithful are on the edge of their seats on how the rest of this class will play out.
The Sooners are currently in play for three of On3’s top nine five-star uncommitted players. Those players are [autotag]Terry Bussey[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag].
Stone is the first one of the trio that is set to make his announcement. He’s long been thought to be an Oklahoma lean, but lately, the [autotag]Miami Hurricanes[/autotag] are making a push.
After losing Nwaneri and [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag] the year before, the Sooners are still looking for their first five-star defensive linemen win with the new regime. But it’s not just the Hurricanes the Sooners are fighting off.
Many have penciled in David Stone to Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class for about two years. The Sooners could still be that choice, but others have asserted themselves in this race as contenders. A decision is coming on Aug. 26, live on ESPN during IMG Academy’s game against St. Joseph’s Prep (Pa.) and it is coming down to Miami, Michigan State and Oklahoma. There is still some level of confidence in each office, but Miami may be the biggest competition for Oklahoma less than two weeks out. There was a time (or two) that Stone was close to committing to the Spartans too, so you cannot rule Mel Tucker‘s program out just yet. – Chad Simmons, On3
It’ll be an interesting week, and it just feels like Oklahoma really needs a win here.
Next up is [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag]. He’s another five-star defensive lineman who has long felt like a long shot for Oklahoma.
Then things started surfacing that it might be down to Oklahoma and the Texas Longhorns. But now it seems like Texas has stopped any strides Oklahoma has made.
Dominick McKinley continues to keeps his contenders close to the vest. In and around McKinley’s circle, much of the conversation has continued to center around three teams: Texas, LSU, and Oklahoma. But Ohio State remains a legitimate dark horse contender for the elite big man. He has maintained lines of communication with each of his finalists, including Texas A&M. LSU got him on campus at the end of July for a visit, and they continue to push for the No. 1 player in the state. But Oklahoma and Texas both check a lot of boxes and the most buzz around their names right now. With exactly two weeks to go, a lot can still play out with this one. – Simmons, On3
McKinley is someone Oklahoma fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for. He’s set to commit on Sept. 1, 2023.
Someone who is also in that same boat is Bussey. Bussey enjoyed his visit to Oklahoma in June but has long been thought to be a Texas A&M Aggies lean.
Terry Bussey, the do-it-all playmaker from Timpson (Texas) High will choose from LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas and Alabama on September 28. The Aggies have been trending on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine for a good chunk of the past year, and there was a sense that the team could close with the state’s No. 5 overall recruit and top priority target in this cycle after his visit back to campus last month. LSU and Alabama have come on strong this summer though, and Bussey will take official visits to both programs before his late-September decision. If there is a team poised to give Texas A&M some run it might just be LSU. – Simmons, On3
Bussey cancelled his most recent trip to Oklahoma which seemed to end any momentum Oklahoma gained. But Oklahoma did make his top five before his commitment date. So, as Lloyd Christmas once said, “so, you’re telling me there’s a chance.”
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