| 24 February 2010
Recruiting Storylines to Follow
1. Year of the Running Back:
OU just signed perhaps the best RB class in the country in Roy Finch and Brennan Clay, so RB wasn't exactly a huge need for the Sooners in recruiting. However, this year's RB class especially in Texas is just absurd. There are at least 2 RBs in Texas who last year would have been the number one RB in Texas last year., and several more who would have been right behind Seastrunk. And OU can only really take one of these guys at RB. Can UT take two? It’s a interesting combination of OU/UT having limited ships, and elite prospects. Also, there's a good chance like elite QBs that a school is only going to get one of them. Here are the five best in Texas.
- Malcolm Brown 6-0,210, 4.5 San Antonio, TX. He wears 28 and looks as good a power back out of Texas since AD (slightly ahead of Jermie Calhoun). UT and OU are both making Brown a priority. He's probably the top player in the state. Brown shows power, moves, and the speed to take it the distance. Brown's a big fan of AD, and OU certainly can show more of a true power I running game the last 4 years than UT can. UT is going to try and convince Brown that Gilbert is going to be able to run a true I Formation Offense. Now, OU is targeting Brown for obvious reasons, but OU can sell the fact that Brown brings a skill set that is very different than Finch/Clay. That RB trio could be make OU fans thinks AD, Q, and Demarco were on the same team.
- Aaron Green 5-9, 185, 4.4 San Antonio, TX. Usually Green would be the feature back in Texas. He's trailing Brown just barely. Green has homerun speed that awesome change of direction at full speed. Never seems to absorb a hit. Now, Green has a brother at NU, but both OU and UT are recruiting him in case they miss out on Brown. It's like the world's best recruiting consolation prize if OU or UT were to have to "settle" for Green. To be honest, I cannot understand why UT is not going all out. Green would be the best RB for UT since Jamal Charles and is a great looking shotgun/zone read RB (Brown would be wasted in that offense). NU really needs Green. He would be that elite offensive player that Pellini has not been able to sign.
- Herschel Sims 5-9, 190, 4.4 Abilene, TX. All Sims did at the end of last year was put on an absolute offensive show during his team's playoff run. Sims like Green would look great in a spread offense, and also brings an excellent receiver game. UT is involved as is OSU who are after his cousin slot WR/wingback Ronnell Sims, but Sims in past interviews has been heavily talking up OU along with Miami. Depending upon Brown/Green's decisions, Sims could end in play for ATM as well. Sims seems very similar to what OU just signed. But you never ignore talent at RB.
- Brandon Williams 6-1, 190, 4.4 Brookshire, TX. He's already verbaled to Baylor ending what was going to end up being a huge recruiting battle between OU, UT, and others. Williams should give Baylor their best RB in a long time. Williams is a big I formation back who has the speed and moves to be a factor in a spread running attack. I think UT was going to make him a focus if they missed out on Brown. OU might also have had him as their number two RB. Can Baylor hang onto Williams after Brown/Green make their choices and the runner-up makes a huge push?
- Bradley Marquez 6-0, 184, 4.45 Odessa, TX. Marquez really should be heading to Texas Tech he would be a deadly RB in the old Mike Leach attack. However, with the coaching change Marquez appears focused elsewhere. Marquez had awesome stats as a sophomore (8.6 yards a carry) but due to injuries was limited as a junior. He has great receiving skills and could be a slot WR/Wingback in some offenses.
Here are some national wild cards at RB. It's doubtful that OU will end up with a RB from anywhere but Texas.
- Savon Huggins 6-0, 200, 4.45 New Jersey. Another HS star RB wearing number 28. Huggins looks very similar to Brown in his power running game. He also has the same home run potential as Brown. Honestly, they both look great, and if Brown were to choose UT, I could see OU making a hard run to see if Huggins alleged level of interest is real. AD gives OU go anywhere recruit anyone at RB.
- Deandre Thomas 5-11, 185, 4.4 Los Angeles. Thomas might be the only West Coast RB able to compete against the Texas RBs for the title of best RB in the nation. OU will offer and see what happens. Have to figure the whole Pac 10 will be after Thomas.
2. OU cannot recruit big time WRs complaint
This attack on OU's coaching staff's recruiting abilities and Jay Norvell specifically has been in play since OU couldn't close on a number of big time WRs in 2008 (Reuben Randle, Jhay Boyd, Terry Hawthorne). Now some message boards posters feel that OU failed again at WR in 2009, ignoring the fact that Kenny Stills was a five star WR by Scout, and Justin McCay was just outside five star range at Rivals. Instead they focus on losing out on Demarco Cobbs and Darius White to UT (Cobbs may never actually play WR for UT).
OU Verbal Kameel Jackson (6-2, 195, 4.45) might possibly be the top WR in Texas once his senior year is done. Jackson after an injury shorted junior campaign, and has been dominating early combine camps. Jackson had over 700 yards receiving as sophomore. That film put him on OU's radar. OU offered super early, and got the commitment.
Right now Jackson is not the number one WR in Texas, but Trey Metoyer is. Metoyer (6-2, 200, 4.42) is just a complete WR, runs great routes, physical, with excellent speed and quickness. The total package at WR, and probably more polished at the position than Darius White last year. Metoyer had a great junior year with 1100 yards receiving last year following up on a 1000 yards as a sophmore. Metoyer has not verbaled to OU, but OU appears to be in great to land this dominant WR.
If OU can land Metoyer to go with Jackson, then OU might have at most 2 more ships left for WRs, or could easily call it a day due to their large WR class from last year.
OU will try and recruit George Farmer (6-3, 190, 4.4) from California, but he's more likely to stay on the West Coast. OU might also try to land a big time slot WR like Brandon Carter 5-11, 170, 4.4 (25 yards a reception as a junior) from Texas or Jarvis Landry 5-11, 175, 4.4 from Louisiana verbaled to LSU (nearly 19 yards a catch for over 1100 yards as junior) who might reopen his recruiting (Less' offensive ineptitude the last two years is starting to impact recruiting. It's an awesome year in Louisiana, if Less cannot keep them home, then the heat on him will get intense.)
3. Where to find DTs if not in Texas?
Last year UT allegedly signed the best DT in Texas in Taylor Bible, and then Bible looked horribly out of shape during the Under Armour All Star Game and due to that weight looked pre ineffective. While I think that both Torrea Peterson and Eric Humphrey will end up being better college DTs, Bible was the top ranked DT from Texas last year by most services. Humphrey in particular has five star potential due to his athleticism, but coming out of HS he's not the elite prospect that Granger, McCoy, or McFarland were.
This year the only recruit that UT has so far out of all 13 verbals that I clearly wish OU had gotten is Desmond Jackson. Jackson at 6-2, 270 is the number one DT from Texas and while Bible might be more Roy Miller, Jackson at a recent combine had folks mentioning the name of Tommie Harris in terms of Jackson's burst and explosiveness. It depends upon how he compares to the other DTs in the nation, but Jackson appears to be the only Texas player to compete with Malcolm Brown for five star status. OU's defensive success under Bob really starts inside at DT. When OU has difference making DT their defense is usually good to great, Jackson being off the board is a blow.
Now OU has already gotten a verbal from Jordan Wade who likely once the services actually get good footage of his junior year should be in the 4 star range. I'm not doubting the coaching and evaluation capabilities of Jackie Shipp (both Dusty Dvoracek and Adrian Taylor were not five star DTs that have ended being all conference performers), Shipp thinks Wade is one of those elite guys. Wade's early offer seems very similar to the offer made to Torrea Peterson last February. OU is also recruiting Isiah Norton from Dallas (6-5, 300), Quincy Russell (6-3, 280) and Marquise Anderson (6-3, 260) from San Antonio area. Norton seems similar to Damon Williams last year (might also be more of an OT as well in college), and Anderson seems to be leaning to UT.
So where does OU go to find a 5 star DT? Now last year OU attempted to get involved with a number of out of region DTs. Cassius Marsh, George Uko, Ricky Heimuli, without much success, and ended up rolling back to offer two Texas HS DTs who had great senior years (Damon Williams and Eric Humphrey).
There's not an elite DT in state. Not a huge surprise to date under Bob, Oklahoma has only produced two DTs (McCoy and Korey Klein) and couple of DEs (Larry Birdine, Corey Heinecke) for the Sooners. There are elite DTs in California, Louisiana, and Florida that OU could try to pursue, but clearly the pool of DTs is limited and going out of region will be difficult as those elite DTs are a focus for everyone including any regional power. OU maybe has 2 DTs scholarships to use.
4. What's the position breakdown on the final available scholarships?
OU is looking at a class of around 19. 5 ships are already taken, 14 remaining.
OU probably is leading on about 4 to 5 more recruits who could verbal depending upon how things go the next month. Taking OU to 9 or 10 ships and almost half done. Last class OU had a number of athletes that could have flexed to a number of positions, can OU with limited numbers take those kind of flexible athletes this
So how many LB/Safety types does OU take? Right now there are 2 that OU has offered
- Dominique Petties 6-1, 210, 4.5 Duncan OK
- Franklin Shannon 6-2, 200, 4.5 Dallas, TX
How many CB/slot WRs types does OU take?
- Josh Turner 5-11, 170, 4.4 OKC
- Brandon Carter 5-10, 170, 4.4 Euless, TX
