| 16 May 2010
Recruiting Update 5/13
OU's Previous Verbals:
- Kameel Jackson 6-1, 195, 4.45 WR Arlington,TX
- Kendal Thompson 6-2, 180, 4.6 QB Southmoore, OK
- Chris Barnett 6-6, 240, 4.6 TE Euless, TX
- Wade Turner 6-4, 290, 5.0 DT Round Rock, TX
- P.L. Lindley 6-3, 210, 4.5 LB Round Rock, TX
- Danzel Williams 5-9, 190, 4. 45 RB/DB Arlington, TX
- Trey Metoyer 6-3, 200, 4.45 WR Whitehouse, TX
- Brandon Williams 6-1, 190, 4.4 RB Brookshire Royal, TX
- Cooper Washington 6-5, 225, 4.5 DE Muleshoe, TX
New verbals:
- Marquis Anderson 6-3, 280, 4.8 DT Cibolo, TX
- Nathan Hughes 6-5, 260, 4.7 DE Klein, TX
- Max Stevenson, 6-5, 225, 4.6 TE Klein, TX
OU's run of verbals continues with a huge addition in Marquis Anderson the number two DT in Texas. Anderson has been OU's top target at DT since UT grabbed Desmond Jackson (unclear where OU ranked Anderson v Jackson in a DT battle since Jackson really never got any attention from OU). Anderson is the ideal 3 technique DT prospect for OU and could be the next great DT for the Soones Anderson has that level of potential. Anderson is easily a top 20 talent in Teas depending upon who is doing the ranking. With the verbal of Anderson, OU with limited ships (19 range) is probably done at DT.
The previous week. OU got two more big time additions in Nathan Hughes and Max Stevenson from Klein TX. Hughes is the better known prospect easily Texas top 20. Hughes is expected to stay at DE and play at the 260 range while keeping his speed. OU beat LSU for Hughes, and at one time UT looked like a lock for the kid. UT though wavered offering a ship early (focusing on Cedric Reed), and OU focused on Hughes and grabbed a big lead. Hughes and Cooper Washington along with the DEs from last year have reloaded that position to the point where only RB is more stocked on the Sooner roster. Stevenson is an excellent pass receiver TE prospect (highlight reel looks very impressive) at 6-5, 225 with excellent speed. The mystery with Stevenson is what does it do to the verbal of Chris Barnett. Now, Barnett has been visiting other colleges while maintaining that he's still an OU verbal. OU would appear to be fairly scholarship restrained so does OU have room for 2 TE verbals while still having recruiting needs at LB, OL, and DB. It's a story to follow. OU must think Barnett is going to be an elite kid to have not pulled his offer.
Right now OU has 9 verbals on ESPN's Top 150 watchlist (about 250 overall kids) out of their total 12 verbals. And ESPN hasn't even evaluated Stevenson or Washington at all yet. Barnett is also outside the watchlist, but who knows if he will even be a Sooner at this point.
OU has elite Texas talents in
- Brandon Williams RB
- Marquis Anderson DT
- Nathan Hughes DE
- Trey Metoyer WR
- Kameel Jackson WR
- And instate - All American candidate QB Kendal Thompson
This class right could be ranked as high as last year's. OU has evaluated a number of players as being top tier (Wade, Lindley, Washington, Stevenson) who have barely been evaluated by the recruiting services. OU's ranking as always will depend upon how OU finishes up in recruiting. Leading to the ....
Top Eight Targets: With 12 verbals, OU probably at most can take 8 more players so the top Ten list is now 8. (top players that OU has a legitimate shot to land. This list will vary as kids verbal to OU and elsewhere and kids are added. The first top ten last year didn't have Tony Jefferson, Kenny Stills, Austin Haywood, or Brennan Clay)Verbals: Marquis Anderson, Nathan Hughes
Additions:
Subtractions: Matt Hegarty to ND
- Brey Cook 6-7, 300, 5.1 OT Springdale, AR. The best OT on OU's board, and is the best OL available for OU. Cook has been OU a number of times including camping at OU last year (if there's any real trend in recruiting, OU does very well with kids who have camped the previous summer). He's still taking unofficial visits, but looks to be an OU v Pigs battle. Getting Cook would be a huge piece for the OL, and right now OL is the biggest priority in the class.
- Malcolm Brown 6-1, 210, 4.5 RB Cibolo, TX. Usually Brown would be the number one kid on OU's board, but factoring OU's RB depth versus OL depth/verbals he drops to the number 2 spot. Brown is the best power RB from Texas since AD (Jermie Calhoun is the only other debatable player). Longhorn fans honestly think that Mack Brown is changing the offense this year to more I-formation under the center to seal the deal recruiting Brown. OU has just added Anderson who is friends with Malcolm Brown. If OU didn't have a great group of young RBs on campus/signed I wonder if OU might have already gotten a verbal from Brown.
- Josh Turner 6-0, 170, 4.5 CB OKC Millwood. Top player in state battle between Turner and Thompson. Has the potential to be an elite CB, OU will fight UT among others for his signature.
- Aaron Wallace 6-0, 225, 4.6 MLB Dallas Skyline, TX. Looks amazingly a lot like Curtis Lofton. Might be the best LB in Texas, debate is between Wallace and Steve Edmond. OU has been recruiting Skyline well, and is after Wallace teammate Shannon Franklin. Wallace will look at most major powers before deciding.
- DeAnthony Arnett 6-0, 175, 4.5 Michigan. The top national prospect ranking seriously considering OU right now. Arnett has been dominant in combines this spring and would seem to be the ideal 3rd WR commitment for OU. Big Ten and USC is also involved.
- OL target number two? Okay I don't have a clear number two OL target after Brey Cook for OU. There's the Kansas kid Jordan Phillips and the Texas OL prospect LeRaven Clark. Both kids have huge upsides but are not elite OL recruits right now (of course Russell Okung/Trent Williams were hardly top flight OL recruits). OU may try and get involved with some national elite OL kids, but there are no clear names that have moved from wish list to legit targets.
- Avery Walls 5-11, 185, 4.5 Georgia. OU offered Walls early, but now the entire SEC is heavily recruiting the kid. If Walls is still talking about visiting this summer, then new DB coach Willie Martinez' connections to Georgia might help.
- Franklin Shannon 6-2, 200, 4.5 DB Dallas Skyline. Wallace's teammate who is probably the top strong safety in Texas. He could also be a great OLB hybrid (Keenan Clayton role) in the OU defense.
Just outside the top 8
- Tobias Singleton 6-2, 185, 4.4 WR Miss
- Tevin Mitchell 6-1, 175, 4.4 CB Mansfield, TX
- Charles Jackson Jackson 5-10, 180, 4.4 CB Klein, TX
- Miles Shuler 5-11, 180, 4.35 CB/WR New Jersey
