| 26 April 2010
Recruiting Update 4/24
- Kameel Jackson 6-2, 195, 4.45 WR Arlington,TX
- Kendal Thompson 6-2, 180, 4.6 QB Southmoore, OK
- Chris Barnett 6-6, 240, 46 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
New verbal
- Brandon Williams 6-1, 190, 4.4 RB Brookshire Royal, TX
- Cooper Washington 6-5, 225, 4.5 DE Muleshoe, TX
OU has gotten a verbal from Texas top ten talent Brandon Williams. Williams has been overshadowed by Aaron Green, Malcolm Brown, and Herschel Sims, but other than Brown might be as talented as anyone. Also, Williams brings a different skill set than OU signees Brennan Clay/Roy Finch. To be honest, I really thought Green/Sims were too similar to Finch/Clay. Williams though is bigger and faster. The Williams news was kind of out of nowhere, he did visit for the OU Spring Game while verbaled to Baylor. His verbal to Baylor though had not seemed very strong, as bigger programs made it clear to Williams that he was elite. Still, the verbal has forced OU to move on from Herschel Sims/Bradley Marquez/and probably Aaron Green as well. Williams has already accepted an invitation to play in ESPN’s Under Armour All American game.
OU’s other new verbal is from Cooper Washington. Washington has been on OU’s recruiting radar and has been near the offer list for DE all spring. Now, Muleshoe is so far in west Texas it’s practically New Mexico. In following recruiting for over 15 years, I cannot recall a single Big 12 caliber prospect from Muleshoe. Being a tall rangy defensive end from a tiny Texas town, the obvious comparisons to Auston English/Dan Cody are going to be made with Washington. However, while OU was projecting English at DE (he was mainly a HS RB), Washington highlight reel is all DE. He shows great explosion off the ball, excellent closing speed, and he’s doing a very good job in run support as well. Now the obvious questions of competition level are going to come up, but OU under Bob has had a history of big time players coming from small schools in OK/Tex. All you can really ask is does Washington dominate on film? From the brief Rivals highlights, he certainly does. Hopefully, Cooper will attend OU’s summer camp sessions so that the recruiting folks can get a look at him in a different setting against better competition.
Chris Barnett is listed as a verbal but there’s all kinds of stories about him looking around and taking other visits. Barnett has massive potential at TE, but if he takes visits OU will drop him as a commitment, and will start to offer other TEs again. It would be a shame to lose Barnett because he’s potentially a Gresham type talent at TE, but OU has to be clear with recruits about their verbal commitments. Barnett’s also had some weird off the field news as well with a transfer to Euless Trinity this offseason, and then he left Euless due to some vaguely hinted school problems. Barnett is probably headed back to his old High School Maceo Smith. I guess there’s a chance that OU could take two TEs. The TE position is vital to OU’s offense in terms of being able to run and pass out of the same personnel in the no huddle. In addition, Wilson/Patton are starting to move TEs to OL. So perhaps OU will take another big frame TE to complement Barnett with the possibility that the kid could end up at OL.
Top Ten Targets: (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)
1. 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.
2. 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 OL 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.
3. 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.
4. Marquis Anderson 6-3, 270, 4.8 DT Cibolo, TX. Only behind Desmond Jackson in terms of DT rankings in Texas. Has the speed/burst to be a 3 technique DT for OU. OU appears to be in the lead. UT appears focused on Quincy Russell instead at DT.
5. 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 Franklin Shannon. Wallace will look at most major powers before deciding.
6. DeAnthony Arnett 6-0, 175, 4.5 Michigan. The top ranked national prospect seriously considering OU right now. Arnett has been dominate in combines this spring and would seem to be the ideal 3rd WR commitment for OU. Big Ten and USC is also involved.
7. Avery Walls 5-11, 185, 4.5 Georgia. OU offered Walls early, but now the entire SEC is heavily recruiting the kid. If Walls still talking about visiting this summer. New DB coach Willie Martinez’ connections to Georgia might help.
8. Matt Hegarty 6-5, 270, 5.0 OT New Mexico. Hegarty camped at OU last summer and was very impressive. Hegarty although interested in OU is looking at Stanford, USC, ND among others. OU is still in the picture, but not leading like many had hoped.
9. Nathan Hughes 6-5, 260, 4.75 DE Klein, TX. Hughes is arguably the top DE in Texas (only player in the discussion is Cedric Reed, and Hughes is faster). UT focused on Reed and got a verbal. Hughes seems to really like OU along with LSU.
10. 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.
