Once again, many like last
year will focus on the signing day disappointments instead of the whole
recruiting signed and pursued since early May. OU has a top ten class by almost
every recruiting guru or publication that follows recruiting. OUÕs top five
players are probably the number one group in the country. OUÕs class is only
out of the top five because of numbers pure and simple. I will review the class
and try to give some perspective on who we did and who we didnÕt.
Stats
and accolades are pulled from the official site press release Recruit review by Soonersports.com
QB:
Did OU need a QB? Seems like a position loaded on campus White returning, Grady
redshirting, and Thompson playing backup in 2003. However, OU went out and got
arguably the best high school QB in the country. OU has been recruiting Rhett
Bomar since he was a sophomore and at 6-4,205,4.6 with a quick release and an
accurate cannon of an arm is perfect fit for the OU offense. Bomar has been
around the OU coaching staff on a number of occasions the last 2 years and is a
great fit for what OU coaching staff wants out of their QBs. BomarÕs stats from
this year are not eye opening due to injuries and from a talent perspective
Bomar was a one man gang for his team (BomarÕs center was 5-9,180). His junior
stats from 10 games give a better idea of his potential with 2,860 yards and 25
touchdowns through the air and
rushing for 717 yards and 11 touchdowns. If not for the player in the next
category and White returning, the hype on Bomar at QB would be extremely high.
Bomar is the highest rated QB signed by Stoops and company and the highest
rated QB signed by OU since maybe the Switzer era.
Quantity:
A Quality:
A+
RB:
OU signed 3 RBs last year but missed out a true blue chip RB. All 3 RBs
redshirted and rumors have Tashard Choice as the best one of the 3. So RB was
not a must but the 2003 season perhaps highlighted with the graduation of
Quentin Griffin that a playmaking RB can make the running game that much more
deadly. So OU went out and got the consensus best high school RB in the country
and by most services the best high school player in the country. Peterson is a
power back with moves to make the first guy miss and then breakaway speed to
turn a 11 yard gain into a 75 yard td run. Peterson with defenses focused on
him and everyone knowing he was going to get the ball rushed for 2,960 on 252
attempts, an average of 11.7 yards per carry, and 32 touchdowns as a senior. That
YPC average is not a misprint itÕs 11.7. If that wasnÕt enough OU signed the
best RB in Oklahoma who has already enrolled at OU. Wolfe is also great back
more in the mold of Demond Parker. DJ rushed for 1,601 yards on 195 atttempts (a
little over 8 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns on the ground as a senior while
showing his versatility with 14 catches for 268 yards and six touchdowns as
well as 413 yards on 15 kickoff returns for an average of 27.5 yards per return
Basically OUÕs RB class was a massive slam dunk.
Quantity:
A+ Quality: A+ (IÕd give it a
higher grade but itÕs not possible)
WR:
OU will lose 4 wrs next year (Clayton, Jones, Bradley, and Peoples) so signing
some WR depth was key. OU does have 2 WRs redshirting from last year, Tristen
Ross and Marcus Johnson. OU signed 3 wrs prospects whose best days are ahead.
All 3 guys have unreal upside potential, their stats at WR are not going to
blow anyone away but their best days at WR are without doubt ahead. Chaney at
6-6,205 is a Mike Williams type prospect with unreal vertical leap and true 4.5
speed. Chaney is very raw but there may not be a recruit OU signed with a great
upside. Despite still learning the position and in many ways a basketball
player playing football, Chaney as a senior had 24 catches for 570 yards and 12
touchdowns as a senior indicating his great big play potential. Lendy Holmes if
he stays at WR at 6-3,190,4.4 is probably the most ready prospect. Holmes
played QB his senior year and was hurt quite a bit but his stats as a junior at
WR 38 catches for 505 yards give a clear idea of his production. In a recent
All Star game, Lendy had a great game ans was the MVP playing WR. Fred Strong rounds out this class and
at 6-3,190,4.5 has great speed and athleticism. Strong had 40 catches for 885
yards and 10 touchdowns last year " Averaged 22.1 yards per catch in his
final season.
Quantity:
A Quality:
B+ (grade could be much higher)
OL:
Now to the annual recruiting worry of Sooner fans. OU has already lost Brian
Zimpel from the 3 OL class of last year and with other defections OU needed to
sign at least 4 OL this year, but ideally OU needed some blue chips to start
more competition at the OL positions. OU got 4 OL but missed out on Herman
Johnson and Roland Martin to take some luster off this OL class. However, OU
signed one top 100 nationally ranked OL in Brandon Braxton from Ohio. Braxton
at 6-6,300 is a great athlete. Braxton has the kind of frame to easily to be in
the 320 range after a redshirt under Coach Schmidt. OU also signed 3 top 100 in
Texas OL all of which have camped at OU and worked under Coach Wilson. JD Quinn
is already on OU campus and looks to be the next OU center at 6-4,265 with an
eye towards the 285-290 range after a redshirt year. OU also signed Cameron
Schacht from the Dallas area.
Schacht at 6-5,270 has the mobility and size to be either a guard or a tackle.
Finally, initially a sleeper when he verbaled but no longer with a huge senior
year for Leander OU signed Randy McAdams. At 6-7,300, with 5.2 speed, McAdams
had a crushing senior year, smashing opponent while leading Leander (PTÕs
hometown) into the playoffs
Quantity:
B+
Quality: B
DT:
OU last year hit the target with Dampeer, Pendelton, and Coleman, so DT wasnÕt
a great need but with Tommie Harris leaving early and Macgruder and Dvoracek
set to be seniors some numbers were needed at DT. OU got an early verbal from
DE Corey Bennett from San Antonio, but IÕm going to put him under the DT
category. Corey is already 6-4,270 so itÕs very easy to see him after a
redshirt being in the 290 range while keeping his sub 5.0 speed and quickness.
Bennett is the biggest sleeper of the class but not late backup. OU offered
Bennett early and he chose OU early. As a junior, Bennett had 57 tackles as a
junior, including 11 for loss. OU also added a key juco DT in Remi Ayodele. OU
got involved late with Remi after losing Jessie Mahelona at DT to Tenn, Harris
to the nfl, and realizing that Okam was heading to UT. Remi is a perfect fit
for the NG position of the OU 4-3 and is a great bet to be part of the OU DT
next year. Remi had a very productive year as a senior and is ready to help OU
next year.
Quantity: B+ Quality: B
DE:
This really wasnÕt a great need position for OU. OU while losing Dan Cody and
Jonathan Jackson next year has 2 DE with playing experience Birdine and
Thibodeaux (both very productive at times) while redshirting future stars at DE
in John Williams and Alonzo Dotson. Despite that OU signed arguably the top DE from Texas in Alan
Davis. Davis while also playing TE made 25 tackles with and three sacks on
defense while also making 11 catches for 130 yards on offense. With TE
perceived as a weakness from last year, thereÕs some chatter that Davis might
give TE a shot but heÕs probably a better DE or maybe at DT (Davis has a frame
that could allow him to bulk up).
Quantity:
B Quality: B+
LB:
Some folks will be a little disappointed that OU only signed one LB the year
that OU wins itsÕ third Butkus award (making OU the modern LB U??) but OU
signed a great one in ChicagoÕs Chris Patterson. Two factors hurt OUÕs LB
recruiting efforts this year. One, not a single LB in Texas that OU even
offered. Two, not a single LB in state that OU offered. Patterson had a great
junior year totaling 106 tackles and 13 sacks in 2002 with 2 ints. Patterson
might be the highest ranked HS LB that OU has signed under Stoops. Patterson
had a great HS all star game excelling at both run support and pass coverage.
If younger LBs like Alexander and Baker do not step up Patterson is a threat to
play early. With Mitchell
returning from a redshirt year and Pleasant and Baker looking to make some
noise and Alexander becoming healthy.
Quantity:
B Quality: A+
DB:
The Yeti/Big Foot/Sasquatch/The Loch Ness Monster has been found. Chijioke Onyenegecha
is on campus. Chijioke is the prototype NFL corner back with superb size
6-2,205 and unreal speed legit 4.3 track speed. Even after sitting out this fall Chijioke was arguably the
best juco transfer in the country. If Chijioke wasnÕt enough to restock OUÕs DB
core with Strait and Everage leaving and Perkins and Nicholson leaving after
next year OU added impact HS cb and free safety. Marcus Walker is the best CB
from Texas and showed those skills in the HS all star game. Walker is a clone
of Derrick Strait with much better CB skills coming out of HS. At free safety
went to Florida to get Brett Bowers. Bowers at 6-1,195 with 4.5 speed is the
perfect center fielder true safety for OU in their nickel and dime looks. Bowers
was everywhere on the field as a senior racking up 77 tackles, including 38 solo stops, three sacks and three
interceptions. Bowers verbaled early or he might have been a higher ranked
prospect.
Quantity:
A Quality: A
Special
Teams: With Dicarlo and Ferg2 returning (and Freeby redshirting as the heir
apparent at punter) no specialits were really necessary. However, OU signed the best kicker in Texas and
one of the best kickers in the nation. Garrett Hartley if he cannot unseat Lou
Groza finalist Trey will redshirt and leave OU with a great transition from
Dicarlo to Hartley. Garett established a state record for extra points in a
career with 90. Hartley hit a 52 yard field goal and 86 percent of his kickoffs
were touchbacks. The classic story on Hartley is that he was attempting fg from
the sidelines hitting them from every range until he tried a fg from the sideline
at the goal line. Amazing accuracy.
Quantity:
A
Quality: A
Overall
grades and final thoughts:
As
I mentioned earlier sometimes itÕs lost in the late disappointments that this
was a great recruiting class. In general, the biggest statement was made in
offensive recruiting. OUÕs national resurgence has tended to be focused on the
defensive side of the ball. With the signing of Bomar and Peterson in addition
to Jason winning the Heisman, OU has a chance to perhaps shift some of that
focus to the offensive side of the ball. The wrs might not have the reputation
of past OU wr recruits, but potential/upside could be greater. On the defensive side, OU might not have
signed 3 as big an impact guys as Chijioke, Marcus, and Patterson.
Quality:
A- (only missing an A due to missing out on one more blue chip OL and blue chip
DL)