Unlike years past this
class ended with a boom rather than bust, OU had a great signing day with a
legit surprise from Nic Harris and great closing contests to get Duke Robinson
away from home state favorite UGA and Reggie Smith from traditional rival
Nebraska. Other than losing Antonio Clay to Clemson (not sure anyone saw
Clemson out there, but losing Clay late was very likely), signing day went
perfectly. In many ways, if you had asked me before signing day if I would trade
Harris for Clay I'd have said yes every time. OU has legitimately a top five
class nationally no matter who is doing the rankings. For the Bob era, it's
easily the best WR class OU has signed, it's easily the best HS LB class OU has
signed,it's easily the best overall OL class OU has signed. There are also
arguments to be made for best overall DB class and DL class.
Stats
and accolades are pulled from the official site press release Recruit
review by Soonersports.com
QB:
Did OU need a QB? Not really. OU has 3 QBs on campus that made it incredibly
difficult to attract a top flight QB. OU didn't want to offer just anyone. They
tried at the end to get involved with Chris Todd but was really a longshot. Was
QB a need? Not sure so I'll give OU an incomplete grade. But QB is a must have
for next year.
Quantity:
Inc Quality: Inc
RB/FB:
Well if Bomar was scaring away QBs what do you think AD was doing. Again, RB is
a must have for next year. However, with JD Runnels graduating next year OU
badly needed a blocking/pass catching player for the FB/H-Back role that JD
just dominates (btw look for JD to have a long NFL career as a true FB like
Lorenzo Neal). OU really succeeded with signing Matt Clapp. Clapp like many of
the OU signees just dominated at OU's summer camp. His highlight reel shows a
physical powerful runner with great speed. Unfortunately like several OU
signees he also got hurt this year. As a senior, Matt gained 1,033 yards and 18 touchdowns in only 9
gam,es. The quality grade might
seem a little high but Matt was the number 3 ranked FB by Rivals and in
recruiting rankings it's always going to be an under appreciated position.
RB Quantity: Inc Quality: Inc
FB Quantity: A Quality: A
WR/TE:
OU lost 5 wrs since last year's class (Marcus Johnson, Mark Clayton, Brandon
Jones, Mark Bradley, and Will Peoples) so signing some WR depth was key. OU
does have 3 WRs redshirting (Chaney, Holmes, and Strong) from last year, and
Tristen Ross is back from his Juco detour. OU signed 4 wrs prospects with the
top 3 making this OU best WR class. It's hard to say which is the best WR OU
signed. Malcolm Kelly is a UT Roy Williams like physical talent. He's every bit
6-4,205, with sub 4.5 speed. His senior year stats were 29 passes for 638 yards
and 9 touchdowns as a senior for a team that didn't pass the ball and didn't
really have a QB that could take advantage of Kelly's dominance. Obviously that
ends once he gets to Norman. I think we may be looking back in a couple of
years and wondering why Kelly wasn't listed as the number one kid we signed. If
Kelly wasn't enough OU added another big fast WR in Eric Huggins from South
Carolina. Huggins like Kelly was on a running team this year so his stats
dropped but his talent is awesome. Huggins at 6-3,190, 4.45 is compared to
Lance Leggett from Miami who starred as freshman. His 2003 stats of 15
touchdowns shows his big time potential. Manuel Johnson is only being compared
to Mark Clayton by OU coaches, that's all. Marcus for his senior year had to
play QB and just dominated, he threw for 48 touchdowns, ran for 18 touchdowns.
His junior year he caught 17 touchdowns.
Finally OU added late Juaquin Iglesias from Killeen, TX. Juaquin had a
great senior year recorded 42 catches for 886 and 10 touchdowns. Juaquin could
also play corner with his 4.4 speed. OU really needed a TE after being shutout
last year (watching Zach Miller at ASU was tough knowing that he was almost a
sooner) and luckily Texas had two of the top five nationally ranked TEs. However,
Farr was an early lean to LSU and verbaled there and Martellus Bennett while he
visited OU was never really interested in OU. Farr when Saban left bolted right
to NFL TE factory Miami. With these guys gone, the only other TE left was in
state sleeper Aaron Cummings. Aaron had just an awesome senior year playing 8
men football. He racked up 1,200 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns during his
senior campaign. The issue with Aaron is obviously going to be the level of
competition. Cummings at 6-5, 245 is a big kid with great speed who just
dominated. OU loses Bubba Moses
and Willie Roberts next year so watch for OU to focus on TE again.
WR
Quantity: A+
Quality: A+
TE
Quantity: A
Quality: C
OL:
Same line from last year, now to the annual recruiting worry of Sooner fans
(and again OU has already lost an OL kid from last year in Randy McAdams). OU
went aggressively after the best OTs in the nation. Unfortuately none were in
Oklahoma and only one was in Texas. Soon, one by one they started disappearing
off OU's recruiting board. Youngblood to Miami when he was rumored to be
leaning to OU. But on signing day OU got their 3rd top blue chip OT
in row. Duke Robinson is the headliner at 6-6,330. OU beat in state power UGA
for Robinson and UGA badly needed him. Robinson is a Davin Joseph like talent.
He probably will redshirt but you never know. OU also got Brandon Braxton back
after being ineligible. He's on campus and will go through spring. Also, OU
added Ben Barresi from Edmond and he is already enrolled. Barresi went from
project to target with a great summer offseason before his senior year. Barresi
went head to head with top rated talent like Ekom Udofia in the California Nike
camps. He's already on campus, working through Coach Schmidt's conditioning
program. This extra spring/summer conditioning will really help Ben. Ben's a
great prospect at 6-5, 290, with good mobility. OU also has resigned Brandon
Keith. Keith was a blue chip OT prospect when OU placed him at NEO. Keith at
6-6,320, with 5.0 type mobility will be a huge asset in rebuilding the OU OL
for 2005. I think he will start at either guard or tackle. So OU added 4 key
tackles that were badly needed. OU also added two great center/guard prospects
from the state of Colorado. OU added Jon Cooper 6-3,278,5.0 and Jesse White
6-1,290, 5.0 (a true center). Both kids will easily get into the 300 range and
have good mobility to pull and be used in counter running plays (the kind of
plays you have to run against a D like USC). White's height has been all over
the place, he's around 6-1 and just insanely strong for a high school player.
His dad is the pro wrestler Leon White known as Vader. I project White to our
starting center in 2006 after Chris Bush graduates. Only Iowa did a better job
of meeting their needs in OL recruiting.
Quantity:
A+
Quality: A - (four 4 star
kids and 2 3 star kids)
DT:
OU badly needed DT help this year and signed a great high school trio. OU in
Demarcus Granger got the best high school DT in the country. Demarcus is a
dominating 6-3,315 DT. The thought of combining him with a returning Dusty
Dvoracek or an in shape Mo Dampeer should give teams some pause about our DL
next year. Demarcus had a great senior year with 79 tackles, including 25 for
loss, and 17 sacks during his senior year and also forced 11 fumbles. Provided
Demarcus comes into camp in shape he will be in the DT rotation next year. OU signed their first kid from prep
powerhouse Hargrave Military Academy under Bob Stoops. Hargrave's DL was unreal
with all 4 kids signing with Div 1 powers. Simmons in limited playing time due
to injury had Recorded 32 tackles, eight for loss, and three sacks in 2004 .
His potential is unlimited at 6-5,300,4.9. OU's last DT was a dominator at OU's
summer camp. Billy Blackard at Claremore had a fantastic camp and great senior
year with 90 tackles with 14 sacks in 2004. Blackard has been compared to a
Dusty Dvoracek type. This was a great signing group and gives OU some
flexibility in moving a current DT to OL if spring ball indicates a need.
Quantity: A+ Quality: A- (5 star, 4 star, 3 star)
DE:
This was a huge need for OU with Cody and Jackson graduating. Thibodeaux
getting hurt further reduced depth at this position. OU signed 4 DEs to address
this issue. The first guy to talk about is potentially our starting DE for our
opener across from Larry Birdine. CJ Ah You was a key mid semester Juco
transfer. At 6-4,260, CJ is ready to play right now. OU's other DEs are more
projects, but could end up being the super sleepers of this class. OU offered
both Austin English and Brody Eldridge early on. English had a dominate OU
summer camp and senior year for Canadian Texas. Play both RB and DE Austin racked
up amassed 1, 285 yards rushing and 18 tds and recorded 33 solo tackles, 48
assists, and 11 sacks in 2004.
Eldridge got hurt early in his senior year but his 2003 stats of 130
tackles and eight sacks demonstrates his productivity and potential. But players
will redshirt but the future QB assault from our DEs is there. Finally OU
signed Cordero Moore who at 6-4, 265, 4.8 is kind of a tweener who could bulk
up and move to DT (freeing Blackard/Simmons to move to OL if needed). Moore for
his senior year played tight end and defensive end with 95 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2004 and 14
tackles for loss during his senior year.
LB:
If last year's LB class was a disappointing especially after Chris Patterson
had to attend NEO, this year's class more than makes up for it. OU signed their
best group of HS LBs with players from Nevada, New Jersey, and Kingfisher OK. It's
hard to pick a headliner but let's just start with Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds has
been on Sooner recruiting radar since his dominant performance at OU camp as a
junior. Ryan's HS stats are just sick with 96 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and
six sacks as junior and almost
identical numbers.as a senior. His athleticism and agility numbers are just off
the charts. Ryan fits the mode of the
dominate outside linebackers of Teddy Lehman or Rocky Calmus. Curtis Lofton's
early verbal to OU was something of a surprise as most folks had him going to OSU. Lofton is an almost perfect MLB prospect at 6-2,240 with
awesome sideline to sideline speed. Lofton had an unreal 168 tackles for his
senior year. Finally OU beat out UVA for awesome prospect Lamont Robinson.
Robinson based on his photos in Rivals should probably be on the all first off
the bus team. He looks to be in an unreal shape for a high school kid. Robinson
will probably redshirt as he is still partly recovering from an awful car
accident that shortened his senior year. His junior year stats show his bigtime potential as he posted
95 tackles, six sacks, and eight caused fumbles as a junior . Basically this
class solifidies Venables as the top LB recruiter in the nation. Lofton clearly
mentioned Venables as a main reason he chose OU over OSU. Venables two year
rapport made Reynolds a lock since July. Finally Lamont again indicated that Brent
was a big reason that he dropped UVA and went with OU.
Quantity:
A Quality:
A
DB: With the loss of Perkins, Nicholson and
early departure of Brodney Pool. DBs were a focus for OU especially safeties
but also needed a CB partner to team with Marcus Walker in the future. The star
of this class is again hard to identify but certainly the most talked about
player was Reggie Smith. Smith has been a star/fixture at OU summer camps since
he was a sophomore and has probably been the top in state player the last two
years. Reggie as a DB his senior year had 63 tackles and intercepted six passes
(two returned for touchdowns). Reggie also was a dominate RB as a senior. OU
will uses Smith as a KR/PR and maybe as an occasional WR. Beating NU and SC for Reggie along with
Lofton clearly gives OU the top two players in state. Reggie will either be a
big time shutdown corner or the kind of center fielder free safety that was
missing in the OB. The reason why OU might be able to play Reggie at CB, Allan
Patrick, Keenan Clayton, Nic Harris. These 3 guys are amazing athletes who
could patrol the secondary looking to smash WRs or even develop into the kind
of 6-2,220, 4.4 Royback safeties that allows us to play nickel without losing a
step. Nic Harris had an unreal
senior year with 74 tackles and
intercepted 11 passes, returning 4 for touchdowns. His highlight reel shows a
dominate physical playmaker in the secondary. Harris is the legit surprise of
this class. Written off as
Wolverine he stunned everyone with a changeup on Wednesday to OU. Keenan
Clayton was one of OU's first verbals and was easily the best DB in Texas.
Clayton started this rep with a dominating performance at the FoxSportsNet
Texas 7-on-7 state championship Clayton basically showed he was athletic enough
to play CB against top Texas talent. For his senior year, Keenan had 120 tackles and intercepted
four passes during his senior campaign. Finally, maybe the best athlete signed in this great class,
Allan Patrick. Allan hurt his foot early in his sophomore Juco campaign and
redshirted to have 3 years at OU. For an idea of his potential at Safety, his
senior year at Conway SC he recorded 105 tackles and four sacks. OU offered
Patrick almost immediately after seeing film of him last spring and Patrick
verbaled quickly. OU's one clear CB signee is Brian Jackson but even Jackson
has size/frame to play FS/SS. Jackson as a senior had35 tackles and intercepted
six passes as a senior. Jackson at 6-2, 205 is a big physical corner.
Quantity:
A+ Quality: A (four 4
star players, one 3 star player)
Special
Teams: No grade.
Quantity:
Inc
Quality: Inc
Overall
grades and final thoughts:
A
lot of times it's hard for classes to be ranked very high without big name QBs
or RBs but this class is clearly the exception. OU signed a myriad of impact
kids, a nice group of key impact Juco players (Ah You, Keith, and Patrick are
probable starters), and enrolled 2 HS OTs in time for winter conditioning and
spring practice. It's a fantastic class when combined with last year's it
should keep OU at the very top of college football for the rest of the decade.
No real complaints at all.
Quality:
A+ (only liabilities in class were addressed last year, and who can blame RBs
from being scared off by AD and QBs being scared by Bomar/PT/Grady)