On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: Oklahoma leading for five top recruits
Oklahoma has some major buzz on the recruiting coming out of the month of April after landing five commitments and moving up to No. 15 nationally in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings.
The Sooners are looking for even more, though. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM), OU is trending for a pair of five-stars and three more elite recruiting targets in the 2024 class. With the help of On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons and national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman, we’re breaking down where things stand with the Sooners and some of the nation’s best high school prospects.
Sooners on top for coveted recruiting targets
5-star DL Williams Nwaneri
School: Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 6
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 84.7%, Missouri 3.0%, Kansas 1.5%, Kansas State 1.3%
Simmons’ Take: “I still lean towards Oklahoma, but Tennessee has made the race at the top very interesting for Williams Nwaneri. It’s as close as it has been based on my intel. Not all sources say Oklahoma is the favorite at this time. There are others in this, but Oklahoma and Tennessee have separated themselves at the top for Nwaneri. His connection is strong with the staff in Norman and he has visited there more than anywhere else. The Sooners will be a factor until the end.”
5-star DL David Stone
School: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 10
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 80.8%, Michigan State 15.2%
Simmons’ Take: “Michigan State made a significant push early in 2023, and the Spartans are still a contender, but the momentum has swing back toward the Sooners. David Stone is going to take his visits, he is going to entertain each offer, and he is going to keep as many guessing as possible, but I like where the Sooners sit at this time. Todd Bates and Brent Venables, among others, have done an outstanding job with him and those close to him.”
4-star WR Bryant Wesco
School: Midlothian (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 30
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 97.0%, TCU 1.0%
Spiegelman’s Take: Elite wideout Bryant Wesco is trending to Oklahoma after again returning to campus for the OU spring game earlier this month. He has visited them more than any other school, and even at this early point in his recruitment, it feels like a battle between TCU, LSU and Oklahoma. He has family ties in both Louisiana and Oklahoma. His sister attends OU, and Emmett Jones has provided a major jolt for the Sooners with him. And I like where Wesco stands with him.
4-star DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye
School: Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 111 (#38 in the On300)
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 93.2%, Texas Tech 2.0%, Texas A&M 1.2%,
Spiegelman’s Take: “Joseph Jonah-Ajonye was back at the OU spring game as well, and he’s been at OU a handful of times already this spring. He already has an official visit set to Oklahoma in June — as well as one to Texas Tech — and he’s been to Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and TCU this spring. But OU has really made a push for the Houston area’s top defensive lineman; he has connected well not only with the coaches but also the guys on the current roster. They’ve really shown him they have faith in what Venables is doing.”
4-star DL Nigel Smith
School: Melissa (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 88
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 83.2%, Texas A&M 3.5%, Ohio State 3.0%, Texas 2.1%
Spiegelman’s Take: “Oklahoma has been in contention with Nigel Smith since Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch were recruiting him before they went to USC. Brent Venables, Miguel Chavis and Todd Bates picked up right where they left off. Smith has been a frequent visitor at OU, along with Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Penn State. But he has always had a soft spot in his heart for Norman. He loves the defensive-minded approach by the Sooners’ staff and that has really resonated with him.”