On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: Oklahoma trending for WR Zion Kearney

Oklahoma’s picked up some steam on the recruiting trail lately and the Sooners are trending as the favorite to land a top prospect out of Texas.

Following recent industry updates, the Sooners are trending to land Missouri City (Texas) Hightower four-star wide receiver Zion Kearney. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) has the Sooners with an 81.7% chance to land Kearney’s commitment.

Kearney is the No. 58 overall prospect and No. 11 wide receiver in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 11 player in Texas.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound wideout announced a top six of Oklahoma, Nebraska, LSU, Arkansas, Texas A&M and Houston on Feb. 16.

Zion Kearney took his first trip to Norman in January and was back on campus over the weekend for the Sooners’ spring game. He was one of several blue-chip prospects in Norman for the Sooners’ spring game alongside Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star defensive lineman David Stone, Lindale (Texas) four-star interior offensive lineman Casey Poe and Melissa (Texas) four-star defensive lineman Nigel Smith II amongst others.

“That Air Raid offense coach (Jeff Lebby) showed me (stands out),” Kearney told Billy Embody of The Bengal Tiger on Feb. 20. “He’s down to earth and a man that knows what he wants.”

Oklahoma’s 2024 class coming together

Entering 2023 Oklahoma had no 2024 commitments. That’s drastically changed though over the last month and a half.

Queen Creek (Ariz.) Casteel four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe became Oklahoma’s first commitment in its 2024 class announcing his pledge to the Sooners on March 25.

Two weeks later the Sooners landed their quarterback commitment. McKinney (Texas) Frisco Emerson four-star quarterback Michael Hawkins announced his commitment to Oklahoma on April 8.

Over the last week Oklahoma landed commitments from Lewisville (Texas) four-star safety Jaydan Hardy, Fulton (Miss.) Itawamba Agricultural three-star defensive lineman Isaiah Autry and Franklinton (La.) three-star wide receiver Kelly Daniels.

With the success they’ve had during the spring, Brent Venables’ 2024 group currently ranks as the No. 17 class in the country and No. 10 in the SEC.

As much as they’ve had after the slow start, the Sooners still have quite a way to go to where they finished during the 2023 recruiting cycle.

Oklahoma wrapped up the 2023 cycle signing 26 players. That class finished as the No. 7 class in the country and No. 2 in the Big-12.

That group was headlined by three five-star prospects in quarterback Jackson Arnold, EDGE Adepoju Adebawore and safety Peyton Bowen.