Who are the Future Sooners?
The Sooner Scoop – March 1, 2024
Attention Ladies and Gentleman, I have an urgent and breaking Sooners news story!
As ever, we’ll start a visit weekend with the visitor list and Oklahoma is hosting some really strong ones for their first junior day visit.
One of the big new offers in recent weeks went to Dacula (Ga.) Mill Creek linebacker Luke Metz. The Sooners hosted Metz on Feb. 3 and he raved about his time in Norman. Unlike others in the past Metz seemed to carry no hard feeling about not collecting an offer during his trip. He preached patience, and that paid off when he was offered a week ago.
When speaking to Metz, he was honest about Oklahoma being a school he’d always dreamed of playing for. That interest was largely built around one player.
“I remember watching Baker Mayfield,” Metz said. “It’s really always been Oklahoma and Alabama just because of [Nick] Saban (for me).”
The home state Bulldogs are always under consideration but the defending national champions are competing with Georgia for his next visit.
“I’m going to see Georgia on the March 16 but might cancel it so I can go visit Michigan,” he said.
We’ll see where things go for Metz but his relationship with Zac Alley can’t be overlooked and the Sooners are in a good early position.
2026 Quarterback Situation Heating Up
Scoop’s buddy Josh talked on Wednesday about the situation regarding 2026 quarterback recruiting. But one player who hasn’t received much notoriety so far will be making his way to Norman shortly. That player is Faizon Brandon, the quarterback offer from Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley.
Brandon will be in town for Brent Venables‘s third spring game.
“I’m coming April 20,” Brandon said.
Not surprisingly he is another who has been getting to know offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and the Sooners and has come away with a strong early impression.
“He is a good guy and I have been building a good relationship with him,” he explained.
Brandon joins a strong list of 2026 quarterbacks that Littrell and co. are giving serious attention to.
Sooners Visit List About to Start Heating Up Again
It’s been a quiet few weeks with no visits happening and now the Sooners are ready for a month of March that should be incredibly busy. Let’s take a look at where things are with the March 9 ‘Future Freaks’ weekend.
A quick note, the Sooners will no longer be hosting Legend Bey and Markel Ford on March 9. Due to a change in a track meet’s schedule they will be busy on March 9. Instead they’ll join their fellow Mesquite (Texas) Horn teammate Lamont Rogers on March 11.
2025
Zay Gentry – CB – McKinney, Texas – OU Offer
2026
Jonathan Hatton – RB – Cibolo (Texas) Steele – TOP 50 – OU COMMIT
Kaydin Jones – RB – Jenks, Okla. – OU Offer
Ryelan Morris – RB – Honey Grove, Texas – OU Offer
Javian Osborne – RB – Forney, Texas – OU Offer
Dequane Prevo – WR – Texarkana (Texas) Libety-Eylau – TOP 100 – OU Offer
Joshua Rushing – WR – Lawton (Okla.) MacArthur
Quincy Shelton – WR – Hugo, Okla.
Drew Evers – OL – Flower Mound, Texas – OU Offer
Zaden Krempin – OL – Prosper, Texas – OU Offer
Dutch Horisk – DL – Riverside (Calif.) St. John Bosco
Adam Auston – S – Lawton (Okla.) MacArthur
Semaj Stanford – S – Jenks, Okla.
Isaiah Williams – S – Missouri City (Texas) Ft. Bend Marshall – OU Offer
Zachery Turner – ATH – Duncanville, Texas – OU Offer
Predicting Oklahoma’s 2025 Class
OK, it’s time for Josh’s latest predictions for the class of 2025. For those unfamiliar every year on the first Friday of each month, I (Josh) invade Scoop’s personal space to predict what players could fill out the Oklahoma’s ongoing recruiting class.
Right now Oklahoma has 82 players on scholarship. Among those 82, they have 18 seniors currently on the roster, and as a sign that things are starting to return to normal only one player currently expected on the 2024 roster still has the use of a Covid year – Shane Whitter.
Obviously there are going to also be departures either via NFL draft, transfer, or any of 1,000 other reasons than ever before.
With that in mind, along with other bits of information with where the new staff plans to go, Scoop and I have been working under the thought of the Sooners signing somewhere close to 24 total in the 2025 class.
The number is always tricky to guess but in this era, thanks to the few remaining ‘Covid year’ players and the transfer portal, it’s been nearly impossible.
Additionally, a level of confidence will be listed with each of the selections and finally a prediction of who will be the next Sooner pledge. Finally the numbers next to each position are how many I expect OU to sign at each position – though that’s still a work in progress with the portal and the staff still sorting itself out.
Now you can guarantee this list won’t be what it looks like next month as Oklahoma is still offering players they didn’t know of just a few weeks ago so how could I know their level of interest?
And, yes my excuses have already begun…
Players on Last Month’s List Who Aren’t There This Month: Blake Cherry, C.J. Jimcoily, Isaiah Mozee
What I Got Right Last Month: N/A
What I Got Wrong Last Month: Deondrae ‘Tiger’ Riden
Quarterback (1)
Kevin Sperry – COMMITTED
Running Back (1)
Tory Blaylock – Level of Confidence: 55%
Blaylock has already spent a lot of time around Norman and it seems clear that the Sooners have cause for optimism here. His bond with the coaching staff, notably Demarco Murray, and the role he could have in the offense seem to be key factors.
Wide Receiver (4)
Emmanuel Choice – Level of Confidence: 40%
Choice is one that the Sooners have put a lot of emphasis on since early on in his recruitment. The bond that Oklahoma has around Lancaster via Emmett Jones is going to make them tough to beat here. It’s not a certainty but there is plenty to like.
Gracen Harris – COMMITTED
Jaden Nickens – COMMITTED
Elijah Thomas – COMMITTED
Tight End/Hback (2)
Nate Roberts – Level of Confidence: 45%
Without question one of the big battles the Sooners seem to have on their hands right now. Ohio State is throwing just about every thing they can think of at Roberts at the moment. That said, the Sooners have aided their chances with the hiring of Seth Littrell as that’s a relationship of value to the Roberts family. It’s not going to be as easy as some may have hoped but Oklahoma still has plenty to like here.
Trynae Washington – COMMITTED
Offensive Line (5)
Michael Fasusi – Level of Confidence: 30%
One of the most important recruiting battles that Oklahoma will take part in this year is Fasusi. The Sooners have made him a priority from early on and it’s rare to have such an elite offensive tackle talent at such a close distance. Fasusi seems heavy on the Sooners but there’s a long way to go in this pursuit.
Marcus Garcia – Level of Confidence: 25%
Garcia, Haywood’s teammate at Ryan, is a player with a lot of connections to the Sooners. Not surprisingly he’s got a lot of love for Oklahoma, a program he has called his ‘dream school’.
Ryan Fodje – COMMITTED
Ty Haywood – Level of Confidence: 25%
Almost the exact same that was said of Fasusi could be said of Haywood. He’s a huge piece and has made no attempt to hide his affinity for Bill Bedenbaugh and the Sooners. But just like Fasusi in battles this big the path can be hard to see.
Owen Hollenbeck – COMMITTED
Defensive Tackle (2)
Ka’Mori Moore – COMMITTED
Trajen Odom – Level of Confidence: 20%
Oklahoma’s staff has a lot of connection, and familiarity, in North Carolina and Odom is one that could make a lot of sense. Just keep an eye on this as they might get a real foothold going forward.
EDGE (3)
Max Granville – Level of Confidence: 45%
Granville is a player that has been to Norman frequently since last summer and has clearly been made a focus of the Sooners. That attention has been well received and something that could push Oklahoma ahead in time.
C.J. Nickson – Level of Confidence: 70%
Nickson is a player I’ve got a prediction in for and just continue to feel like the Sooners are clearly the most likely option. He has a strong relationship with Miguel Chavis and that and his family’s proximity will be tough to overcome.
Alex Shieldnight – COMMITTED
Linebacker (3)
Marcus James – COMMITTED
Dawson Merritt – Level of Confidence: 20%
The Sooners have impressed him early on and Zac Alley’s role could see that grow. Beyond that, Oklahoma has had tremendous success in Kansas. He’ll finally be in Norman this spring and that should tell us much more about the future.
Cameron White – Level of Confidence: 30%
White remains on the list and this month should show much of that wisdom. He has been expected to make a trip in a few weeks time. If that happens the Sooners could make a move. Another name to watch at the position undoubtedly should be Luke Metz, who was discussed above.
Cornerback (2)
Trystan Haynes – Level of Confidence: 45%
Haynes has three teammates already on this list, it’s not hard to imagine him becoming the next Carl Albert Sooners commitment. However, it’s not a sure thing either – he has been quite patient so far.
Cobey Sellers – Level of Confidence: 65% – NEXT COMMIT
Sellers remains a guy that Jay Valai has made a strong run at. The Sooners assistant has built a considerable connection with not only Sellers himself but his entire family. There’s plenty to like in this situation.
Safety (2)
Omarion Robinson – Level of Confidence: 45%
As we’re previously reported, Robinson has a real affection for the Sooners and this may come down to another key safety battle between the Sooners and Oregon. At this point, it’s tough to bet against Brandon Hall who has done an exemplary job building the position through recruiting high-end talent.
Jonah Williams – Level of Confidence: 55%
Williams would be one of the real foundational pieces of this class if they can reel him in. He’s got a strong bond with Hall and the Sooners are in as strong a spot as anyone. But this one definitely feels like it could be a good old fashioned Red River recruiting battle. Williams’s process got more interesting with the flow of predictions seeming to give him some pause. Still though Oklahoma’s presence in his recruitment looms large.
Athlete (0)
N/A
Special Teams (0)
N/A
