Sooners targets in 2023 Rivals 250
Wrapping things up for the 2022 class for Oklahoma and the incredible job first-year head coach Brent Venables and staff to keep things going in an upward trajectory.
Now the Sooners will be attempting to build off that into the 2023 class where OU already has four commitments and one in the newly released Rivals 250.
Here’s a look at some members of the Rivals 250 who certainly could be members of the Sooners class going down the road.
This is not all the Rivals 250 recruits offered by OU, but a snapshot of some of the names to already be paying attention about 10 months until the early signing period.
*Listed in ranking order
Allen (Texas) High DE David Hicks
Early word? There’s a lot of rightful talk about Venables and staff ignoring star rankings, but Hicks is the best of everything. Highly ranked and someone who the staff believes brings everything to the table, on and off the field. OU appears to be the clear favorite right now. The only question is whether that can last in the months ahead?
Washington D.C. Archbishop Carroll ATH Nyckoles Harbor
Early word? Harbor definitely had a great connection with the previous staff, but there is enough there to keep OU in it. Now from there, it’s going to be up to Venables and company. Harbor’s track performances have made him an even bigger commodity in recruiting, and there’s no doubt this one won’t be easy.
Denton (Texas) Ryan ILB Anthony Hill
Early word? OU easily made his top six earlier this week, and it feels safe to say OU would make a top three for Hill at this point. The staff has done a great job of making him a priority, and Hill has been incredibly receptive to what the new staff is offering. The Sooners are going to be in Denton a lot here going forward, and Hill is a big reason why.
Arlington (Texas) Martin CB Javien Toviano
Early word? The Brayden Willis tie-in can only go so far, but it definitely helped get OU’s foot in the door. With cornerbacks coach Jay Valai’s connection to the Dallas Metroplex, there are a lot of reasons to believe this is a big-time defensive back battle the Sooners can come out on top in the end.
Platte City (Mo.) Platte County DE Chadavian Bradley
Early word? Get a ready for another this won’t be easy to win, but it’s true. What’s also true is it is readily apparent Bradley loves OU and the Sooners are going to be a factor for a long time. There are other schools, namely Texas A&M, that are definitely going to make this something that won’t come easy.
Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North OT Cayden Green
Early word? If there’s an obvious commitment not from the state of Oklahoma, Green sounds like he would get the vote. Heck, SoonerScoop.com recruiting guru Josh McCuistion doesn’t just put in a Forecast to put in a Forecast. Green is expected to be at OU next month, and March is shaping up to be a month where OU makes some moves.
Longview (Texas) High WR Jalen Hale
Early word? At this point last year, this was a slam dunk. A lot has changed. Commitments, decommitments, coaching changes. It has been something. It doesn’t feel like OU has fallen out of favor with Hale, but we’ll see if the Sooners turn up the pressure and interest and what Hale’s response would be. A footprint in bEast Texas is always a good thing.
Denton (Texas) Guyer QB Jackson Arnold (OU commit)
Early word? The only commit in this list so far, but Arnold is a big one and a good one. Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby made the evaluation way back when at Ole Miss and jumped at offering Arnold when Lebby was official at OU. Arnold understands being the face of the class and is already starting to make his mark in recruiting other elite recruits.
Austin (Texas) Westlake WR Jaden Greathouse
Early word? Another common theme here is talking about some recruits where the previous staff had done a great job. Greathouse is in that category. He’s been to Norman a bunch and Oklahoma even more through his Team Griffin basketball connections. It’s been a while since we’ve really gotten a true idea of where Greathouse stands.
Denton (Texas) Guyer DB Peyton Bowen (Notre Dame commit)
Early word? The longer it goes, the more you wonder. Bowen, committed to Notre Dame, has felt like he’s been on flip watch for a while. He’s still solid to the Irish as of February, but no doubt Arnold will be in his ear often. No doubt the OU defensive staff loves what it sees from Bowen and will do what it can to make this flip happen.
Temple (Texas) High ATH Mikal Harrison-Pilot
Early word? OU was actually a little late here with Harrison-Pilot. Think there was a mindset of he would get the offer after camping at OU last June, but it didn’t happen. The Sooners eventually came around, though, and there just doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut leader, so OU should be able to get right back into the thick of things.
Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater RB Cedric Baxter
Early word? You get the sense Baxter is eagerly anticipating a visit to OU, but the Sooners are in a real good spot with a couple of running backs already in Tre Wisner and Derby (Kan.) High’s Dylan Edwards. It might not be a case of the two sides cooling on each other, but DeMarco Murray might already have his class locked up before Baxter can become a legitimate possibility.
Raytown (Mo.) High OT Logan Reichert
Early word? Going back to the recruitment of Dontae Manning (2020), you knew Reichert had the potential to blossom into something. He has done just that, and offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has been there every step of the way. Reichert was back at OU last month, and the Sooners are in a great spot heading into spring.
Odessa (Texas) Permian OG Harris Sewell
Early word? A couple of months ago, really loved where OU stood with Sewell. And it’s not like the Sooners have gone away, but it has gone quiet. Might not be a bad thing, but it would help (obviously) to get Sewell back to campus and have Bedenbaugh and Venables do what they do.
Waco (Texas) Connally RB Tre Wisner
Early word? If parents made decisions, then Wisner’s mother would have Tre already committed to the Sooners. Wisner has been on campus with Riley and Venables, and you can tell they felt a different sort of connection last month. Between Venables and Murray, they’re hitting the right notes with Wisner and just have to keep it up.
Los Alamitos (Calif.) High WR DeAndre Moore
Early word? Will anything happen here? A one-time commit, Moore backed away as the new staff hasn’t been as receptive. We know OU is his dream school. We know he stuck around after the coaching changes. Will the spring evaluation period change OU’s line of thinking? Moore and DeSoto (Texas) High’s Johntay Cook are two recruits who were extremely pumped about OU once upon a time. Does OU get back into the picture for either?
Danvers (Mass.) St. John’s Prep ATH Joenel Aguero
Early word? OU was all-in with Aguero when he was at IMG Academy. Assume nothing is going to change here, and he’s definitely shown a lot of OU interest on social media in recent months. Might be the biggest longshot in this list, but a lot can and will happen.
Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington ATH Micah Tease
Early word? Tease is enjoying the recruiting process, but OU has been there every step of the way. The Valai hiring only helped OU’s standing with Tease. You add Gentry Williams signing with the Sooners, and there doesn’t appear to be a warning sign at all in this recruitment. Keep on keeping on and doing things the right way.
Norman (Okla.) Community Christian DE Bai Jobe
Early word? It always felt like Jobe was on the cusp of being offered by the previous staff. That ended quickly after Venables was in charge, with Jobe being one of the first in-state offers. He was on campus for junior day last month and has exploded nationally with offers from Alabama and Georgia earlier this week following a big junior season.