7/17/2021 football Edit

Finley's Room Gets Better

Bob Przybylo • OUInsider

Staff Writer

A lot of the attention for this weekend is on Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class. And rightfully so, but the 2022 class is still rolling right along.

The #ChampU22 group added another with Bellevue (Neb.) West tight end Kaden Helms picking the Sooners on Saturday evening.

OU was able to win the battle against North Carolina, Miami and Arizona State, among others to secure its second tight end commitment for the class.

Once the offer was made, it became a question about whether Helms could make it to campus. First-year tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley was going to have a great shot as long as Helms would see Norman. That happened last month at the ChampUBBQ event, and it felt like OU closed the show and the countdown was on.

Finley’s room is talented, but it’s not very deep. A lot of things would have to happen, but there’s an argument to be made that OU could lose all three of its tight end/H-Back guys in Jeremiah Hall, Brayden Willis, and Austin Stogner following the 2021 season. The trio will at least have the option.

Adding to the room was imperative for 2022 and give credit to Finley for making it5 happen. It started in February with Aledo (Texas) High’s Jason Llewelyn. And even after he committed, everybody knew the Sooners were still eyeing a second one.

Helms quickly became that guy, and with good reason, too. At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, he’s another massive target that head coach Lincoln Riley can get creative with.

It’s not often OU can go into the state of Nebraska, but the Sooners were able to do that here with Helms being ranked fourth in the state.

It was a twofer day for the Sooners. The fun started in the afternoon when Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian athlete Treyaun Webb became the first member of OU’s 2023 class, and now Helms keeps the 2022 group moving up.

Helms is the sixth commitment for the 2022 class since in the last two weeks. Webb was the first for 2023, and OU is hoping for No. 2 on Sunday when Los Alamitos (Calif.) High five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson makes his choice.