OU's Top 10 DT Signees of Rivals Era

Even though the Sooners haven't signed a defensive tackle since Neville Gallimore and Marquise Overton in the class of 2015, Oklahoma is still the proud owner of an illustrious list of interior defensive linemen to come through Norman. It's a list that could grower even larger with their pursuit of Houston (Texas) Episcopal five-star Marvin Wilson - the number one player in the class of 2017.

Oklahoma's prowess at recruiting this position under Bob Stoops dates back to pre-2002, when the Sooners signed the top defensive tackle in Texas after winning a national title in 2000 - eventual two-time first team All-American, Lombardi Award winner, and No. 14 overall pick, Tommie Harris. Multiple five-star tackles have signed with OU since and, as mentioned before, they are attempting to add a third this year in Wilson. In 2011, Oklahoma signed three defensive tackle recruits all ranked in the top 150 overall in the country - the only time the Sooners have signed three four-stars at the position in a single class.

Below, the 10 highest ranked high school defensive tackle Sooner signees since 2002 are listed in exact order of their Rivals.com rankings and excludes all prep school or JUCO prospects. It also excludes former Dallas (Texas) Skyline OU commitment Kerrick Huggins, who ended up signing with Trinity Valley Community College.

The aforementioned Overton, who just played in eight games and tallied a sack as a true freshman in 2015, barely missed the cut after being ranked 217th overall out of Jenks.

Breakdown: If you consider where Humphrey began his recruitment, it really is amazing that he is on this list. Heading into his final year of high school, no one had heard of the private school product, but after his senior tape made the rounds - offers began to roll in for Humphrey, who was his team's leading scorer three weeks into the season with three fumbles returned for touchdowns. Humphrey not only earned a four-star distinction, but catapulted into the final Rivals250. The Sooner signee couldn't bloom in Norman, however, and transferred to Sam Houston State after not playing in his redshirt freshman season.

Breakdown: Even though his geriatric former high school classmate P.L. Lindley has graduated, Wade is still doing yeoman's work on the interior defensive line for the Sooners in 2016, due to the year he missed between his senior year of high school and beginning at OU. Wade already has 31 career games under his belt and is the senior member of a deep tackle unit at Oklahoma that includes fellow upperclassman Matthew Romar and young talents like Overton, Gallimore, and Du'Vonta Lampkin. The former Stony Point standout will always be seen as an effective Sooner, but has one final season to leave a more special legacy in Norman.

Breakdown: Anderson was a part of the special 2011 class that included three of the top 15 ranked defensive tackles in the country signing with Jackie Shipp and Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Anderson couldn't find success like the rest of that group, and transferred to Navarro Junior College after recording five tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack in his redshirt freshman season.

Breakdown: McGee was a key cog in one of the great Muskogee teams of all-time that also included quarterback Rell Lewis and wide receiver Jameel Owens. When Owens and McGee committed to the Sooners, it was a major in-state coups for the Oklahoma coaching staff. While he never ascended to superstar status while in Norman, McGee stuck it out through his senior year, started 15 games during his career, and was ultimately drafted in the sixth round by the Oakland Raiders in 2013. The former Rougher is still cashing checks - starting four games and playing in all 16 for Oakland a year ago.

Breakdown: Earning the rare distinction of a Canadian All-American in 2015, Gallimore is a rare athlete that can still be explosive carrying a 300-pound frame. Oklahoma earned the signature of the Ontario product over basically every top program in college football and Sooner fans are hoping to see him in action this season after he redshirted a year ago.

Breakdown: The tallest defensive tackle to make the list, Phillips was truly a unique talent coming out of Towanda (Kan.) Circle, where he was also his team's top offensive threat and punter. Being a 300-pounder who can do back flips is a quick way to get yourself ranked as a top 50 prospect, it was just a matter of focus and putting it all together for Phillips. Once "the light went on" for the behemoth, he was a massive disrupting force in the new three-man front for Oklahoma's defense under Mike Stoops. The Miami Dolphins took notice and drafted Phillips, who left as a redshirt junior, in the second round of the 2015 draft to place him next to Ndamukung Suh on their defensive front.

Breakdown: McFarland was the focus of the recruiting world after a bitter, bizarre battle between Oklahoma and Texas. It was a story whose sexy details ultimately found their way on The New York Times. In the end, the longtime Longhorn lean said 'ménage-à-nah' to Texas and 'yes' to the Sooners. The expectations that the Lufkin product would be the next Tommie Harris or Gerald McCoy probably caused the perception that the former No. 36 overall player was a disappointment in Norman. However, McFarland was productive from the second he stepped on campus and finished his senior year tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. After a brief stint with San Diego Chargers, McFarland is now a graduate assistant on the Oklahoma football staff.

Breakdown: One of the beautiful things about the story of Lawrence "Moe" Dampeer is the positive feelings his name still elicits after all these years, despite his on-field performance never living up to his high school ranking. Even though his weight remained a constant struggle during his short time in Norman, Dampeer could still be seen waving towels and dancing on the sidelines. When Moe did find his way into a game, he left an indelible mark by nabbing an interception and trudging through all 31 return yards to the raucous Oklahoma Memorial Stadium faithful. After his redshirt freshman season, Dampeer transferred to Northwest Missouri State.

Breakdown: 11 years ago, Granger became the first ever five-star defensive tackle to sign with Oklahoma. After exploding for a total of 12.5 tackles for loss in his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons, the former Dallas (Texas) Kimball star was primed to be a key part of the Sooners' loaded 2008 squad. However, just three games into his junior season, Granger suffered a serious back injury against Washington and was sadly never the same since. A cup of tea with the Seahawks in 2010 was the end of the road for the former No. 1 overall defensive tackle in the country.

Breakdown: This has to be a welcome sight for Sooner fans to see a successful, homegrown, five-star topping the list. McCoy cites SoonerScoop's very own Josh McCuistion as the "the man who helped spread the word about a chubby kid on the Southside of OKC who liked to play football." However, even Josh would admit that the former 6-foot-4, 305-pound Southeast High School product's work ethic, raw talent, and freakish highlight tape might have also had something to do with it. After fending off schools from coast-to-coast like Miami and USC during his recruitment, Oklahoma signed a future star that would become one of the top defensive linemen in school history. During McCoy's three seasons on the football field in Norman he would become the Big 12's Defensive Freshman of the Year, a two-time All-Big 12 first team member, a two-time All-American, a Lombardi Award finalist, and an eventual No. 3 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010, becoming the highest OU defender selected since 1986. After struggling with injuries early in his professional career, the former Sooner has now made four-consecutive Pro Bowls after recording 8.5 sacks in 15 games a year ago.

This was a group not dissimilar to the list of top 10 wide receiver signees, which included three NFL draft picks:

- Sterling Shepard (2nd round - 40 overall)

- Malcolm Kelly (2nd round - 51 overall)

- Kenny Stills (5th round - 144 overall)

The defensive tackle signees list also contained three NFL selections with similar deviations:

- Gerald McCoy (1st round - 3 overall)

- Jordan Phillips (2nd round - 52 overall)

- Stacy McGee (6th round - 205 overall)