The journey didn’t feel that long or have an absurd amount of twists and turns, but it was a process for Oklahoma to land its No. 1 quarterback target for the 2021 class.
That process came to its conclusion when Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian quarterback Brock Vandagriff made his commitment to the Sooners on Thursday.
Vandagriff, ranked No. 1 overall in the Rivals 100 for the 2021 class released earlier this week, becomes the earliest quarterback commitment for head coach Lincoln Riley.
Because Riley is head coach, it means he is unable to be on the road for the spring evaluation period. He admitted last month that has changed his agenda for January during the three-week period when head coaches are able to travel the country.
In that time window, Riley made the offer to Vandagriff on Jan. 29. At the time, it was the only quarterback offer by the Sooners for the 2021 class. Nearly five months later, and the fact hasn’t changed. And now? It shouldn’t.
Even though it became readily apparent what Riley and OU were thinking for the 2021 quarterback spot, it was going to understandably be some time for Vandagriff to figure things out.
Expected to be a top prospect, Vandagriff has lived up to that billing in multiple all-star camp events, and the battle was on.
One thing is for sure was Vandagriff and his family were not afraid to travel. Included in that was an early-April trip to Norman as the Sooners were a week away from their spring game.
Riley and the Sooners made a huge impression on Vandagriff, but his tour would continue. Between the months of February to April, it included stops at Auburn, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and multiple trips to Florida.
Then it came time for camp season, and this was going to be the real sign about how serious OU fans could take Vandagriff’s interest. An unofficial visit for a tour for an out of region prospect is nice, no doubt, but a second trip to workout in a camp setting is something even bigger.
Vandagriff did just that in Norman, but first, it was another trip to Gainesville. A few days following Gators camp, he released a top six with OU obviously making the cut.
Riley never got the chance to evaluate Vandagriff during the spring period, but all eyes were on Vandagriff less than two weeks ago in Norman.
Not only was it hands-on training from Riley, but also from OU quarterback Jalen Hurts. With everybody expecting a show, Vandagriff didn’t disappoint, putting on a show and making all the throws.
Vandagriff had been pretty consistent in saying he was going to be patient in making his trip, but there was a strong sentiment that second trip to Norman might have been the last one necessary.
The euphoria never went away. The two sides found their perfect fit, and now the Sooners have the anchor for their 2021 class, who just also happens to be the No. 1 recruit in the country.
