Semper-Fi Sooners
The Commitments
Heading into Sunday’s Semper-Fi All-American Bowl there is an absolutely loaded roster of players either committed to Oklahoma or seriously considering the Sooners. Below we take a look at some of the key names, including a number of which SoonerScoop.com’s staff will be getting it’s first look at over the weekend.
Unlike many of his peers Austin Kendall hasn't been at home for the past month after spending mid-December at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas - where he took home MVP honors. Kendall, at the time of his commitment to Oklahoma, was among the top 30 players in the country but has fallen in those rankings since. If the Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson star can follow up his Shrine Bowl work with another big week he could find himself headed back in the right direction.
Another Sooner pledge that was busy well into December is Waco (Texas) La Vega cornerback Parrish Cobb. The newly minted Rivals250 member helped La Vega to their first ever state championship thanks to some late game heroics from Cobb. He dominated the camp scene last spring so this level of competition won't be new to him but if he can keep his big plays going perhaps he could sneak into the top 100?
One player who is going to be one of the most interesting prospects to watch through the week, and during the game itself, is Oklahoma's longest commitment Jon-Michael Terry of Tulsa (Okla.) Victory Christian. Terry is a 3A product from the state and as such will be seeing a step up in the talent around him, rarely facing FBS caliber prospects. Seeing Terry against such athletes will provide some insight into just how early he will be ready to help the Sooners at a linebacker position that will have lost every current starter by mid-January of 2017.
Joining him in that future linebacker corps is Rivals250 member Bryce Youngquist of Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) Los Osos. The highly athletic linebacker will have to shake off some rust but his ability to close in space and make plays on the edge could make him a player that shines in the game itself.
The Targets
As much as any position remaining in Oklahoma's 2016 recruiting the defensive line is where there are still plenty of questions about how things might play out. Not only is Rivals250 defensive tackle commitment Chris Daniels still planning to take official visits but the Sooners are still awaiting their fate with a pair of Semper Fi defensive linemen.
One of those players is fellow Rivals250 member Amani Bledsoe. The Lawrence, Kan. native visited Oklahoma over two months ago but has always seemed to have the Sooners near the top of his list - alongside hometown Kansas. The big defensive lineman said earlier this week that he wants to decide 'real soon'.
Joining him on the West roster is fellow former Sooner official visitor Marcel Southall of Duncanville, Texas. Southall has already stated, during Semper-Fi check-in, that he would like to take three more official visits before announcing his decision but many have Oklahoma considerably out in front following a very strong official visit for the TCU visit weekend.
Notes:
*Joining the six Sooner targets in Southern California will be a pair of talented in-state prospects, Lexington offensive lineman, and Oklahoma State commitment, Tyler Brown along with Del City quarterback, and Oregon commitment, Terry Wilson.
Brown has a chance to show himself against elite competition for the first time since he burst onto the recruiting scene last spring. Meanwhile Wilson has a chance to build on the best performance of his career - a seven touchdown spectacle against eventual 5A state semi-finalist Bishop McGuinness in the last game of his high school career.