Setting the table for signing day
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Waited all cycle, and here we are. Early signing day has arrived, and there are a lot of storylines to follow for Oklahoma throughout the next 24 hours. Let’s get to it.
McClellan out?
Start with what feels like bad news heading to the Sooners on Wednesday evening. Aledo (Texas) High running back Jase McClellan, who has been committed to OU since July 29, 2017, sure appears to be on his way toward flipping to Alabama.
McClellan, ranked No. 60 in the Rivals 100, had been the initial commit for the 2020 class and has been one half of a dynamite running back duo with Mesquite (Texas) Poteet’s Seth McGowan.
It’s a blow, no other way to say it. McClellan committed to OU way back when at the second #ChampUBBQ. To put that in perspective, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Jalen Redmond committed just hours after McClellan on that Saturday afternoon.
It remains to be seen whether the Sooners will chase a second running back for the class. It definitely feels like it’s gonna be too rush-rush for anything during this period, but you can’t rule out anything going down in February.
The signs started showing up late Monday night when OU coaches Lincoln Riley and Jay Boulware both unfollowed McClellan on social media, and Tuesday saw a wave of momentum for the Crimson Tide.
Grimes signing?
Before we talk about who could be added to the #20Deep class, one more item about the commitments for the Sooners.
Going to Tennessee on this one with Brentwood (Tenn.) defensive lineman Reggie Grimes. A Rivals 100 prospect, Grimes committed to OU on Thanksgiving.
Now the question looming is whether Grimes will sign Wednesday? There have been reports Grimes will not sign and will wait until February. If that’s the case, expect South Carolina to make another run at the four-star recruit.
And if he does wait, he could make OU history. In the initial two years of the early signing period, the Sooners have never had a commit not sign in December but then sign in February.
OU had two for 2018 (running back Tavion Thomas, wide receiver Treveon Johnson) who were committed but then didn’t end up with the 2018 class. All commits for the 2019 class signed early who were already previously committed.
It’s not unheard of if Grimes does indeed wait, but it’s obvious the Sooners have really wanted to lock up the class as quickly as possible.
Eaton going to wait?
The secondary is the spot to circle for the Sooners. And we’ll discuss other options later, but the curious one is Aldine (Texas) MacArthur defensive back Joshua Eaton.
Previously committed to Texas, it has appeared as though the Sooners have been in the driver’s seat for the four-star prospect for a while.
The OU staff visited Eaton last week, and it felt like another positive experience. But Eaton told Rivals on Sunday he doesn’t plan to sign because he wants to visit other schools in January.
So a couple of things. Will OU attempt to push for Eaton to sign? And if he doesn’t, will the Sooners still go all-in when the dead period ends in January?
There’s no question Roy Manning and Alex Grinch are looking to wrap things up. Will that include Eaton by the early period’s end?
Decisions, decisions
Staying in the secondary, there are two decisions expected to go down where the Sooners have to be feeling confident where they stand.
Lakeland (Fla.) High cornerback Kendall Dennis and Bakersfield (Calif.) CC safety Justin Harrington could be the Sooners’ biggest additions during the day.
Dennis, a high three-star prospect, is coming off an official visit to Florida State last weekend. But based off the last month or so, OU has gained steam and looks to be sitting pretty heading into his ESPNU announcement (12:15 CST).
Harrington checks all the boxes in terms of the immediate urgency for the Sooners at the safety position. This has turned into a Bedlam battle after Harrington’s trip to Oklahoma State, but OU should still be considered a strong favorite.
Surprise, surprise?
Heck, never discount it, right? Nobody saw Orlando Brown coming for the 2014 class. Nobody saw Ty DeArman flipping to OU last year, waking up believing he was going to sign with Arizona State.
Heading into the day, there doesn’t appear to be a huge surprise in the making. But then again, that’s why they call it a surprise, right?