Sooners Offers Ready to Shine
ATLANTA - As the Rivals.com 5-Star Challenge gets ready to kickoff with players arriving on Monday morning it's time to take a look at just what players Oklahoma football fans need to be aware of. The Sooners are looking at roughly 16 prospects of those in attendance but with so many to focus on we've put them in orders of likelihood. Take a look as we start from a five-star commitment and work our way to some other five-stars who have faded a bit with Oklahoma.
Commitments
The Story: This one isn't hard to understand as it's Vandagriff's first showing since picking the Sooners just a few days ago.
What We'll be Watching For: On occasion these types of settings have seemed a little big for elite quarterbacks, how will Vandagriff handle the nation's elite talent all around him?
Strong Chances
The Story: Covington was once thought to be a near certainty to be part of Oklahoma's class but the more time that passes since his spring game official visit momentum seems to wane.
What We'll be Watching For: Covington is a guy that, during the Los Angeles RCS, seemed like a near perfect fit for Oklahoma thanks to his great frame and ability to play corner. Could he be a guy that can truly play cornerback?
The Story: Foster is among the nation's top guards and figures to only move up over the course of the next 18 months. He is a physical guard that seems to fit Bill Bedenbaugh near perfectly.
What We'll be Watching For: Foster is physical, likes to finish, and has a great frame. The question, some, will have is how he'll handle some of the interior athletic pass rushers.
The Story: Washington is nearing a decision that has come down to familiar foes, Oklahoma and Texas. He'll announce on July 4 and the Sooners came into his Texas visit weekend looking to be the leader, now that it's over - do they still?
What We'll be Watching For: Washington is a high-end safety target that we want to watch play in space against some of the speedier smaller receivers. There's no question he can be physical but what kind of work can he do when he gets left on an island?
Possibilities
The Story: Dumervil was once thought to be an Oklahoma lean and seemed to love his Norman trip. However, since then he has taken other visits with no overall strong feeling about his future home.
What We'll be Watching For: Dumervil is a guy with impressive tape but doesn't have all the elite offers you might expect at a place like St. Thomas Aquinas, why?
The Story: A few months ago Oklahoma seemed like a distant contender for Eaton but as time has gone on the Sooners have continued to push toward the front of his list. This weekend's unofficial visit was a good sign for that movement.
What We'll be Watching For: Eaton is a long and lean corner, there is no question he can handle a lot of vertical work but how will he work with change of direction some of the smaller receivers?
The Story: Grimes visited Oklahoma over the weekend and we're anxious to hear what he had to say about his time in Norman. Could the Sooners land only their second Virginia target in the Rivals era (2002 and beyond).
What We'll be Watching For: Grimes is one of the nation's elite young corners, how will he hold up against some of the nation's best?
The Story: Jackson is a guy that Oklahoma has been high on for some time but so far there hasn't been a lot of reciprocation since an in-season visit in 2017.
What We'll be Watching For: Jackson is a player whose frame looks like a guard but he moves like a tackle - what is his best future?
The Story: Van Pran took an official to Oklahoma for the spring game and has seemed high on the Sooners all along. However, there is a lot of talk that Georgia and LSU are going to be near impossible to beat.
What We'll be Watching For: Van Pran is a technician on the offensive line, just doing a great job of using his feet and having the base to stand up to anyone. Can anyone consistently get the better of him?
Longshot
The Story: Evans, who may or may not even show up for the event, has listed Oklahoma in his top five but hasn't been in over a year.
What We'll be Watching For: If Evans chooses to show up and if he does, will he work out?
The Story: Flowe talked a lot about Oklahoma early on but things never seemed to come together after the staff changes - in spite of him talking about a trip for some time well past those changes.
What We'll be Watching For: Flowe is one of the elite middle linebackers in recent memory, but can tend to get a bit grabby - where is he in pass coverage at this point?
The Story: Gilbert continues to talk about Oklahoma and has already made an unofficial visit to Norman. That being said, it's a tough hill to see the Sooners climbing.
What We'll be Watching For: Gilbert has a chance to be ranked as one of the more elite tight ends in the Rivals.com era, can he dominate in the same city as O.J. Howard once did?
The Story: Ringo was all in on the hiring of Alex Grinch but since a few trips were canceled at the last second there has been little activity between he and the Sooners.
What We'll be Watching For: Ringo is in the conversation for the nation's No. 1, can he dominate to the level he needs to?
The Story: Robinson and Oklahoma have been a quiet situation for a while but it has always felt like something that could be rekindled.
What We'll be Watching For: Robinson is an explosive back with dangerous open field ability, just how special can be be as a receiver out of the backfield?
The Story: Webb has repeatedly felt like a longshot for the Sooners but he keeps talking about them and says he'll visit soon.
What We'll be Watching For: Webb was good, not great, at the Atlanta RCS, how can he handle some of the edge rush drills?