As Oklahoma spring practice has been halted by the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, SoonerScoop.com looks back to January interviews with the 11 mid-year enrollees from OU’s 2020 class and their thoughts as they were arriving for the semester.

Welcome to OU – DT Perrion Winfrey.

You could make a lot of valid arguments about who was the most important defensive recruit for the 2020 class, but it’s tough to surpass what Winfrey meant to Alex Grinch and Calvin Thibodeaux.

What you have to remember is that when Winfrey made his decision, there was no proof of concept whatsoever that #SpeedD was going to work, that Grinch and company were going to be able to figure things out.

When OU made the offer, it felt like it would be one of those familiar stories of either OU factoring in early before fading out late or coming in that dreaded No. 2 spot.

But Winfrey shocked the coaches, especially Thibodeaux, when it came to communicating about the offer.

“Honestly, as soon as they offered me, they were No. 1 on my list,” Winfrey said. “Coach Thibodeaux thought I was joking, but I was like, no, for real, you’re No. 1.”

That shock carried over to after his commitment because even though Winfrey said he was locked with the Sooners, it was hard to imagine OU winning the ongoing battles that would go down against some of the other elite defensive schools.

Except those battles never came as Winfrey remained as solid as solid can be and signed without any drama at all.

“When they were talking to me, I could tell they knew what they were talking about,” Winfrey said. “They had a plan right from the jump. And playing under the Coach Grinch system and getting in the backfield, I love it. That’s something every defensive lineman wants to do.”

Just like that, OU had the signature of the No. 6 overall junior college prospect for 2020 and needed it with all three primary tackles graduating (Neville Gallimore, Dillon Faamatau, Marquise Overton).

Oddly enough, it wasn’t the tackles that helped persuade Winfrey to Norman. It was a defensive end in Ronnie Perkins.

“One of my homies in juco is friends with Ronnie,” Winfrey said. “The way they’ve developed Ronnie. I love it.”

Perkins is No. 7, and that’s one big reason why Winfrey decided to go with No. 8 because they’re going to build that chemistry, on and off the field.

There’s something about if you can be a member of the defense that gets things going and ultimately leads to the eighth national championship.

“This was a business decision,” Winfrey said. “With five senior defensive linemen, I knew I’d get a chance immediately. And we have dogs here, a lot of dogs on the defensive line. I want to come in and fit right away and show everybody what I can do.”

Winfrey said Alabama would have been the choice if he didn’t pick the Sooners. Hard to envision any defensive recruit saying that in the last five years or so. That’s the difference Grinch wants to make, and that’s the difference Winfrey is hoping he can help make.

“I fell in love with the coaches, and they let me know right from the jump how it was going to be. I know fake love. They kept it 100.”

Winfrey will be a junior this season and does have a redshirt season available to him.