It’s time for Oklahoma recruiting to get serious. Like, for real serious. Lame puns aside, OU fans have been waiting for #TheSerious3 recruiting trio to start coming together ever since the coaching staff went on a social media blitz about it last month.

Who is it? Just how big are these names? The first piece to that puzzle was revealed as Plant City (Fla.) High five-star wide receiver Mario Williams announced his commitment to the Sooners on Friday.

Williams went from No. 16 in the Rivals 100 to No. 12 and a newly-minted five-star in this week’s update. And now? He becomes OU’s highest-ranked commitment for the 2021 class.

Well, at least for now.

That’s how important Williams is to #LincUp21. The last several weeks have seen the Sooners on the sidelines, planting the seeds all the while watching other school rack up pledge after pledge.

Clearly, there was no reason to panic but staying patient can be even tougher during this coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic era of recruiting.

Head coach Lincoln Riley bided his time, and it feels like the Sooners are ready to strike. And if you follow OU recruiting closely enough, then you know Mario Williams shouldn’t be the only five-star headed to Norman here in the upcoming weeks and months.

Williams has been a huge OU target for a long time. From the beginning, it has been clear that OU would be there until the end. What only started to become more into focus lately is that the Sooners weren’t just contenders for Williams, but were the most likely destination.

OU rolled with the punches with Williams as other schools came into the picture and then fell out of the picture. Riley and company remained steady and never stepped back.

The addition of Williams gives OU two receivers in the Rivals 250, joining Richmond (Texas) Foster’s Cody Jackson. OU is not done yet at receiver and shouldn’t be done in the state of Florida.

The question around OU recruiting circles was simply which domino was going to get the ball rolling? The Sooners feel like they’re in a great position for five-star quarterback Caleb Williams and on solid ground with five-star running back Camar Wheaton and offensive guard Bryce Foster.

Someone needed to jump, and it turns out Mario Williams was ready to take the lead. Just one commitment, and OU has moved up 20 spots in Rivals rankings.

All those fans who were getting irritated watching other programs make their run, you can officially relax. Williams coming onboard lets you know it’s about time for OU to make its own mark.