The Sooners have finished with the 7th best class in the country, according to Rivals, their best finish since 2010, when they also came in 7th.
If this 2017 class can end up as good as the 2010 class, which included Tyrus Thompson, Kenny Stills, Troy Jefferson and others, then OU fans will be very happy.
Oklahoma has 29 recruits in this class, 16 of them are 4-star players. OU did lose its only 5-star in LB Jacob Phillips, but this class still has plenty to be proud of.
While it’s not like the old days, Oklahoma still focused on its region, with 9 players from Texas and 6 from Oklahoma, with only two from both Florida and California. Stoops praised this class on Wednesday saying, ““On paper, this might be one of the top two or three classes we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
The star of the Oklahoma Sooners 2017 recruiting class: RB Trey Sermon (Marietta, GA)
The whole word knows the Sooners have some big shoes to fill at running back. Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon are on their way to the NFL and Lincoln Riley is searching for his next backfield tandem. Abdul Adams is a front runner for one of those two spots after doing well in some spot duty last season. But, Trey Sermon is most likely to join him.
Sermon is the 10th ranked running back in the country (according to Rivals) and is already on campus to begin preparing for the college level. Sermon stayed with Oklahoma over tons of offers from SEC schools closer to home, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.
The best position group of the Oklahoma Sooners 2017 recruiting class: defensive back
There’s no doubt that this is a position the Sooners need all the help they can get. Well, they appear to have gotten it by bringing in three four-star (Tre Brown, Justin Broiles, and Robert Barnes) and one three-star (Tre Norwood) defensive backs.
In the pass-first Big 12, a team has to have a good secondary to succeed. Broiles is unique because he can play either cornerback or safety, while also playing some wide receiver in high school. He does need to put on some size (6′, 170), but OU beat out Alabama, Michigan, Texas and others to land him. Barnes follows his father’s footsteps to Norman, and has the ideal size (6’3”, 200) to step in right away and make an immediate impact at safety. With NFL scouts now looking for taller players in the secondary, Barnes has the ability to make it to the next level. He’s adept at playing against the run and the pass, while his football IQ and leadership skills are considered top notch.
Then there’s Brown, who reportedly didn’t decide between Oklahoma and Florida until 6:30 am on National Signing Day. Well, the Sooners are glad to have the Tulsa native staying in his home state, as he has elite speed and is expected to compete right away for playing time.
Also deserving credit for this group is defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks, who is quickly earning a reputation as an elite closer.
The Oklahoma Sooners 2017 recruiting class could use more depth at: defensive line
Frankly, it was hard to find a real “hole” in this recruiting class, but if I have to pick one, I’ll go with the defensive line.
The Sooners bring in 5 players on the defensive line, three defensive ends and two defensive tackles. But, Rivals lists only DE Isaiah Thomas as a 4-star player, with Zacchaeus McKinney, Tyreece Lott, K’Jakyre Daley and Troy James all 3-star players. It was obvious that the Sooners were looking to improve this position when they made a late push to try and land the top defensive tackle in America, Marvin Wilson (who signed with Florida State).
Last season, Oklahoma only brought in two recruits on the defensive line (Mark Jackson, Amani Bledsoe). So, this unit is a bit of a question mark.
But on defense, the Sooners strength is at linebacker with Obo Okoronkwo, Caleb Kelly, Rick DeBerry, and freshman such as Addison Gumbs. This unit may need to help carry the front 7 in 2017 as the new faces on the defensive line begin their respective learning curves.
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