Sooners Recruiting Update: Signing Day is nigh

OU continues to take a beating at the offensive line position with Aaron Cochran, Dwayne Young, Rami Hammad all off the board with no verbals to the Sooners.

However, new names continue to appear, and OU already received a visit from George Adeosun from Alpharetta, Ga. Adeosun is the definition of a high-quality sleeper. Adeosun didn’t start as a junior, he missed the summer camp circus and his film only became available in December. He has now racked up offers from Virginia, Arizona State, Tennessee, Georgia and Georgia Tech. He just visited ASU, and assuming that he does not make a late visit next week to one of the local schools, OU appears to be in decent shape with this excellent athlete.

OU also had a visit from Josh Outlaw. OU appears to be good shape here as well. Outlaw is a big-time OL talent and could play inside or outside at tackle.

The newest of the new names is JUCO offensive guard Dionte Savage, who has decided to commit to the Sooners. OU beat several other teams for his last official visit. Savage is a massive OG prospect at 6-6, 345. He probably needs to play at a weight closer to 320 to maximize his mobility. Savage will be a great addition for interior depth if Tyler Evans and Nila Kasitati have a hard time coming back from their knee injuries suffered last year.

The only other position in play is defensive back, and OU has two four-star targets left in L.J. Moore and Adrian Baker. L.J. Moore’s high school teammate Hatari Byrd certainly thinks that Moore is going to join him in Norman. Let’s hope Byrd knows something, but Moore won’t announce until Signing Day, and Oregon State is probably the other favorite. Baker won’t announce until signing day. Clemson got the last in-home coaching visit and is the presumed leader.

There’s no action at tight end at all or at linebacker. OU will stand pat on those positions and focus towards 2014 prospects instead.

Dominique Alexander is seeing a flurry of late recruiting activity with offers from KSU, Stanford and Nebraska in the last two weeks. Arkansas is pushing heavily to regain his commitment. So far, though, it looks like Alexander will stay with OU.

Verbal Update: OU adds three, no defections

*One of OU's latest verbals, as expected, was Matt Romar, defensive lineman from the Houston area. Romar had a very productive senior year moving inside to defensive tackle from playing defensive end as a junior. His speed inside was a mismatch for interior OL guys, so his highlight reel features a lot of playing behind the line of scrimmage.

At around 6-3, 270, Romar easily looks like he could carry 285 without losing any speed. At that size, Romar could play DE in a 3-4 look or play the 3-technique in a 4-3 defense (like Tommie Harris and now Henry Melton for the Chicago Bears). Romar also played some tailback for his high school. He’s a high three-star guy, but really his senior year film at DT looks more like a four-star DT. A good comparison would be that he’s a more athletic Corey Bennett (Sooner DT, 2005-2007).

*Oklahoma also picked up a pledge from defensive back Dakota Austin out of Lancaster, Texa, as well as JUCO OL Dionte Savage..

Verbal Commitments: 23
(Class size: 24 to 26)

D.J. Ward, DE
(6-4, 235, 4.6)

Hatari Byrd, DB
(6-2, 195, 4.55)

Matt Dimon, DE
(6-3, 255, 4.8)

Stanvon Taylor, CB
(5-11, 175, 4.4)

Cody Thomas, QB
(6-5, 220, 4.6)

Ahmad Thomas, SS
(6-0, 200, 4.5)

Matt Romar, DT
(6-3, 270, 4.75)

Charles Walker, DT
(6-4, 280, 4.8)

K.J. Young, WR
(6-1,180, 4.5)

Dannon Cavil, WR
(6-5, 205, 4.5)

Quincy Russell, DT
(6-4, 315)

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, DE/LB
(6-3, 220, 4.6)

Kerrick Hughes, DT
(6-4, 285, 4.9)

Jordan Smallwood, WR
(6-2, 195, 4.55)

Jordan Evans, LB/DE
(6-3, 210, 4.55)

Jed Barnett, Punter
(6-2, 210)

Christian Daimler, OL
(6-6, 280, 5.1)

Josiah St. John, OL
(6-6, 310, 5.2)

Dominique Alexander, LB/S
(6-2, 195, 4.5)

Austin Bennett, WR
(6-0, 170, 4.45)

Keith Ford, RB
(5-11, 200, 4.5)

Dakota Austin, DB
(5-11, 167, 4.5)

Dionte Savage, OL
(6-5, 345)

Final Class Prediction

QB: Cody Thomas

RB: Keith Ford

WR: Jordan Smallwood, Austin Bennett, K.J. Young, Dannon Cavil

TE:

OL: Dionte Savage, Christian Daimler, Josh Outlaw, George Adeosun, Josiah St. John

DT: Quincy Russell, Kerrick Huggins, Charles Walker, Matt Romar

DE: D.J. Ward, Matt Dimon, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

LB: Jordan Evans, Dominique Alexander

DB: Dakota Austin, Stanvon Taylor, Hatari Byrd, Ahmad Thomas, LJ Moore, Adrian Baker

Who is left in play?

Offensive Line

Kendall Moore (6-5, 275, 5.0) – Another OT prospect whose film is starting to generate more big time offers. It’s unclear if he will go ahead and visit OU or not. Big frame very athletic. Can easily carry 300-plus pounds. Probably more of a LT prospect.

George Adeosun (6-6, 305, 5.0) – Yet another sleeper OT prospect with excellent film who has seen a flurry of recent offers. Didn’t attend any summer camps and was stuck behind a talented senior his junior year, so he went under the radar until several weeks ago. Now has offers from a number of BCS powers. Has already visited OU.

Josh Outlaw (6-4, 290, 4.9) – Recent UF decommit. Powerful mobile OG/OT combo OL prospect. Several out-of-area schools, including OU and TCU, are offering Outlaw. Just visited OU.

Maurice Porter (6-6, 285, 5.2) – A Texas Tech verbal who has reappeared on the radar. Played OG his junior year, but played mostly tackle his senior year. Film is much improved.

Defensive Back

Adrian Baker (6-1, 170, 4.4) – A big-time cover CB from Florida. Verbaled to FSU, but with Mark Stoops leaving FSU along with his recruiting coach, Baker has de-committed. He’s already visited Clemson and OU and now appears ready to choose between those two teams.

L.J. Moore (6-1, 185, 4.45) – OU is now back in the hunt for Moore. Moore is an ideal hybrid between CB and safety that would fit the OU defense perfectly. Hatari Byrd has been talking up the Sooners. Another Signing Day decision between OU, Oregon State and probably Arizona State.