*Well there's no question the player I'm getting the most questions about - what an ugly sentence to start this thing - at this point is Rivals100 cornerback Makari Vickers. The Tallahassee (Fla.) John Paul II Catholic is down to a final three of Oklahoma, Michigan, and Alabama with most feeling the Sooners and Tide are the ones locked into battle here.
The talented corner has been believed by most, very much including myself, to be headed to Alabama after numerous visits to Tuscaloosa. But as I've been saying for a few weeks...'the Sooners just keep hanging around in this one'. And while I'm waiting for him to hit campus so I can check in with a few people I really like that this visit is happening when it is and that Oklahoma seems to be building real momentum in the eyes of many.
Again, want to have a few conversations, and Vickers isn't planning to announce anything publicly until Aug. 26, but my current pick is the Sooners and a forecast has moved into the realm of possibility (probability?).
**Sticking in the secondary how about the talk of Denton (Texas) Guyer's Ryan Yaites electing to head to Norman this weekend? And in no surprise he's jumping on an opportunity to hang out with his buddy, teammate, and quarterback.
"I was going to go to LSU but due to my parents going out of town Jackson (Arnold) offered me a ride to OU," Yaites said.
After Yaites and I joked about why Arnold would make such an offer to an LSU commitment, I couldn't help but ask him (as I had Arnold) about the possibility of another Guyer teammate coming along with them.
"We're trying," Yaites laughed.
It's interesting that three (contracted) words could seem quite telling if looked at in the right light...
***Finally, let's look at the visitor list for tonight's camp. Again, we won't be allowed to cover it - though I've been working on that not consistently being an issue in the years to come and have some hope that we'll get to in the years to come. Afterward...stay around and we'll go over a few guys I think might pick up offers.
Grady Adamson - 2025 - QB - Edmond (Okla.) Deer Creek
Ezra Ballinger - 2024 - OL - Tulsa NOAH
Tory Blaylock - 2025 - ATH - Humble (Texas) Atascocita
Caleb Chester - 2024 - ATH - Missouri City (Texas) Ft. Bend Marshall
Dax Collins - 2024 - S - Poteau, Okla.
Jalyn Crawford - 2024 - CB - Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview - RIVALS250
Daniel Cruz - 2024 - OL - North Richland Hills (Texas) Richland - OU OFFER
Caden Durham - 2024 - RB - Duncanville, Texas
KingJoseph Edwards - 2024 - DE - Buford, Ga. - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Terrance Edwards - 2024 - CB - Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal
Quanell Farrakhan - 2025 - ATH - The Woodlands, Texas
Aaron Flowers - 2024 - S - Forney, Texas - RIVALS250
Jaydan Hardy - 2024 - S - Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Brock Jackson - 2024 - LB - Lumberton, Texas
Bryan Jackson - 2024 - RB - McKinney, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS250
Davhon Keys - 2024 - ATH - Aledo, Texas - OU OFFER
Charles Lester - 2024 - CB - Sarasota (Fla.) Riverview - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
David McComb - 2025 - QB - Edmond (Okla.) Memorial
Derrick McFall - 2024 - RB - Tyler (Texas) John Tyler - RIVALS100
Parker Meese - 2025 - LB - Plano (Texas) Prestonwood
Davon Mitchell - 2025 - TE - Allen, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Dakorien Moore - 2025 - WR - Duncanville, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Zahir Rainer - 2024 - S - Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal
Shaker Reisig - 2025 - QB - Tulsa Union
Kelvion Riggins - 2025 - LB - Dallas South Oak Cliff - OU OFFER
Devin Sanchez - 2025 - CB - Houston North Shore
Xadavien Sims - 2024 - DL - Durant, Okla. - OU OFFER - RIVALS250
Nigel Smith - 2024 - DE - Melissa, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Kevin Sperry - 2025 - QB - Frisco (Texas) Rock Hill
Zion Taylor - 2024 - DE - Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek
Zina Umeozulu - 2024 - DE - Allen, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Bryant Wesco - 2024 - WR - Midlothian, Texas - OU OFFER
Ashton Williams - 2024 - S - Trophy Club (Texas) Byron Nelson
Colton Yarbrough - 2026 - DE - Durant, Okla.
Ok, so let's go over a few guys I think are most likely to pick up an offer after tonight...
As I said last night, I saw this guy at the Atlanta Rivals camp and he's a smooth technician that I'm guessing Jay Valai is going to love and I'd say he's one of the bigger bets I'd place for an offer to come out of this camp.
For those that don't already know Durham is from Moore, Okla. - was once a Southmoore Sabercat like our guy @jalenross - and picked up an Alabama offer yesterday. You'd have to think he can do some things to impress his hometown team.
A guy with a ton of buzz around Houston, Farrkhan has the chance to join Andrew Marsh as another big-time receiver offer in the city from the class of 2025.
Flowers reminds me a lot of 2023 safety offer Tyler Turner. This is a very active guy who looks strong in pass coverage but can come up and play run as well. I like his tape quite a bit, I'm guessing he'll have a strong showing.
One of the lower rated guys on this breakdown, I really like Jackson's feet and length and think he could be a guy that really takes off and becomes a possible Rivals250 guy before it is all said and done. What will be interesting is where Oklahoma sees him? Can he grow into a pure defensive end or is he a guy they'd take a shine to as a stand-up EDGE?
A big-time home run hitter at running back, McFall feels like another Texas offer that could be happening in what is starting to seem like a good year for backs in Texas.
Rainer is a really active safety that can make plays in the pass game as well as coming up against the run. I think my only real question is his size, if that box checks out he could absolutely be an offer following a strong camp performance.
The talented corner has been believed by most, very much including myself, to be headed to Alabama after numerous visits to Tuscaloosa. But as I've been saying for a few weeks...'the Sooners just keep hanging around in this one'. And while I'm waiting for him to hit campus so I can check in with a few people I really like that this visit is happening when it is and that Oklahoma seems to be building real momentum in the eyes of many.
Again, want to have a few conversations, and Vickers isn't planning to announce anything publicly until Aug. 26, but my current pick is the Sooners and a forecast has moved into the realm of possibility (probability?).
**Sticking in the secondary how about the talk of Denton (Texas) Guyer's Ryan Yaites electing to head to Norman this weekend? And in no surprise he's jumping on an opportunity to hang out with his buddy, teammate, and quarterback.
"I was going to go to LSU but due to my parents going out of town Jackson (Arnold) offered me a ride to OU," Yaites said.
After Yaites and I joked about why Arnold would make such an offer to an LSU commitment, I couldn't help but ask him (as I had Arnold) about the possibility of another Guyer teammate coming along with them.
"We're trying," Yaites laughed.
It's interesting that three (contracted) words could seem quite telling if looked at in the right light...
***Finally, let's look at the visitor list for tonight's camp. Again, we won't be allowed to cover it - though I've been working on that not consistently being an issue in the years to come and have some hope that we'll get to in the years to come. Afterward...stay around and we'll go over a few guys I think might pick up offers.
Grady Adamson - 2025 - QB - Edmond (Okla.) Deer Creek
Ezra Ballinger - 2024 - OL - Tulsa NOAH
Tory Blaylock - 2025 - ATH - Humble (Texas) Atascocita
Caleb Chester - 2024 - ATH - Missouri City (Texas) Ft. Bend Marshall
Dax Collins - 2024 - S - Poteau, Okla.
Jalyn Crawford - 2024 - CB - Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview - RIVALS250
Daniel Cruz - 2024 - OL - North Richland Hills (Texas) Richland - OU OFFER
Caden Durham - 2024 - RB - Duncanville, Texas
KingJoseph Edwards - 2024 - DE - Buford, Ga. - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Terrance Edwards - 2024 - CB - Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal
Quanell Farrakhan - 2025 - ATH - The Woodlands, Texas
Aaron Flowers - 2024 - S - Forney, Texas - RIVALS250
Jaydan Hardy - 2024 - S - Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Brock Jackson - 2024 - LB - Lumberton, Texas
Bryan Jackson - 2024 - RB - McKinney, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS250
Davhon Keys - 2024 - ATH - Aledo, Texas - OU OFFER
Charles Lester - 2024 - CB - Sarasota (Fla.) Riverview - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
David McComb - 2025 - QB - Edmond (Okla.) Memorial
Derrick McFall - 2024 - RB - Tyler (Texas) John Tyler - RIVALS100
Parker Meese - 2025 - LB - Plano (Texas) Prestonwood
Davon Mitchell - 2025 - TE - Allen, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Dakorien Moore - 2025 - WR - Duncanville, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Zahir Rainer - 2024 - S - Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal
Shaker Reisig - 2025 - QB - Tulsa Union
Kelvion Riggins - 2025 - LB - Dallas South Oak Cliff - OU OFFER
Devin Sanchez - 2025 - CB - Houston North Shore
Xadavien Sims - 2024 - DL - Durant, Okla. - OU OFFER - RIVALS250
Nigel Smith - 2024 - DE - Melissa, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Kevin Sperry - 2025 - QB - Frisco (Texas) Rock Hill
Zion Taylor - 2024 - DE - Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek
Zina Umeozulu - 2024 - DE - Allen, Texas - OU OFFER - RIVALS100
Bryant Wesco - 2024 - WR - Midlothian, Texas - OU OFFER
Ashton Williams - 2024 - S - Trophy Club (Texas) Byron Nelson
Colton Yarbrough - 2026 - DE - Durant, Okla.
Ok, so let's go over a few guys I think are most likely to pick up an offer after tonight...
As I said last night, I saw this guy at the Atlanta Rivals camp and he's a smooth technician that I'm guessing Jay Valai is going to love and I'd say he's one of the bigger bets I'd place for an offer to come out of this camp.
For those that don't already know Durham is from Moore, Okla. - was once a Southmoore Sabercat like our guy @jalenross - and picked up an Alabama offer yesterday. You'd have to think he can do some things to impress his hometown team.
A guy with a ton of buzz around Houston, Farrkhan has the chance to join Andrew Marsh as another big-time receiver offer in the city from the class of 2025.
Flowers reminds me a lot of 2023 safety offer Tyler Turner. This is a very active guy who looks strong in pass coverage but can come up and play run as well. I like his tape quite a bit, I'm guessing he'll have a strong showing.
One of the lower rated guys on this breakdown, I really like Jackson's feet and length and think he could be a guy that really takes off and becomes a possible Rivals250 guy before it is all said and done. What will be interesting is where Oklahoma sees him? Can he grow into a pure defensive end or is he a guy they'd take a shine to as a stand-up EDGE?
A big-time home run hitter at running back, McFall feels like another Texas offer that could be happening in what is starting to seem like a good year for backs in Texas.
Rainer is a really active safety that can make plays in the pass game as well as coming up against the run. I think my only real question is his size, if that box checks out he could absolutely be an offer following a strong camp performance.
