— Let’s start with the topic of the day in five-star DE Williams Nwaneri. After doing some more digging with sources plugged into that process, here’s what I can share about the situation. First off, what I reported yesterday as to the reason for Nwaneri’s cancelled visit to Oklahoma is accurate, as difficult as it may be for some to believe. This is still a 17-year-old kid with a pair of austere parents and a set of responsibilities that extend beyond the gridiron. In my conversations with sources, I’ve also gotten the sense that some of the folks in Nwaneri’s corner are simply at their wit’s end with the recruiting process, and that has exacerbated a lot of emotions and led to some frustration within his camp. I’m told there was a meeting last night between Nwaneri, his mother and LSN head coach Jamar Mozee in order to smooth over some of that conflict. The results of that meeting were twofold: first, as per my initial suspicion, Nwaneri will indeed follow through with his Oregon visit this week despite some reticence from his mother. That has much to do with the fact that there are many logistical and financial reasons not to pull that visit off the schedule. Secondly, Nwaneri will finalize his decision within the next two weeks, with August 7 having emerged as the target date. I'm told that Nwaneri's family is insistent that he wrap things up very soon, so don't expect this timeline to drag out.
I know what’s been said and reported elsewhere, and I’m comfortable sticking to my guns. Per my best intel on the recruitment, this is primarily an OU/Mizzou battle down the stretch. Georgia and Oregon are fighting an uphill battle because of distance and deficiencies in the relationship department (comparative to the Sooners and Tigers, that is). Multiple sources have confirmed to me that Missouri is making a hard push to try and keep Nwaneri home, with one source remarking that “if [you’re] an in-state guy, Mizzou [has] money that’s hard to pass up.” I still like Oklahoma, as the relationships give the Sooners a strong leg to stand on beyond the monetary component. Throw in the Ka’Mori Moore commitment, and I remain of the opinion that OU gets Nwaneri’s pledge when all is said and done. If anything changes substantially between now and the decision date, I will update you all.
— As for Isaiah Mozee, I believe the trip to Oregon will be his final visit before a decision. At risk of stating the obvious, the overwhelming belief here is that the Sooners will end up with his pledge; a source on the Oklahoma end told me this morning that “[it’s] only a matter of time.” Mozee was accompanied by his mother on his unofficial to OU yesterday, and I’m told that visit brought the Sooners closer than ever before to securing his commitment. Another source did point out that Dan Lanning’s relationship with Mozee goes back years, as the newly-extended Oregon czar was a member of the staff at Park Hill South High School when Mozee was a toddler. However, that same source intoned that Mozee’s affinity for Oregon doesn’t go very far beyond his admiration for Lanning, which should be music to the ears of Sooner fans that want to see the blue-chip wideout in crimson. Moreover, one good source said of Mozee, “He’s seen everything at this point.” That’s an undeniably true observation, as the four-star wideout has visited darn near every school on his offer sheet that’s worth visiting. Mozee’s family would like him to commit sooner rather than later, and Mozee himself isn’t the type to make a spectacle of the process once he’s fully confident in his decision. Those are among the reasons I believe a commitment could very well happen in the month of August, though no timetable is set in stone just yet.
— The date hasn’t been finalized yet, but at this point in time, I am expecting a commitment in late August from 2025 DE Gus Cordova. I entered a FutureCast shortly after Cordova received the offer from Oklahoma, as it’s his dream school and there are myriad connections that tie him to OU. I believe he’ll be the next 2025 commit on the defensive side for the Sooners as things stand.
— I entered a FutureCast last night in favor of Oklahoma for four-star TE Dasaahn Brame out of Derby (Kan.). Brent Venables’ relationship with Brame’s father, DaVon, goes back to the mid-1990’s when Venables was an assistant coach and the elder Brame a player at Kansas State. Sources on the OU end are confident that they lead in a big way for Brame, an absolute mismatch at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. Kevin Sperry has been particularly instrumental in the Sooners’ pursuit here, as I’m told he has really clicked with Brame and made him a priority of his personal recruiting efforts. OU hosted Brame at Sooners under the Stars yesterday, and they lengthened their lead enough for me to feel comfortable with a prediction. It’s one I’ve been toying with for several months. OU is not pursuing any additional tight ends in the 2024 class with Davon Mitchell committed, but I expect them to take two in 2025, and I’d peg Brame and Chase Loftin as the two most likely candidates right now. At the moment, the Sooners are battling Nebraska and Kansas State for Loftin’s pledge.
