Going forward, 4-Piece Nuggets will be a weekly feature, but since we all want to get off on the right foot and bury our respective hatchets, I'll treat you all to a second course this week. I made the rounds in the DFW area today and have some insights on a couple of 2024 targets, as well as a couple 2025 names to watch.
— Talked to Nigel Smith at length while at Melissa's practice this morning, and he disclosed to me that he's got his five official visit destinations finalized for the month of June. He'll kick things off by visiting Rutgers (yes, I know... he has a lot of family in that area), and will fit trips to Ohio State, Penn State and Texas around his ChampU BBQ official with Oklahoma. During the brief visit window at the tail end of July before the August dead period, he also plans to take an unofficial to Texas A&M. His reasoning for the trip to College Station: "It's their cookout. Coach Price's food was SO good last year; I gotta go get some more." For my money, this is a three-team race at the moment. Penn State and Ohio State look to be the two teams best positioned to challenge the Sooners, who have long been regarded across the industry as the favorite for Smith's commitment. That said, he does have teammate Jackson Ford, a three-star Oregon commit, trying to sway him to Eugene. Smith didn't rule out the possibility of taking a sixth official visit, but did say that he'd probably cap it there. That sixth OV would likely be Oregon if it came to fruition. As Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis continue to double-team his recruitment, Smith told me that the Sooners are trying to sell him on being the next Rondell Bothroyd, which is to say that they want him to be a hefty defensive end who can set the edge and stuff the run — in addition to providing a little heat as a pass rusher when necessary. Smith added that he plans to commit at Melissa's third game of the season, which will come in early September against Royse City. From the Oklahoma side, if there's a school to be worried about as things move forward, it's probably Ohio State. The Buckeyes have deployed Payton Pierce in their pursuit of Smith, and they'll continue to lean on the four-star LB commit from nearby Lovejoy High.
— Stopped by Lancaster to check in with 2025 WR Emmanuel Choice, who received his first FBS offer from the Sooners earlier this week. He's currently in a sling as he recovers from a minor clavicle fracture, but it's not difficult to see what Emmett Jones likes about the 6-foot-4, 185-pound wideout. He's an impressive athletic specimen who doubles as a tremendous hurdler on the track. In reference to Jones' status in the Texas prep world, Choice dubbed the Oklahoma wide receivers coach "a real one... a legend." He's received interest from Nebraska and Kansas as of late, and has picked up Twitter follows from a number of different coaching staffs. The Sooners already have one 2025 wide receiver commit in Gracen Harris, and they're the heavy favorite to eventually land Isaiah Mozee as well. It's yet to be seen whether Oklahoma will make Choice a priority in the immediate future as they continue to work the angles with Dakorien Moore. But Choice did say that for now, he intends to visit Oklahoma over the summer, which will mark just his second college visit ever. Baylor is the only campus he's seen to this point.
— The final stop of the day was Prosper, where I checked in with three-star offensive tackle Ellis Davis. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound lineman has seen his stock rise in a hurry, as he didn't hold a single offer until midway through his junior year. He's now got over two dozen, including an opportunity to play at Oklahoma. However, Davis is a kid that values stability and relationships over all else, and for that reason, Texas Tech has set the pace in his recruitment. As Davis tells it, his three best individual relationships with coaches are all with members of the Tech staff; Joey McGuire, Stephen Hamby and Brian Nance have all made Davis feel at home in Lubbock. Tech was also his first offer, and his June OV will mark his fifth trip to campus. He's also got officials booked with Stanford and TCU, but Bill Bedenbaugh is lurking here. The Sooners' revered offensive line coach had been developing a relationship with Davis for months before offering him, and Davis did tell me that he's strongly considering an official visit to Norman for the ChampU BBQ. There are several other programs that would like Davis to OV on that same weekend, so the Sooners have competition if they even want him to show up. But I could see Oklahoma making a move if they do get the opportunity to host Davis for an official. One thing Davis did acknowledge without prompt is that he values the constancy that he'd have at Oklahoma, and pointed out the fact that Bedenbaugh has been at OU for a decade with no immediate plans to leave. That moves the needle for a kid whose parents are separated and moving to different states; a steady home base is something he desires as he looks toward the next step of his young life. As of now, the Sooners' offensive line board is chock full of prospects for whom they don't necessarily lead outright, but are certainly among the top group of schools. Add Davis to the pile and wait this one out. Tech leads until further notice.
— Another name at Prosper of which Oklahoma is well aware is 2025 OG Connor Carty, who is on the verge of picking up his first few Power 5 offers. Texas Tech and Texas are among other interested parties for the 6-foot-4, 290-pound colossus, who was sidelined for much of his sophomore season with an injury. That missed time has delayed Carty's recruitment, but he could become a highly coveted commodity as his junior year rolls around. Oklahoma probably won't move here until at least the fall as Carty gets back to full health, but his name is one to file away. Bill Bedenbaugh will be back around to Prosper regardless of the outcome of Davis' recruitment.
— Talked to Nigel Smith at length while at Melissa's practice this morning, and he disclosed to me that he's got his five official visit destinations finalized for the month of June. He'll kick things off by visiting Rutgers (yes, I know... he has a lot of family in that area), and will fit trips to Ohio State, Penn State and Texas around his ChampU BBQ official with Oklahoma. During the brief visit window at the tail end of July before the August dead period, he also plans to take an unofficial to Texas A&M. His reasoning for the trip to College Station: "It's their cookout. Coach Price's food was SO good last year; I gotta go get some more." For my money, this is a three-team race at the moment. Penn State and Ohio State look to be the two teams best positioned to challenge the Sooners, who have long been regarded across the industry as the favorite for Smith's commitment. That said, he does have teammate Jackson Ford, a three-star Oregon commit, trying to sway him to Eugene. Smith didn't rule out the possibility of taking a sixth official visit, but did say that he'd probably cap it there. That sixth OV would likely be Oregon if it came to fruition. As Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis continue to double-team his recruitment, Smith told me that the Sooners are trying to sell him on being the next Rondell Bothroyd, which is to say that they want him to be a hefty defensive end who can set the edge and stuff the run — in addition to providing a little heat as a pass rusher when necessary. Smith added that he plans to commit at Melissa's third game of the season, which will come in early September against Royse City. From the Oklahoma side, if there's a school to be worried about as things move forward, it's probably Ohio State. The Buckeyes have deployed Payton Pierce in their pursuit of Smith, and they'll continue to lean on the four-star LB commit from nearby Lovejoy High.
— Stopped by Lancaster to check in with 2025 WR Emmanuel Choice, who received his first FBS offer from the Sooners earlier this week. He's currently in a sling as he recovers from a minor clavicle fracture, but it's not difficult to see what Emmett Jones likes about the 6-foot-4, 185-pound wideout. He's an impressive athletic specimen who doubles as a tremendous hurdler on the track. In reference to Jones' status in the Texas prep world, Choice dubbed the Oklahoma wide receivers coach "a real one... a legend." He's received interest from Nebraska and Kansas as of late, and has picked up Twitter follows from a number of different coaching staffs. The Sooners already have one 2025 wide receiver commit in Gracen Harris, and they're the heavy favorite to eventually land Isaiah Mozee as well. It's yet to be seen whether Oklahoma will make Choice a priority in the immediate future as they continue to work the angles with Dakorien Moore. But Choice did say that for now, he intends to visit Oklahoma over the summer, which will mark just his second college visit ever. Baylor is the only campus he's seen to this point.
— The final stop of the day was Prosper, where I checked in with three-star offensive tackle Ellis Davis. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound lineman has seen his stock rise in a hurry, as he didn't hold a single offer until midway through his junior year. He's now got over two dozen, including an opportunity to play at Oklahoma. However, Davis is a kid that values stability and relationships over all else, and for that reason, Texas Tech has set the pace in his recruitment. As Davis tells it, his three best individual relationships with coaches are all with members of the Tech staff; Joey McGuire, Stephen Hamby and Brian Nance have all made Davis feel at home in Lubbock. Tech was also his first offer, and his June OV will mark his fifth trip to campus. He's also got officials booked with Stanford and TCU, but Bill Bedenbaugh is lurking here. The Sooners' revered offensive line coach had been developing a relationship with Davis for months before offering him, and Davis did tell me that he's strongly considering an official visit to Norman for the ChampU BBQ. There are several other programs that would like Davis to OV on that same weekend, so the Sooners have competition if they even want him to show up. But I could see Oklahoma making a move if they do get the opportunity to host Davis for an official. One thing Davis did acknowledge without prompt is that he values the constancy that he'd have at Oklahoma, and pointed out the fact that Bedenbaugh has been at OU for a decade with no immediate plans to leave. That moves the needle for a kid whose parents are separated and moving to different states; a steady home base is something he desires as he looks toward the next step of his young life. As of now, the Sooners' offensive line board is chock full of prospects for whom they don't necessarily lead outright, but are certainly among the top group of schools. Add Davis to the pile and wait this one out. Tech leads until further notice.
— Another name at Prosper of which Oklahoma is well aware is 2025 OG Connor Carty, who is on the verge of picking up his first few Power 5 offers. Texas Tech and Texas are among other interested parties for the 6-foot-4, 290-pound colossus, who was sidelined for much of his sophomore season with an injury. That missed time has delayed Carty's recruitment, but he could become a highly coveted commodity as his junior year rolls around. Oklahoma probably won't move here until at least the fall as Carty gets back to full health, but his name is one to file away. Bill Bedenbaugh will be back around to Prosper regardless of the outcome of Davis' recruitment.
