ADVERTISEMENT

Catching up with #ST2K18... (Early TUE Update: Turner-Yell and White rooming together)

BPrzybylo

Sooner starter
Nov 20, 2017
11,604
161,415
113
Early Tuesday Update: (Sorry meant to get these up over the past few days)


Roommate: DaShaun White
Jersey number: N/A.
School if not OU: Utah but it was born more of few others coming after him following his Oklahoma commitment.
Future Scoop summer storyline: Turner-Yell was kind of blown away by how many schools backed down once he committed to Oklahoma. He told me he had wanted to take his five officials but only Utah really bothered with him from that point. Also it was interesting to hear how open he is to safety/nickel and how that's been somewhat undecided.

News/nuggets: Turner-Yell is up to around 176-177 pounds right now and is ready to arrive in Norman with designs on playing anywhere he is needed. He says he didn't have a lot of contact with Kerry Cooks over the past few months so he is anxious to see where he ends up when he arrives.


Roommate: Delarrin Turner-Yell
Jersey number: No. 23.
School if not OU: Texas A&M. "Even if the old staff had stayed, I think I'd have gone where my heart was taking me (Oklahoma)."
Future Scoop summer storyline: You can tell White was just a kid who had so much belief in himself. Most kids when I ask 'would you have believed you'd be here, a year ago' if they weren't a big-time recruit they invariably say no and relish the moment. White was very clear that he never wavered on his faith in himself.

News/nuggets: White rolled in late, due to graduating on Sunday, but he is now on campus and has gone through everything. He says he is now up to 217-pounds and he has designs on being the Big 12 defensive player of the year so again, this is a guy that has full faith in himself.

Late-Sun night update:

Whoa.

OK. It's going to be a waiting game for Tramonda Moore, Ron Tatum and Darrell Simpson.

Yes, three huge (literally and figuratively) pieces of the 2018 class. OU will not know until mid-July, at the earliest, how things are going to turn out with the three four-star prospects.

Tramonda Moore

Moore continues to be elusive. Really? Not much can do on my end. If he doesn't wanna contact anybody, to me, that's going to say more than anything else.

He had been saying all the right things the last two months, but this last week? Not one word.

Ron Tatum and Darrell Simpson

OK, this is new. Like, really freakin' new. You might have noticed in the #ST2K18 photo this massive duo was missing.

Dezi_otU8AA4J9Y.jpg


DaShaun White is missing, but that was easily explained with @Josh_M reporting and then White himself confirming he is arriving at OU on Monday morning.

Tatum and Simpson? I don't take them as liars from Tuesday interviews. But it sounds like there are still some hurdles to clear for both so neither one is going to be in Norman this week or this month.

The goal remains July, from what I've been told by a source this evening, for the duo to arrive.

Both are enrolled. Both are in the OU database. With Tatum, a source said there is a massive mix-up in his transcript that OU actually just found out about Sunday. That's why he wasn't in the photo.

He'll need to take a summer class to arrive in Norman.

Cannot say for sure what the deal with Simpson is at this point, but you can imagine it's some kind of clarification, academic deal that has him not at OU right now.

Being enrolled is a positive sign. Obviously, being in the photo is what everybody was hoping for, but at least Simpson and Tatum are enrolled.

Can't say the same for Moore, and of course, we know Kundarrius Taylor will not be arriving anytime soon.

That is three mega-pieces OU needs to get the job done.

- Tramonda Moore
- Darrell Simpson
- Ron Tatum

(More updates as I get 'em)

***

Original post:

...As promised.

Talked with:
- WR Kundarrius Taylor (Thurs update: he won't be at OU this weekend)
- WR Jaylon Robinson
- TE/H-Back Brayden Willis
- OL Brey Walker
- OL Darrell Simpson
- DL Ron Tatum
- DL Jordan Kelley
- LB Brian Asamoah
- DL Michael Thompson (update: He's in)
- LB Nik Bonitto

Left messages with:

- QB Tanner Mordecai
- OL Tramonda Moore


Roommate: Tanner Mordecai
Jersey number: 82. "I should find out by end of the week."
School if not OU: UCLA. "I hate the SEC. I never would have stayed in the area."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'An injury during the season made Taylor re-evaluate how he views the game of football. When he came back, he was a different player and ready to take that mentality to Norman.'

News/nuggets: Let's just say Taylor doesn't like the SEC. He hates the slow offenses there and never ever would have considered staying in that conference/area... #ChampUBBQ was huge. All the commits got together that weekend and said they were going to be 100 committed to OU no matter what happened... Taylor rooming with Mordecai is all sorts of interesting because Taylor is arguably the most active on social media, while Mordecai, yea, isn't. Taylor said Mordecai and Patrick Fields were the first two recruits he really opened up with last summer. Taylor understands the dynamic of being with Mordecai, admitting Tanner doesn't talk much at all to anybody. But he wants to room with his quarterback and get to know him better.

THURSDAY UPDATE:

Even though spoke with Kundarrius Taylor for 15 minutes Tuesday, multiple sources are telling @Josh_M and myself that Taylor definitely won't make it to OU this weekend.

Not only that, but the chances of Taylor making it all to OU are iffy at best at this point. Not a guarantee he's out, but it's not a slam dunk he's in, either.

You never know. You try to take kids at face value, but you never know if they understand the full story, are in denial or simply lying to themselves.

For some, it's very hard to accept reality that their dreams aren't coming true. Obviously, something we'll be keeping tabs on throughout the summer.

***


Roomate: Brayden Willis
Jersey number: No. 89.
School if not OU: Texas Tech or TCU. "I was committed to Tech, but I'm not sure. I liked TCU a lot, too."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'Lincoln Riley wants speed, wants OU to get faster. Mission accomplished with somebody like Jaylon Robinson, who believes, scratch that, who KNOWS he's a perfect fit for OU's offense.'

News/nuggets: Transferring to Fort Worth All Saints was a game-changer for Robinson, being able to showcase what he can do... Said he rarely talked to Bob Stoops so Riley taking over was huge because that's who he had built the relationship with... Understands and accepts the competition at OU is gonna be intense with him and JaQuayln Crawford.

***


Roommate: Jaylon Robinson
Jersey number: 81.
School if not OU: Wake Forest or Utah State. "It was a tight race between those two schools because they both have systems that are perfect for me."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'Better late than never. Brayden Willis wasn't on OU's radar at all until after the Rose Bowl. Some recruitments take years, others take days. Willis is incredibly pumped about being a Sooner.'

News/nuggets: No bitterness at all about not having major schools look at him until January... Growing up in Texas, it was all about Texas schools so he's been doing a crash course on OU in recent months... Said he's talking the most with Cale Gundy. Some talks with Shane Beamer but more with Gundy than anybody else... Was the only recruit on his OU official visit so he got to pick the food - Off The Hook in OKC... Jerry Jones wanted two captains from each Arlington ISD school at NFL Draft. Willis had an outstanding time there. Only disappointment? Baker Mayfield wasn't at Draft but said getting to meet Saquon Barkley was pretty cool.

***


Roommate: Darrell Simpson
Jersey number: No. 70. "I haven't been told anything that I'd have to change so I think it's 70."
School if not OU: Texas A&M. "You know, that's a hard question since I was committed for so long and never thought about leaving."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'Finally. Finally, Brey Walker is at OU. Committed for more than two years, Walker has simply been waiting to arrive in Norman for good. He has his opportunity, what is he going to do with it?'

News/nuggets: Walker wouldn't change a thing about the recruiting process... Stressed repeatedly that he 'can't wait' to get to OU so we'll see how he looks and responds... Walker said he finished high school football at 350 (!) pounds. He's down to 335 with the goal of being down to 325 by time Bennie Wylie is done this summer... Walker wants to replace Orlando Brown, simply put. Goal is to start as a freshman and not wait to make a difference... Said him and Darrell Simpson are like brothers.

***


Roommate: Brey Walker
Jersey number: TBD. "I'm not sure right now."
School if not OU: TCU. "That's a tough one, but I grew a great relationship with the staff as did my family. Maybe Texas A&M."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'All the hype about the offensive line class is on Brey Walker, but don't forget about Simpson. Bill Bedenbaugh was recruiting Simpson since Simpson's freshman season so it's clear the Sooners know Simpson can be special.'

News/nuggets: Honestly? Not much, though really appreciative of Simpson answering the phone since he had been a strictly DM interview guy since last summer... He's at 345 pounds and ready for OU to mold him into whatever the Sooners need... Said playing with Robert Barnes as they were growing up and seeing Barnes at OU made Simpson realize he, too, could be a Sooner.

***


Roommate
: Jordan Kelley
Jersey number: No. 99.
School if not OU: Alabama. "No doubt. Bama."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'Ron Tatum is always going to have that honor of being the first commitment for Lincoln Riley as OU head coach. What that means to Riley and the appreciation Tatum has for that moment as time goes on, flipping from Texas to the Sooners last June.'

News/nuggets: Really prodded into Tatum's commitment to Texas but saving the majority of that for the future story, sorry... Said him and Jordan Kelley get along really well even before they were both committed to OU... Said OU told him to come in shape, and they'll do the rest. Did a lot of individual workouts, and he's ready.

***


Roommate: Ron Tatum. "He had a Chucky doll in his room. He's different, but we connect really well."
Jersey number: No. 88. "I don't think I'm changing."
School if not OU: TCU. "My grandpa and Coach (Gary) Patterson developed a great relationship. They came up the same way, same mentality and they could talk for hours."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'Jordan Kelley saw his Union teammates earning one big offer after another and wondered why that couldn't be him? How a disastrous day at OU's summer camp two years ago helped Kelley turn the corner to realizing his dream.'

News/nuggets: Kelley played his final high school game at 320 pounds. He's around 300, and OU wants him at 295 entering the summer... Said he was surprised at how much weight they wanted him to lose, but he's put in the work to make it happen... Will begin at nose tackle, but OU was impressed with his ability to play every single D-Line position at Union... Wanted something bigger than a Tulsa offer so changed his mentality... Said his biggest challenge is going to be about becoming a better student with a better study habits. "You never had to study in high school."

***


Roommate: Patrick Fields
Jersey number: No. 24.
School if not OU: Michigan, Pitt, Penn State. "It's hard to say because I was still open and still getting looks, but I knew OU was the place for me."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'The Columbus kid took a lot of heat for picking OU in the same town as Ohio State. As the days, weeks and months went on, people started to appreciate Brian Asamoah's decision and started cheering for him again because of Asamoah's ability and what OU was able to accomplish under Riley.'

News/nuggets: Gave huge kudos to Patrick Fields. Whatever Fields did at that #ChampUBBQ, it's clear Fields made a huge impression with everybody... Excited to room with Fields because believes they have the same mentality... Fields' words of advice? "Enjoy your free time now because you won't have any at OU."... Asamoah will be playing an inside linebacker spot... He's 215 pounds now and OU said they'll figure out his body type and how fits in once he arrives... Said relationship with Tim Kish is amazing. "He treats you like family and tells you things you don't expect to hear from coaches." His example was how excited Kish is about Kish's daughter getting married in Ohio later this summer. "Makes you feel like family."

***


Roommate: TBD. "I'm not sure, actually."
Jersey number: No. 92.
School if not OU: Missouri (kind of a duh on that one)
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'OU's defensive line class for 2018 was already really impressive, and Michael Thompson was the perfect final piece. It's wrong to say Thompson fell into OU's lap, but the stars aligned for the Sooners and Thompson to come together in January.'

News/nuggets: Arrives Sunday just like the majority of the kids already spoken with... Still has trouble sometimes trying to wrap his mind around how quickly things took off between him and OU. From not being talked to for months to getting the full-court press... Mentioned how important and how much of a different mentality he's had academically in the last year. He realized he had to keep those grades up. "When I was younger, I didn't really care... Good friends with Ronnie Perkins (obviously), who is giving the advice of 'take it all in and don't get overwhelmed or put too much pressure on yourself.'... Hasn't weighed himself in a while, but OU is gunning for Thompson at 320 pounds to start summer.

***


Roommate
: TBD. "No idea right now."
Jersey number: No. 35.
School if not OU: Louisville, maybe. "I was really up in the air so it's hard to say."
Future Scoop summer storyline: 'A visit can change everything. Nik Bonitto liked OU but had no clue until he saw the campus. With his mind made up, he waited until the Under Armour All-America Game to let the world know he was a Sooner.'

News/nuggets: Arriving Sunday, can't wait... Recruited as the SAM linebacker and is currently around 220-225 pounds... OU just asked him to keep working on his strength in recent months, and he feels he did that... He was the only recruit on his official visit weekend so coming back to OU for the spring game was huge for him to meet a bunch of the guys... Has really made a connection with DaShaun White. "We'll be in the same linebacker room and we're going to be special."... Dream come true to announce at Under Armour and dream come true to be at a prestigious school like OU.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Member-Only Message Boards

  • Exclusive coverage of Rivals Camp Series

  • Exclusive Highlights and Recruiting Interviews

  • Breaking Recruiting News

Log in or subscribe today