Today was my first ever Rivals Camp and it was pretty awesome. The access we get was second to none, and there was quite a few top-tier talents and targets in DFW ready to compete.
Here are a few thoughts and notes from what I learned at Dallas Rivals Camp:
*** 2024 four-star Dominick McKinley was there, but he really didn't want to talk to anyone. However, he came down and spoke to some of the media. I didn't partake in that because I didn't want to bother him. He came in and wanted to watch and support is younger brother, and new Sooners offer, Darryus McKinley.
The 2026 McKinley shows some youth, but he is explosive (go watch his track videos on his Twitter for proof) and quick. You see a lot of the same traits that you like in his older, more polished bother, Dominick McKinley. Because of that, you also see why Todd Bates and OU offered his brother early. It's far from just a recruiting ploy to land his older brother. Oklahoma has legit interest in Darryus.
*** Speaking of Dominick McKinkley, I should be interviewing him again in the next two weeks, but something I did find out recently from a quick text conversation was that his favorite team, DC and DL coach while growing up was one Todd Bates and Brent Venables. Apparently, the big-time four-star DL grew up as a big Clemson fan BECAUSE of BV and Bates.
With the elite 2024 DL set to official OU this in June (on 16th for ChampUBBQ) we are going to work to keep gathering as much info on him as possible, but the Sooners are making an early push the younger brother, Darryus, and that too could play into things as Dominick closes in on a decision down the line.
*** Parker and I both spoke with 2024 Ohio State LB commit Payton Pierce. The four-star Lovejoy HS star and us spoke for a bit and he made it clear that Brent Venables and Ted Roof were still in constant contact with him. I asked what they said to him and the OU legacy told OU us, "They tell me that December and NSD is a long ways away," Pierce said while laughing a bit. "It's true though. It is a long ways off, so I guess you never know but I like the Big 10 LB's and how they produce them as a conference. Seemed like that was really evident in this years NFL Draft, too."
Look, I don't think Pierce has closed off the idea of the Sooners and giving them a chance, but I would say it's more than an uphill battle because Pierce really likes how he fits in Columbus, and he feels he has a very strong relationship with tOSU LB coach James Laurinatis. If this does eventually change, I am positive Parker and I will have a note or two so that you all will be out in front of it all. Until then, the Sooners are trying to chip away at the Buckeye commit, and are continuing to recruit him to try and get him on campus for an official visit.
*** Something I found interesting was that when talking to a source today, they voluntarily brought up 2024 five-star DL David Stone. I was shocked because we weren't even talking about him at the time and they randomly just said, "Stone is getting much closer," the source said. "I mean, he is getting closer with OU. Probably the best position (OU) has been in with him in a while."
The natural question is asking if they thought OU lead, and the source was short and concise, saying, "Yes."
Another thing that was said, is that Sooners 2024 four-star QB commit Michael Hawkins Jr has taken a very vocal and aggressive approach in recruiting the five-star DL to Oklahoma -- among others. I asked Hawkins today about Stone (after that conversation with the source above) and he said, "I actually was talking with him last night. We talk a lot. I know he likes OU a lot and I am trying my hardest to make sure he is on my squad. We need him and I don't want to be chased around by him. I want to watch him chase around other QB's," the two-time Rivals QB MVP told me while laughing.
*** Speaking of Hawkins, he once again dominated the camp setting by winning MVP. He had his moments when he missed on some throws, but those were few and far between. You can see how hard he is working on his mechanics and accuracy. That time in the 'lab' has really made him look even more refined that than he did last year, when he had some times where he looked raw in his mechanics and made some errant throws (he and his family will even say that).
So, if Hawkins can continue to refine things and build on his football IQ and stellar athleticism, he will have a chance to be a very productive and good player at Oklahoma from 2025 and beyond.
*** On another QB commit note, I spoke with 2025 Sooners QB commit Kevin Sperry Jr and his father, Kevin Sperry Sr., today at the camp.
First, Sperry looked really solid once the one-on-one's started to take place. They had used some metrics testing ball that calculates velocity and more the first half of the camp. Every QB said the footballs were slick and hard to get a good grip or feel to them. But when they went to one-on-one's, Sperry and 2024 QB commit Michael Hawkins were the top QB's in the Dallas Rivals Camp. Really wasn't even much of a question on who the top guys were, either.
I even spoke to a source that was a main coach in the QB's they told me, "Sperry is 2025 but he had a very compelling case to be the MVP, too. OU is getting themselves two really talented guys that are just scratching the surface of what they can be."
*** Not camp related, but I did speak with someone close with 2024 four-star DB Eli Bowen at the camp. They told me that Bowen feels the pressure to be a Sooner and follow his brother, but in speaking with a source around Norman, the Sooners' staff is making it very clear that he doesn't need to feel that pressure at all.
Most still feel pretty confident that Bowen will be a part of the Sooners' 24K class, but everyone around him wants it to be "his idea and what he wants."
I also spoke with Bowen the other day as well, and he said that he was working on setting up visits with Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Arkansas and looking through some others -- Texas being one of them. In the end, I am still confident right now in my Future Cast, but wanted you all to know a little backstory on Bowen.
Also, I will be at Guyer on Tuesday and COULD have a surprise for you all as far as an interview or two. Fingers crossed it all works out. I will leave it at that for now.
*** 2025 four-star Lewisville (TX) OL Michael Fasusi was THAT DUDE today at Rivals Camp. The 2025 OL has a long, rangy frame that is just tapping into what he can be as far as development goes. Still, he has the base and footwork that made him the most valuable player for the OL at the Dallas Rivals Camp.
Parker spoke with him at length, so he will have more but in my limited conversations with him, you get a sense that Bill Bedenbaugh and OU have started to build a relationship with him that could be huge as his recruitment moves along. As I said, Parker will have more, so I don't want to say more than that. However, I think Sooners fans will like where things sit early on with Fasusi.
*** I will have more from Rivals Camp later on, but I am slated for Longview tomorrow morning to see 2024 four-star RB Taylor Tatum, and then I will be in Duncanville to see 2024 four-star RB Caden Durham and elite 2025 WR Dakorien Moore.
I will accompany more updates from the Rivals Camp, with notes on those three hopefully.
Stay tuned.
Here are a few thoughts and notes from what I learned at Dallas Rivals Camp:
*** 2024 four-star Dominick McKinley was there, but he really didn't want to talk to anyone. However, he came down and spoke to some of the media. I didn't partake in that because I didn't want to bother him. He came in and wanted to watch and support is younger brother, and new Sooners offer, Darryus McKinley.
The 2026 McKinley shows some youth, but he is explosive (go watch his track videos on his Twitter for proof) and quick. You see a lot of the same traits that you like in his older, more polished bother, Dominick McKinley. Because of that, you also see why Todd Bates and OU offered his brother early. It's far from just a recruiting ploy to land his older brother. Oklahoma has legit interest in Darryus.
*** Speaking of Dominick McKinkley, I should be interviewing him again in the next two weeks, but something I did find out recently from a quick text conversation was that his favorite team, DC and DL coach while growing up was one Todd Bates and Brent Venables. Apparently, the big-time four-star DL grew up as a big Clemson fan BECAUSE of BV and Bates.
With the elite 2024 DL set to official OU this in June (on 16th for ChampUBBQ) we are going to work to keep gathering as much info on him as possible, but the Sooners are making an early push the younger brother, Darryus, and that too could play into things as Dominick closes in on a decision down the line.
*** Parker and I both spoke with 2024 Ohio State LB commit Payton Pierce. The four-star Lovejoy HS star and us spoke for a bit and he made it clear that Brent Venables and Ted Roof were still in constant contact with him. I asked what they said to him and the OU legacy told OU us, "They tell me that December and NSD is a long ways away," Pierce said while laughing a bit. "It's true though. It is a long ways off, so I guess you never know but I like the Big 10 LB's and how they produce them as a conference. Seemed like that was really evident in this years NFL Draft, too."
Look, I don't think Pierce has closed off the idea of the Sooners and giving them a chance, but I would say it's more than an uphill battle because Pierce really likes how he fits in Columbus, and he feels he has a very strong relationship with tOSU LB coach James Laurinatis. If this does eventually change, I am positive Parker and I will have a note or two so that you all will be out in front of it all. Until then, the Sooners are trying to chip away at the Buckeye commit, and are continuing to recruit him to try and get him on campus for an official visit.
*** Something I found interesting was that when talking to a source today, they voluntarily brought up 2024 five-star DL David Stone. I was shocked because we weren't even talking about him at the time and they randomly just said, "Stone is getting much closer," the source said. "I mean, he is getting closer with OU. Probably the best position (OU) has been in with him in a while."
The natural question is asking if they thought OU lead, and the source was short and concise, saying, "Yes."
Another thing that was said, is that Sooners 2024 four-star QB commit Michael Hawkins Jr has taken a very vocal and aggressive approach in recruiting the five-star DL to Oklahoma -- among others. I asked Hawkins today about Stone (after that conversation with the source above) and he said, "I actually was talking with him last night. We talk a lot. I know he likes OU a lot and I am trying my hardest to make sure he is on my squad. We need him and I don't want to be chased around by him. I want to watch him chase around other QB's," the two-time Rivals QB MVP told me while laughing.
*** Speaking of Hawkins, he once again dominated the camp setting by winning MVP. He had his moments when he missed on some throws, but those were few and far between. You can see how hard he is working on his mechanics and accuracy. That time in the 'lab' has really made him look even more refined that than he did last year, when he had some times where he looked raw in his mechanics and made some errant throws (he and his family will even say that).
So, if Hawkins can continue to refine things and build on his football IQ and stellar athleticism, he will have a chance to be a very productive and good player at Oklahoma from 2025 and beyond.
*** On another QB commit note, I spoke with 2025 Sooners QB commit Kevin Sperry Jr and his father, Kevin Sperry Sr., today at the camp.
First, Sperry looked really solid once the one-on-one's started to take place. They had used some metrics testing ball that calculates velocity and more the first half of the camp. Every QB said the footballs were slick and hard to get a good grip or feel to them. But when they went to one-on-one's, Sperry and 2024 QB commit Michael Hawkins were the top QB's in the Dallas Rivals Camp. Really wasn't even much of a question on who the top guys were, either.
I even spoke to a source that was a main coach in the QB's they told me, "Sperry is 2025 but he had a very compelling case to be the MVP, too. OU is getting themselves two really talented guys that are just scratching the surface of what they can be."
*** Not camp related, but I did speak with someone close with 2024 four-star DB Eli Bowen at the camp. They told me that Bowen feels the pressure to be a Sooner and follow his brother, but in speaking with a source around Norman, the Sooners' staff is making it very clear that he doesn't need to feel that pressure at all.
Most still feel pretty confident that Bowen will be a part of the Sooners' 24K class, but everyone around him wants it to be "his idea and what he wants."
I also spoke with Bowen the other day as well, and he said that he was working on setting up visits with Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Arkansas and looking through some others -- Texas being one of them. In the end, I am still confident right now in my Future Cast, but wanted you all to know a little backstory on Bowen.
Also, I will be at Guyer on Tuesday and COULD have a surprise for you all as far as an interview or two. Fingers crossed it all works out. I will leave it at that for now.
*** 2025 four-star Lewisville (TX) OL Michael Fasusi was THAT DUDE today at Rivals Camp. The 2025 OL has a long, rangy frame that is just tapping into what he can be as far as development goes. Still, he has the base and footwork that made him the most valuable player for the OL at the Dallas Rivals Camp.
Parker spoke with him at length, so he will have more but in my limited conversations with him, you get a sense that Bill Bedenbaugh and OU have started to build a relationship with him that could be huge as his recruitment moves along. As I said, Parker will have more, so I don't want to say more than that. However, I think Sooners fans will like where things sit early on with Fasusi.
*** I will have more from Rivals Camp later on, but I am slated for Longview tomorrow morning to see 2024 four-star RB Taylor Tatum, and then I will be in Duncanville to see 2024 four-star RB Caden Durham and elite 2025 WR Dakorien Moore.
I will accompany more updates from the Rivals Camp, with notes on those three hopefully.
Stay tuned.
