*** We will start with some Sooners’ elite camp notes and some recruiting randoms:
First, Oklahoma had a handful of really solid OL on hand, but none stood out like 2025 Lynchburg (VA) Liberty Christian OL Easton Ware.
The 6’6 290lb OL was stellar no matter the competition. His length, bend and ability to counter multiple moves by the DE or DL was a thing of beauty to watch on Thursday. He was the best one there, in my opinion.
Ware’s performance was also good enough that Sooners OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh offered the rising OL after he returned to campus for an unofficial visit today.
*** Another standout, though unsurprisingly, was that of 2024 four-star WR commit Zion Kearney.
Kearney has speed, length and the ability to high-point the ball over some bigger DB’s. Those traits were on display Thursday, and Kearney also made sure, on several occasions, to team up with Sooners 2024 four-star QB commit Michael Hawkins and 2025 four-star QB commit Kevin Sperry as well.
On multiple reps, and with both QBs, Kearney ran a post and then a go route on the DBs in the one-on-one session. Kearney’s speed was too much, and the throws were crisp and on-time to the point Kearney never slowed up and was able to catch the passes in stride.
With each time I have seen the Sooners QB commits, the duo continues to get better and better. Needless to say, there is going to be an absurd amount of talent in the QB room come 2025 season.
Side Note: I spoke with Zion Kearney about 2024 composite 5-star WR Bryant Wesco and he wa a confident in the Sooners’ chances telling OUinsider, “I recruit whoever they ask me to, but [Bryant] Wesco is easy to know to go after. Plus, that’s my guy. He’s coming up to hang with us and is saying he’s gonna official for the ‘Party in the Palace’ in late July. I think we gotta a great shot with him too.”
Kearney finished by stating, “But I’ll play with whoever and catch passes from who ever because I know coach Emmett [Jones] is gonna get me right and coach [Jeff] Leb(by)is an offensive genius.”
Some more good vibes on the Wesco front, so I thought I would share them.
*** Speaking of the QB room, I was able to speak with several sources about where things stood with 2024 four-star QB target Samaj Jones.
Jones has his first official — that is ongoing at this time — with WVU. His second official will be to Cincinnati on June 9-11 and then Oklahoma on June 16-18th for the Sooners’ ChampU BBQ event.
Penn State is a wildcard here, but as of press time I have yet to see or be told an official visit date has been set with the Nittany Lions.
However, if what has been said to me from a a few sources up in Big 10 country is true, and PSU getting another QB commit is the hold up, that may not bode well for Jeff Lebby and the Sooners if they truly want two QBs in 2024. Especially with that second QB likely being Maj Jones.
So, with all that in mind, I spoke to another source on the Sooners side of things and was told, “(OU) definitely wants two QBs in 2024,” the source noted. “Not in 2025. (Oklahoma) feels really good about where things sit with Samaj Jones. It feels like he’s (Oklahoma’s) to lose.”
That statement had me asking sources this Thursday about Jones and I was told, “It’s known that two QBs is what is desired in the ‘24 class and everyone is okay with it — even Hawk and Maj. Hawk will visit (OU) and help with all the guys on June 9th and Maj is coming down to visit for the ChampU BBQ weekend. (OU) likes where things are with Maj and (Jeff Lebby) has been nails with both QBs.”
Because of that, and a source saying similar today on the Maj Jones recruitment, if Jones gets out of Morgantown and Cinncy without a ton of momentum on those two programs side, I’ll drop a future cast for OU heading into his official for the ChampU BBQ weekend. So stay tuned on that front.
*** I’ll have more breakdowns on camp talent either Sunday evening or Monday morning. Camp number one showed that there was some really solid guys like 2025 four-star WR Jaden Nickens, 2025 rising and Sooners’ legacy DB Maliek Hawkins, and 2025 four-star ATH Elijah Thomas on hand as well, but I wanted to get to some more transfer news first, so…
*** Utah State, and formerly Michigan, defensive line transfer Phillip Paea is in town this weekend for his official visit.
Tennessee transfer DL and new Sooners’ commit, Da’jon Terry left late in the afternoon, but I’m told Paea was still on campus Friday evening. Terry spent a ton of tike with Sooners DL coach Todd Bates and that relationship is what sealed the deal with the highly sought after transfer DL. Similarly, Bates has done a great job with Paea as well.
So, why is that significant that Paea was the last DL transfer on campus? Well, I keep hearing good things on that front and wouldn’t be shocked if things were decided in the next few days to a week. As Parker and I have said, this feels like a deal that if OU wants to take Paea things will continue to trend in the Sooners’ favor.
However, it’s also a matter of a numbers game, with Oklahoma is restructuring their DL through the portal late in the transfer season. So, are the Sooners and Brent Venables going to move on from some others and lose potential depth at other positions? For now, that seems to be the case the way things are moving, or are perceived to be moving with Oklahoma and Paea.
To me, and in my opinion, if you’re OU you do whatever to upgrade DL talent and depth. Because of all of that, we will continue to watch this closely as a decision seems to be looming. Again, we have heard things seem to be looking good for OU if they have room or can make room.
Stay tuned there.
*** I’ll drop some team nuggets your way later this weekend or early Monday, along with other camp notes. I just wanted this info posted for you all heading into Saturday. Hope you liked it.
More to come with camp day 2 on Saturday.
First, Oklahoma had a handful of really solid OL on hand, but none stood out like 2025 Lynchburg (VA) Liberty Christian OL Easton Ware.
The 6’6 290lb OL was stellar no matter the competition. His length, bend and ability to counter multiple moves by the DE or DL was a thing of beauty to watch on Thursday. He was the best one there, in my opinion.
Ware’s performance was also good enough that Sooners OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh offered the rising OL after he returned to campus for an unofficial visit today.
*** Another standout, though unsurprisingly, was that of 2024 four-star WR commit Zion Kearney.
Kearney has speed, length and the ability to high-point the ball over some bigger DB’s. Those traits were on display Thursday, and Kearney also made sure, on several occasions, to team up with Sooners 2024 four-star QB commit Michael Hawkins and 2025 four-star QB commit Kevin Sperry as well.
On multiple reps, and with both QBs, Kearney ran a post and then a go route on the DBs in the one-on-one session. Kearney’s speed was too much, and the throws were crisp and on-time to the point Kearney never slowed up and was able to catch the passes in stride.
With each time I have seen the Sooners QB commits, the duo continues to get better and better. Needless to say, there is going to be an absurd amount of talent in the QB room come 2025 season.
Side Note: I spoke with Zion Kearney about 2024 composite 5-star WR Bryant Wesco and he wa a confident in the Sooners’ chances telling OUinsider, “I recruit whoever they ask me to, but [Bryant] Wesco is easy to know to go after. Plus, that’s my guy. He’s coming up to hang with us and is saying he’s gonna official for the ‘Party in the Palace’ in late July. I think we gotta a great shot with him too.”
Kearney finished by stating, “But I’ll play with whoever and catch passes from who ever because I know coach Emmett [Jones] is gonna get me right and coach [Jeff] Leb(by)is an offensive genius.”
Some more good vibes on the Wesco front, so I thought I would share them.
*** Speaking of the QB room, I was able to speak with several sources about where things stood with 2024 four-star QB target Samaj Jones.
Jones has his first official — that is ongoing at this time — with WVU. His second official will be to Cincinnati on June 9-11 and then Oklahoma on June 16-18th for the Sooners’ ChampU BBQ event.
Penn State is a wildcard here, but as of press time I have yet to see or be told an official visit date has been set with the Nittany Lions.
However, if what has been said to me from a a few sources up in Big 10 country is true, and PSU getting another QB commit is the hold up, that may not bode well for Jeff Lebby and the Sooners if they truly want two QBs in 2024. Especially with that second QB likely being Maj Jones.
So, with all that in mind, I spoke to another source on the Sooners side of things and was told, “(OU) definitely wants two QBs in 2024,” the source noted. “Not in 2025. (Oklahoma) feels really good about where things sit with Samaj Jones. It feels like he’s (Oklahoma’s) to lose.”
That statement had me asking sources this Thursday about Jones and I was told, “It’s known that two QBs is what is desired in the ‘24 class and everyone is okay with it — even Hawk and Maj. Hawk will visit (OU) and help with all the guys on June 9th and Maj is coming down to visit for the ChampU BBQ weekend. (OU) likes where things are with Maj and (Jeff Lebby) has been nails with both QBs.”
Because of that, and a source saying similar today on the Maj Jones recruitment, if Jones gets out of Morgantown and Cinncy without a ton of momentum on those two programs side, I’ll drop a future cast for OU heading into his official for the ChampU BBQ weekend. So stay tuned on that front.
*** I’ll have more breakdowns on camp talent either Sunday evening or Monday morning. Camp number one showed that there was some really solid guys like 2025 four-star WR Jaden Nickens, 2025 rising and Sooners’ legacy DB Maliek Hawkins, and 2025 four-star ATH Elijah Thomas on hand as well, but I wanted to get to some more transfer news first, so…
*** Utah State, and formerly Michigan, defensive line transfer Phillip Paea is in town this weekend for his official visit.
Tennessee transfer DL and new Sooners’ commit, Da’jon Terry left late in the afternoon, but I’m told Paea was still on campus Friday evening. Terry spent a ton of tike with Sooners DL coach Todd Bates and that relationship is what sealed the deal with the highly sought after transfer DL. Similarly, Bates has done a great job with Paea as well.
So, why is that significant that Paea was the last DL transfer on campus? Well, I keep hearing good things on that front and wouldn’t be shocked if things were decided in the next few days to a week. As Parker and I have said, this feels like a deal that if OU wants to take Paea things will continue to trend in the Sooners’ favor.
However, it’s also a matter of a numbers game, with Oklahoma is restructuring their DL through the portal late in the transfer season. So, are the Sooners and Brent Venables going to move on from some others and lose potential depth at other positions? For now, that seems to be the case the way things are moving, or are perceived to be moving with Oklahoma and Paea.
To me, and in my opinion, if you’re OU you do whatever to upgrade DL talent and depth. Because of all of that, we will continue to watch this closely as a decision seems to be looming. Again, we have heard things seem to be looking good for OU if they have room or can make room.
Stay tuned there.
*** I’ll drop some team nuggets your way later this weekend or early Monday, along with other camp notes. I just wanted this info posted for you all heading into Saturday. Hope you liked it.
More to come with camp day 2 on Saturday.
