Kendal Daniels
- Thread starter NattyChamps856
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This is exactly what I heard. Daniels was headed to OU until Harmon committed. OU felt they had an upgrade and cut loose Daniels. Which is the right thing to do if as a coach that's what you believe. The only issue I see is the possibility of upsetting a local pipeline or some HCs in Oklahoma. Tough call. But it is what it is.
Daniels is a safety, Harmon is a cornerback. Daniels wants to play safety so why would he care about Harmon coming in as a CB ?
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OU wouldn't accept Daniels commitment as a Safety. Daniels didn't want to add the weight to become an elite LB. Everybody handled it honestly and no hard feelings. Wish the kid well. Good on our staff for being up front with the kid. Integrity prevails in the end. Hopefully A&M isn't pulling a bait and switch where our coaches wouldnt.
OU may be biting its nose to spite its face on this situation and allowing one of the few elite instate players to go to another team....an SEC team...stings.
But, as I mentioned already, Harmon's commitment may be leverage for OU to add his teammate, DT Kelvin Gilliam a 4-star player at a position OU desperately needs to add depth to.
If he doesn't fit in our scheme as a S and he won't do the work in the weight room to become elite at LB (where Clemson wanted him, too), then what have you lost? A back up and a ST player.
Just because he has 4 stars doesn't mean he would be a four star for us.
In the final analysis, I doubt that the staff gives a rats ass whether a recruit is from Oklahoma, Texas, or Timbuktu. They want the best player for the scheme and culture.
Gillman would be a great pickup. Do you think he will play DT? I know Burris will but I thought he's a pure edge rushing. Almost a twin, of Perkins.
Burris fits Grinch body type, almost perfectly. That lighter but faster DT. Does he think Gillman can carry 35-40 extra lbs?
So, you know Daniels is a bad fit at OU and you know of his character or work ethic ?
And sure, some 4 or 5 star players don't pan out on the college level.....OU has #44 on the roster as an example.
Whatever Daniels may become, Riley's recruiting is in good shape, and getting better.
Of course I know he wasn't a fit at Oklahoma . . . because the staff told him they didn't want his commitment where he wanted to play. Unless you want to hold yourself above the actual coaching staff, you know this, too.
And just because a kid doesn't want to follow the path the OU (and Clemson) staff laid out for him to be elite does NOT mean he doesn't have a good work ethic. It could mean he is a confident kid who believes in his own assessment of himself.
Our coaches CLEARLY didn't think he was the best they could get for the secondary they are trying to build.
Mukes will not play safety. He'll play that hybrid LB, cover, edge. Daniels is a little raw. On another board, an OU die-hard who follows recruiting.
"He's played against very bad competition. Great instincts, almost elite, good cover, poor tackling technic."
He could easily carry 210-225 lbs. His top end speed, is almost elite.
I was referring to your comment that he "won't do the work in the weight room to become elite at LB" which I interpreted as your concern of his work ethic that you had inside information on.
Based on where the coaches wanted Daniels (6'4") to play and from what I have read of Mukes, it appears OU is wanting some height in its future LB corps, with Clayton Smith at 6'4", Danny Stutsman at 6'3" and Jordan Mukes at 6'4".
It is noted on Rivals that the top 7 rated prospects in Oklahoma are NOT OU commitments. Ethan Downs is rated at 8, Mukes is rated at 10. I think it's likely that OU feels there's better talent elsewhere. OSU is getting a good share of the instate players which tells me this is true.
I see how that comment could come across as a jab at his work ethic. Not intended.
I find it very interesting that OU opted for lower ranked players from the home state this year. Proctor and Hill were losses, for sure, in prior years. This year, it doesn't look that way. Looks instead like Grinch and his crew know what they want and don't GAF about recruiting rankings.
I really like it that they gave the kid a heads up before he committed in public thinking he'd be a safety. It's a high class move that will keep doors open throughout the state to the HCs that want to have their players treated with respect.
Well stated.
Grinch may have that rare talent of finding hidden "gold".
It's too bad that Oklahoma high school football isn't where it was 25-30 years ago. Those great teams of the 1970's and early 1980's had plenty of Oklahomans on the roster.
And look at that great 1967 team with Oklahomans Warmack, Hinton, Owens, Shotts, Liggins, Kalsu, Titsworth, Mendenhall, Files, Kollar and the Harper brothers, just to name a few. Don't think we will see that again.
It is rare but sometimes you get a mega fish from a small pond. I think Ronnell Lewis came from HS that only had eight man tackle. He was a solid contributor - two year starter if I recall.
He was offered i believe in June/July 2019, as a S and was told as much that that was the position he'd be playing. In that timeframe, he did not add the weight. This possibly could have sent a message to the coaches that he a) didn't want to put in the work needed to add weight or b) he simply did not want to fit into their needs. Either way is not a good thing for a kid that states he wanted to go to OU. I think OU handled him well.
CT, you may be on to something regarding talent level in Oklahoma this year. Some have said that if he was in Texas he wouldn't be listed among the top talent across the state.
Watch his videos. You can see his top end speed on everyone. He chases kids down and the one on the sideline. He has an extra fast top end gear.
2A
Since he doesn’t run track, OU staff had his coach time/record some forties for them
That’s when they decided he’s a linebacker prospect
consensus is he’s not fast enough to play safety here. He doesn’t want bulk up and be a backer. So we wished him well and said good luck being a jimbo
"He plays for Beggs for Christs sake." I remember a time when we were led by great players from small town: Kenny King, David Overstreet, Billy Sims, Rod Shoate, Steve Davis, Carl McAdams, Teddy Lehman...and on and on. I think OU's decision was based on the fit and whether he was a safety or an lb.
He's looks on video, that he has that extra gear. Similar to Usian Bolt. At the 20-30 yard mark, he's usually a stride or 2 behind. Then he hits that extra gear and takes off. In Daniels videos, he looks like he has that extra gear.
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