UPDATE: 11:20p - A guy I spoke a lot with tonight is New Orleans (La.) Warren Easton Rivals250 offensive lineman Sedrick Van Pran.
It's clear he, and others, loved the time at the Chesapeake arena, Oklahoma definitely threw something unique at them with that idea.
"Everyone was there and we took a bus with the current players there. And it was catered and everything," Van Pran said.
I'll have more but also wanted to mention that Van Pran seemed to really hit it off with the coaching staff.
"The people (stood out). Everyone accepted me and really showed love," he said. "Also coach (Lincoln) Riley allowed everyone to have breakfast at is house and it was amazing."
UPDATE: 11:08p - I know people got excited about Bryson Washington talking about a commitment video...
I talked with Bryson some tonight and it sounds like he is nearing cutting his list to just four schools and then should be announcing his planned decision date this summer.
I think there is some feeling that Oklahoma made a move this weekend but I'm not ready to buy in that they are going to push past Texas and Texas A&M - the two long-believed leaders. I think it's Texas at this point.
ORIGINAL: OK guys, have been talking to people all evening and wanted to get things started...
*OK first, off, I know the commitment of Dontae Manning has everyone excited and while I know that some are getting really wound up about the likelihood...the things I'm hearing? I'm not convinced the next commit will be either Jacobe Covington or Akinola Ogunbiyi.
Don't misunderstand me, I think both of those visits went extremely well and I think both could go down at any point but I'm not ready to say they are the next one off the board.
*One of the two guys who could beat these long-thought upcoming commitments to the punch? How about Ryan Watts. I've talked to a few people who tell me this visit was an absolute home run.
"I'm about 99-percent (Oklahoma) got him," one source said.
Some even think that Watts could be on the verge of doing something immediately but let's keep our eye on things.
*Another that is an even bigger surprise that really loved what he saw this weekend from what Scoop has been told?
How about Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek three-star athlete Brian Branch. This is not a situation that is as clear as Watts, it kind of depends on who you're talking to in regard to where Branch falls after this weekend. But what is clear is that Oklahoma impressed him and has challenged the advantage that many have seen for Ohio State in recent months.
*I spoke quite a bit with Antwaun Powell-Ryland and it's clear he loved his trip. Mark Jackson was the guy he was told to really focus on during the game and said 'I can see myself playing that'.
"I like the way they are going to use me, everything was good. It was good just being part of the players," Powell-Ryland said.
His host was Trejan Bridges and it's clear that Oklahoma, in a short time, has impressed both the recruit as well as the short-tenured freshman receiver.
"He said that they really treat you like family and I can see that," he said.
As for the coaches? Their message was simple.
"They were saying that I'm special to them."
Now, one interesting note?
I'm told that Powell-Ryland was every bit of his listed size, he was over 6-foot-2 and 230-pounds and as such seems a pretty easy fit for that rush edge that Oklahoma is looking for.
*I mentioned Akinola Ogunbiyi already but while he hasn't made any big move yet, the Sooners definitely made a big impression and built off his previous visit.
"It was amazing and I got a feel for the place and its people," Ogunbiyi said of the differences between this and his first trip.
*I'm still tracking some more but I want to get this out before we're all overwhelmed by Dragons for the next hour, a guy that really liked what he saw from Oklahoma - Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne four-star linebacker Jordan Banks.
"I think they are a wonderful program that is going to be a national title contender again this year," Banks said.
Again...more to come...
It's clear he, and others, loved the time at the Chesapeake arena, Oklahoma definitely threw something unique at them with that idea.
"Everyone was there and we took a bus with the current players there. And it was catered and everything," Van Pran said.
I'll have more but also wanted to mention that Van Pran seemed to really hit it off with the coaching staff.
"The people (stood out). Everyone accepted me and really showed love," he said. "Also coach (Lincoln) Riley allowed everyone to have breakfast at is house and it was amazing."
UPDATE: 11:08p - I know people got excited about Bryson Washington talking about a commitment video...
I talked with Bryson some tonight and it sounds like he is nearing cutting his list to just four schools and then should be announcing his planned decision date this summer.
I think there is some feeling that Oklahoma made a move this weekend but I'm not ready to buy in that they are going to push past Texas and Texas A&M - the two long-believed leaders. I think it's Texas at this point.
ORIGINAL: OK guys, have been talking to people all evening and wanted to get things started...
*OK first, off, I know the commitment of Dontae Manning has everyone excited and while I know that some are getting really wound up about the likelihood...the things I'm hearing? I'm not convinced the next commit will be either Jacobe Covington or Akinola Ogunbiyi.
Don't misunderstand me, I think both of those visits went extremely well and I think both could go down at any point but I'm not ready to say they are the next one off the board.
*One of the two guys who could beat these long-thought upcoming commitments to the punch? How about Ryan Watts. I've talked to a few people who tell me this visit was an absolute home run.
"I'm about 99-percent (Oklahoma) got him," one source said.
Some even think that Watts could be on the verge of doing something immediately but let's keep our eye on things.
*Another that is an even bigger surprise that really loved what he saw this weekend from what Scoop has been told?
How about Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek three-star athlete Brian Branch. This is not a situation that is as clear as Watts, it kind of depends on who you're talking to in regard to where Branch falls after this weekend. But what is clear is that Oklahoma impressed him and has challenged the advantage that many have seen for Ohio State in recent months.
*I spoke quite a bit with Antwaun Powell-Ryland and it's clear he loved his trip. Mark Jackson was the guy he was told to really focus on during the game and said 'I can see myself playing that'.
"I like the way they are going to use me, everything was good. It was good just being part of the players," Powell-Ryland said.
His host was Trejan Bridges and it's clear that Oklahoma, in a short time, has impressed both the recruit as well as the short-tenured freshman receiver.
"He said that they really treat you like family and I can see that," he said.
As for the coaches? Their message was simple.
"They were saying that I'm special to them."
Now, one interesting note?
I'm told that Powell-Ryland was every bit of his listed size, he was over 6-foot-2 and 230-pounds and as such seems a pretty easy fit for that rush edge that Oklahoma is looking for.
*I mentioned Akinola Ogunbiyi already but while he hasn't made any big move yet, the Sooners definitely made a big impression and built off his previous visit.
"It was amazing and I got a feel for the place and its people," Ogunbiyi said of the differences between this and his first trip.
*I'm still tracking some more but I want to get this out before we're all overwhelmed by Dragons for the next hour, a guy that really liked what he saw from Oklahoma - Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne four-star linebacker Jordan Banks.
"I think they are a wonderful program that is going to be a national title contender again this year," Banks said.
Again...more to come...
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