OU Football Recruiting Class of 2018 Reels in a Four-Star QB
By Chip Rouse
While a number of major programs are still busy molding and shaping their recruiting class for 2017, OU football already has one five-star and two four-star players committed for 2018.
The latest recruit to single out the Sooners is highly recruited California high school quarterback Cameron Rising. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 200-pound Rising is rated one of the nation’s elite quarterback prospects, and he selected Oklahoma early in his recruiting process over several of the country’s most decorated programs.
The offer from the Sooners was one of 19 he already had in hand, and he still has a couple of years of high school remaining in Newbury Park, Calif., located about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Among those schools Rising received scholarship offers from were Alabama, LSU, Arizona, UCLA, Houston, Nebraska, Penn State, Oregon State, as well as Oklahoma State and TCU out of the Big 12.
According to 247Sports.com, Oklahoma extended an offer to Rising on April 19. He made an official visit to OU on July 20 as part of a summer tour.
As a sophomore, Rising completed close to 67 percent of his passes for 3,213 yards and 40 touchdowns. In 319 pass attempts, he threw only one interception.
Rising told 247Sports and other media outlets reporting on his verbal commitment to Oklahoma that TCU was his second choice.
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“I’ve always loved Oklahoma,” Rising said. “When I went there it blew me away. I loved everything about it. The coaches are great. It’s one of the best programs in the country.”
Credit OU offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley for much of the legwork and persuasive selling that led to the early commitment from Rising.
Much can happen between now and National Signing Day in February 2018, but for now it appears that the Sooners are in good shape at the quarterback position for a number of years to come.
Oklahoma has incumbent QB Baker Mayfield for two more seasons, if he chooses to stay another year after this season, and Texas A&M transfer Kyler Murray waiting in the wings when he becomes eligible to play in 2017. Murray, a five-star prospect and former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, has two years of eligibility remaining. The Sooners also have true freshman Austin Kendall, a four-star prospect himself, who will be the backup to Mayfield this season.
In addition to Rising, Oklahoma also has commitments for its 2018 recruiting class from five-star offensive tackle Brey Walker, from nearby Moore, Okla., and Jordan Austin, a four-star cornerback from Lancaster, Texas.