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National Signing Day: Sooners strengthen top-10 class with 4-star defensive tackle

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 8: The Oklahoma Sooners take the field before the game against the Baylor Bears November 8, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Baylor defeated Oklahoma 48-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 8: The Oklahoma Sooners take the field before the game against the Baylor Bears November 8, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Baylor defeated Oklahoma 48-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Oklahoma landed just one additional commitment on National Signing Day, but it was a big one.

Four-star defensive tackle Michael Thompson chose Oklahoma over Missouri on Wednesday, helping secure a second straight top-10 recruiting class for the Sooners and the first for one-year head coach Lincoln Riley.

Rivals.com rates Oklahoma’s 2018 recruiting class as the nation’s eighth best. Rivals ranked Bob Stoops final recruiting class No. 7.

Thompson was a big get for the Sooners, whose 2018 recruiting class is heavily weighted with defensive players. Thirteen of Oklahoma’s 22-member recruiting class play on the defensive side of the ball. This should give the Sooners a much stronger defensive presence in the coming seasons.

That’s the one thing that OU opponents don’t want to hear, given the Sooners prolific offensive presence. Oklahoma boasted the nation’s No. 1 offense last season. The Sooners have fielded one of the country’s top offensive teams every season that Riley has been at Oklahoma, and now they are making a strong statement that they are committed to becoming a top defense as well.

Thompson, one of 15 four-star prospects in OU’s 2018 class, is rated as the 96th best player in the Rivals.com national recruiting class and the No. 5 defensive tackle prospect. He is the No. 2 player in the state of Missouri, according to Rivals.com.

The Sooners return six starters on offense and six on defense in 2018.  The 13 defensive players signed in Oklahoma’s 2018 class include five defensive backs, three linebackers and defensive ends and two defensive lineman. On the offensive side are three offensive lineman, two wide receivers and one each tight end, running back and quarterback.

OU’s signees for 2018 include five-star defensive back Brendan Riley-Hiles, from Florida, who is rated the No. 2 cornerback in the national class, four-star offensive tackle Brey Walker, the No. 4 offensive tackle nationally and four-star defensive end Jalen Redmond, rated by Rivals as the No. 8 linebacker

Oklahoma signed 17 commitments in the early signing period in December. The Sooners added five more signee, and one big announcement, on Wednesday to fill out the 2018 class.

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