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Oklahoma football: Sooners land 4-star DE they hoped for on Signing Day

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch observers warm ups before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch observers warm ups before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Lincoln Riley didn’t have much Oklahoma football recruiting news to report on the regular national signing day on Wednesday, but what he did have to report was extremely positive.

Four-star defensive end Reggie Grimes finalized his recruitment by officially signing with the Sooners on Wednesday. The highly touted defensive lineman originally committed to Oklahoma in November but did not sign a letter of intent on the early signing day in December.

He remained committed to the Sooners but also was being heavily recruited by other major programs, including Alabama, national champion LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, Penn State and Florida State.

Grimes’ addition to Oklahoma’s 23-member 2020 class, along with four other defensive linemen recruits and 10 defensive players overall, should help turn around the Sooners’ defensive struggles of recent seasons.

The 6-foot, 4-inch, 220-pound defensive end is rated as a top-five recruit out of his home state of Tennessee and the No. 1 player at his position nationally. He is a major pickup for OU and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s defensive unit.

One national recruiting service described Grimes as one of the best athletes in the country with enormous physical upside.

In an article originally published in The (Nashville) Tennessean and republished inThe (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman, Tennessean staff writer Tom Kreager reported that Oklahoma was interested in awarding a scholarship offer to Grimes, but had backed off when the Sooners weren’t among his top choices. His original top six, in no particular order, were Alabama, Tennessee, Florida State, LSU, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

When he hadn’t heard from Oklahoma in a while, Grimes actually contacted the Sooner coaching staff and asked if they were still interested.

"From the phone call,” Grimes told the Tennessean, “that’s when they started up again.”"

Grimes made an official visit to Oklahoma in late October. That’s when the deal was almost sealed.

But it didn’t become official until Wednesday. The SEC’s loss became a huge gain for Oklahoma and the Big 12.

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