Not only did Oklahoma football land the No. 1 quarterback in the 2021 class with the commitment by Caleb Williams, the Sooners now have another influential recruiting voice as they go after other big-name talent in the class.
Just as Williams developed an immediate connection with Sooner head coach Lincoln Riley — which was a big reason, Williams says, for his choosing Oklahoma — Riley is hoping that Williams is able to work his magic with several other highly touted recruiting targets he is trying to get to follow him to Norman.
Williams just may be the best recruiter Riley and the Sooners could have right now as they go after other five- and four-star prospects to fill out OU’s 2021 class.
Even with commitments last Saturday by Williams and four-star defensive back Latrell McCutchin, a former Alabama commit, Oklahoma only has 11 commitments for 2021 thus far. That is the fewest of any team ranked ahead of the Sooners in the Rivals 2021 Team Recruiting Rankings. Oklahoma’s 2021 class is currently ranked 16th by Rivals.
Williams is the Sooners’ highest rated recruit since Adrian Peterson, the No. 1 running back in the 2004 class, and Rhett Bomar, the No. 1 quarterback recruit in that same class, committed to Oklahoma.
Williams is also Riley’s second top-rated quarterback in the last three recruiting cycles, which speaks heavily to what he has accomplished with the three quarterbacks who have started for Oklahoma in the five seasons Riley has been on the Sooner coaching staff (two years as offensive coordinator and the last three as head coach).
Don’t for a second believe that didn’t weigh heavily on Williams’ decision to commit to play at Oklahoma and for Riley. Williams has made it fairly clear he wants to win a national championship, and he believes his best chance of doing that is at Oklahoma.
Caleb Williams is a big recruiting voice for the Sooners right now.
Williams is still a year out before beginning his collegiate career. He will be a senior this coming school year at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C.
“What Riley needs from Williams now,” writes John Hoover, the OU insider for Sports Illustrated, ” is his unbridled enthusiasm for OU and his passion for all things Crimson and Cream.”
Williams has already been busy actively talking with other big names like himself, players he has become close with, to come join him when he heads into the collegiate ranks. A who better to pull something off like that that than the nation’s top-rated quarterback recruit.
As an East Coast guy, Williams already has a connection with five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh and four-star defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam. Both are from Virginia.
Leigh has made three visits to LSU and two each to Alabama and Clemson; he has not visited OU. Gilliam is rated the No. 9 defensive end. He has OU among his choices, but Penn State has been recruiting him hard and Rivals is projecting that is where he will end up.
Four-star wide-receiver Jalil Farooq, like Williams, is from the D.C-Maryland area and is a friend of Williams. Farooq was actually in attendance at Williams announcement ceremony on Saturday, according to SI’s Hoover. There is a very good chance that Farooq will become a Sooner, probably because of William.
The Sooners’ newest 2021 commitment has also reached out to several other blue-chip recruits, according to Vic Reynolds of The Oklahoman newspaper. Those include Emeka Egbuka, the No. 1 wide receiver in the class, who is believed to be leaning toward Ohio State, and four-star offensive lineman Bryce Foster, from Katy, Texas, who has OU on his short list and is projected by Rivals to end up a Sooner.
And offensive players aren’t the only ones Williams is trying to get play alongside him in Norman. He has been conversing with five-star prospect Maason Smith, one of the top defensive tackles in the 2021 class. LSU may have the best shot at landing the native Louisianan, but that hasn’t stopped Williams from trying to bend Smith’s ear.
The Sooners are also hot after a defensive back in their own state, four-star Kendal Daniels. Perhaps the Williams commitment will be the tipping point in keeping Daniels in-state and in Norman. The OU coaches have indicated they would consider converting the talented safety to linebacker.
Getting some of those other blue-chippers to join him at Oklahoma is what Williams says he is focusing on right now.
"“Just focusing on that and then also going to OU, getting in with the guys there, earning their respect, learning the playbook and getting on the field as early as I can,” Williams wrote in the latest iteration of his “All on the Line” blog he has been writing for Sports Illustrated.“…and hopefully winning a few national championships before I leave there.”"
Wouldn’t that be grand! Boomer Sooner!