Oklahoma football: Sooners sign their 15 2021 commitments plus one big addition
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football ran the table in officially signing its previous 15 commitments on the first day of the 2021 early signing period.
But perhaps the biggest news of the day was the addition of a big 16th 2021 signee, both literally and figuratively.
Six-foot, 7-inch 315-pound offensive tackle Savion Byrd signed with the Sooners on Wednesday. Byrd, from Duncanville, Texas, had narrowed his college choices to Oklahoma and SMU, and he revealed on Wednesday that he would be playing football next season at OU.
Byrd joins fellow 2021 offensive line recruit Cullen Montgomery, a three-star prospect from Houston, as a member of Oklahoma’s 2021 class, which is currently ranked 14th in the country by Rivals and No. 7 by 247Sports.
The Sooners’ 2021 class currently includes two five-star recruits — No. 1 dual-threat QB prospect Caleb Williams and Mario Williams (no relation), the No. 2-rated wide receiver and No. 15 player overall — and nine four-star prospects. And this is likely to grow with more top national talent in the coming weeks.
Along with Mario Williams, the Sooners also have signed three other four-star wide receivers in the 2021 class: Cody Jackson, Jalil Farooq (a close friend of QB Caleb Williams) and former Texas commitment Billy Bowman, Jr. That gives OU four of the top 25 wide receivers in the 2021 class.
With top defensive talent being a recruiting priority, eight of the 16 OU signees on the first day of the early signing period were defensive players, headed by Clayton Smith, the No. 2 outside linebacker and 33rd player overall, according to Rivals. In addition to Smith, Oklahoma’s 2021 class includes three defensive backs, two defensive tackles and a pair of defensive ends.
Oklahoma is in the mix for several other highly touted uncommitted prospects as Lincoln Riley and his coaching staff work to fill out the Sooners 2021 class between now and National Signing Day Part II in February.
Other potential Oklahoma 2021 signees to keep a close eye on in the coming days and weeks are RB Camar Wheaton, rated by Rivals as the No, 1 running back in the 2021 class and No. 10 player overall; Bryce Foster, the No, 2 offensive tackle; and Tristan Leigh, the No. 4 offensive guard in the national class. All three are also being recruited by OU’s top 2021 recruit, Caleb Williams, who has been talking with each of them, trying to persuade them to join him and win championships at Oklahoma.
Wheaton has said he will announce his decision on Dec. 23. The 6-f00t, 1-inch, 190-pound running back from Garland Texas, is considering between Oklahoma, Alabama and LSU, but several recruiting experts believe him to be leaning toward OU.
If the Sooners are successful in also landing Foster and Leigh, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh will have added to an offensive line group that for several years has been considered one of the best in the Big 12, if not the entire country.