Oklahoma football: New OC could swing some top recruits OU’s way
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football lost some top recruits immediately following Lincoln Riley’s departure, but that tide could be turning back in OU’s favor for the same reason with the hiring of new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby.
The Sooners do not have a commitment for a quarterback in their 2022 or 2023 class. That creates a void behind Caleb Williams, assuming he elects to stay at Oklahoma after this season.
Spencer Rattler has announced he is entering the transfer portal. That leaves Penn State transfer Micah Bowens as the primary backup to Williams. Malachi Nelson, rated the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 class, decommitted from OU after Lincoln Riley’s move to USC.
That definitely puts the Sooners in the market for a quarterback in either its 2022 or 2023 class, and perhaps both.
One name to watch for is Nick Evers, a 6-foot, 3-inch four-star QB rated as the top dual-threat at the position in the 2022 class. Evers, from Flower Mound, Texas, part of the DFW metroplex, decommitted from Florida earlier this week. OU’s new OC Lebby is reportedly already on that trail.
Should the Sooners be able to build a strong positive relationship with Evers, that could lead them to a top wide-receiver prospect out of Winter Garden, Florida. Jayden Gibson, a 6-foot, 5-inch receiver is believed to have a close relationship with Evers.
— Jayden Gibson (@TheJaydenGibson) December 9, 2021
Striking a positive influence on one or both of these uncommitted prospects could prove to be a two-for-one deal. Oklahoma’s chances of landing Evers are stronger than with Gibson alone, but there is a good chance that Gibson will follow Evers, much like what landed the two of them to Florida originally.
Another Florida wide-receiver prospect, C.J. Smith, out of Orlando, Florida, decommitted from the Gators on the same day as Gibson. Is it a coincidental that Gibson and Smith decommitted on the same day. Probably not.
Gibson is another tall wide receiver at 6-foot, 3-inches. Ole Miss was recruiting Smith heavily, Now that Lebby is at Oklahoma, it will be interesting to see if the Sooners make a play for the four-star prospect Smith.
Evers may not be the only quarterback Lebby is targeting, There are several quarterbacks around the country who recently entered the transfer portal, including Quinn Evers (no relation) of Ohio State, Adrian Martinez of Nebraska and Max Johnson of LSU.
The Sooners could have a good shot at a top defensive prospect as well. Five-star cornerback Daylen Everette, from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, decommitted from Clemson after Brent Venables left to become head coach at Oklahoma. With Venables and former Clemson defensive analyst Ted Roof now at OU, you can expect the Sooners to make a strong run at Everette.
The Oklahoma recruiting rankings have fallen in both the 2022 and 2023 classes with the recent decommitments, but new head coach Brent Venables and Lebby have hit the trail hard this week, working diligently and tirelessly to stop the bleeding and rebuild what was lost.
The early national signing period begins next Wednesday.
According to 247Sports and Rivals, Oklahoma currently ranks 21st and 25th, respectively, among 2022 classes. The Sooners were previously ranked No. 1 among the 2023 classes, but have dropped to 13th and 12th, respectively, after losing two five-star and one four-star prospect from the five commitments they had obtained before Lincoln Riley left OU for ISC.