Oklahoma football recruiting spotlight: DB Robert Spears-Jennings

Among the 21 Oklahoma football recruits who make up the Sooners’ top 10-ranked 2022 class is defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings.

Spears-Jennings hails from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and was a standout defensive back and wide receiver as an OKpreps player. When Oklahoma began courting Spears-Jennings he was rated three stars and not considered an elite prospect by the recruiting services.

That did not stop then defensive coordinator Alex Grinch from seeing what so many now see in the young football player. This is a defensive back with plus size standing at 6-foot, 1-inch and 195 pounds. He could play both corner and safety, and has speed to burn, having tested  4.49 in the 40-yard dash, as a 17-year-old. He raced off with Texas A&M’s Bryce Anderson in the “Fastest man challenge” at 247 camp.

Broken Arrow High School was able to make it to the state semifinal last season, falling to super power Tulsa Union 17-14, and Spears-Jennings’s play had quite a lot to do with Broken Arrow’s success. He also participated in track for Broken Arrow, finishing third in the 100-meter dash at the 6A Regional.

As time went on, Spears-Jennings climbed up the recruiting rankings ladder and was upgraded to four stars, according to all major recruiting services. Schools all over the country began to inquire about the talented defensive back, but the Oklahoma native turned them all away and decided to stick with the Sooners despite upheaval on the OU coaching staff.

When asked why he would stay at Oklahoma after the coaching change, Spears-Jennings told Norman radio station1400 the Ref this: 

"“My main reason for staying with Oklahoma is, Bob Stoops came to my house on a house visit and just told me OU is going to be OU regardless of the coaching. The program revolves around the players, not the coaching staff, and OU is a great program.“Coaches are calling to be the head coach for OU, and not OU going for coaches. Just knowing that, and knowing they are going to find the right coach for the SEC, because we’re going to the SEC that made me feel 10 times more comfortable.”"

In terms of how much time Spears-Jennings may play out of the gate, he has a great size to him, before even reaching campus and getting to strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt. He stands to be a flexible piece who could play OLB, nickel, safety, or corner in Brent Venables’ scheme.

He is a twitchy athlete who could contribute right away, particularly with OU looking to fill the roles left void by the departures of Delarrin Turner-Yell and Patrick Fields at safety. Oklahoma also never fully solidified the nickel position, though a couple of returning players, Billy Bowman and Justin Broiles, have started at that position. 

With Spears-Jennings’ plus athletic ability and size, while he may not win a starting job right away, it’s a safe bet he will be a contributor in 2022.