Oklahoma Football: Defensive recruiting update during Spring game week

Linebackers

The linebacker outlook is deep. The consensus number one linebacker recruit in the Sooners class is composite 5-star LB Sammy Brown from Jefferson, GA (Jefferson). Brown recently visited Norman in March and has his official visit scheduled for June, and many feel the Sooners will be in a position to capitalize then. Brown would be the diamond of the 2024 recruiting class due to his size, physicality, and dominance. Brown has a strong connection with Coach Venables and really likes the Oklahoma Sooners program. Many experts feel OU is in the 3rd position in the Sammy Brown race, behind Clemson and Georgia. Getting Brown to Norman would be a long shot; however, it’s well worth the effort.

The second linebacker target for the Sooners is composite 4-star LB Brayden Platt from Yelm, WA (Yelm). Platt has the Sooners in his top-4 list and has a strong connection with the Oklahoma coaching staff. With the recent Ohio State commitment of LB Peyton Pierce, the Sooners’ chase of Platt gains a higher level of importance. Many experts feel Platt is a better linebacker target than Pierce, and the Sooners are in the hunt. Platt was recently on campus in Norman and came away from the unofficial trip very impressed with Sooner’s setup. The Sooners will have their hands full competing against Oregon and USC for Platt’s services.

The next top-LB talent the Sooners are pursuing is St. John Bosco LB Jordan Lockhart. Like many other recruits, the California linebacker visited the Sooners in March and came away impressed. The recruitment of Lockhart is fresh, and the Sooners have a long way to go, but they’re in the hunt. Lockhart currently has USC and Ole Miss in his projected schools; however, I wouldn’t take my eyes off the Sooners.

The final featured LB, the Sooners, is in a recruiting battle for Tampa, FL, linebacker Drew Woodaz. Woodaz is a composite 4-star backer from Jesuit in Tampa, and he has the Sooners in his top-2 alongside Clemson. Woodaz was last in Norman in November, and he has future plans to return to Norman. Along with Sammy Brown, Coach Venables has made a personal connection to this recruitment, which will keep the Sooners in the hunt until the ink is put on the letter of intent. Woodaz would be a good fit for the Sooner’s defense, and he comes from a Sooner pipeline state in Florida. I could see him and Sammy Brown going to the same school and wanting to play together as a tandem.