It’s easy to get caught up in the one’s that got away and totally lose focus on the one’s that committed. This is the life of college football recruiting and the patterns of fan response that surround it. Perhaps now that all of the dust has settled we can look back and see just how special Oklahoma’s 2021 recruiting class was.
Even with the losses of running back Camar Wheaton, receiver Emeka Egbuka, and offensive lineman Tristan Leigh the Sooners put together a class that was exponentially better than anyone else in the Big 12. In a true, “see for yourself” check out this graphic from FOX College Football.
Oklahoma landed eight of the ten highest ranked recruits to commit to Big 12 schools in 2021. All eight signees mentioned in the graphic were in the Top 21 for their respective positions. Six of them were in the Top 10 of their respective positions and five were Top 4, including Caleb Williams who was the Top dual-threat quarterback in the class.
The Sooners dominating Big 12 competition isn’t something new. It’s well documented how OU has ruled the conference for more than two decades now. What fans really want is another national title. What they crave isn’t just a College Football Playoff appearance but to start collecting wins on the sport’s biggest stage.
This class could very well be the foundation for all of that and here’s why. Of the eight guys mentioned in the graphic, five of them are already on campus. Caleb Williams, Clayton Smith, Mario Williams, Billy Bowman, and Cody Jackson will all participate in spring ball along with 2021 classmates Ethan Downs, Latrell McCutchin, Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge, Jordan Mukes, and Isaiah Coe who didn’t make the Top 10 recruits in the conference.
Marvin Mims is just the latest example of how a young guy can get on the field and make an impact during his first season if he’s ready. There are certainly multiple impact players in this class and having the extra time on the field, as well as the film room, is only going to help these guys take better advantage of the opportunity should it arrive. Just imagine how much more dangerous Mims would have been had he been able to participate in a full spring like these guys are about to.
However, what really sets this class apart in terms of a foundation for greatness is the transfers that are included. Not only are there 16 high-profile prep athletes coming to Norman, there are also five high-caliber transfers (maybe six) coming in and most of them are going to be plug-and-play guys who will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. Clearly the transfers won’t be four-year potential guys like incoming freshmen are going to be but when it’s their time to leave this extremely talented class will be fully ready to step into the spotlight and most likely they’re going to have the opportunity to shine on the big stage.
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