Just maybe there is something to having Trace Adkins performing ahead of the Oklahoma spring game this weekend. After all, one of his biggest hits is titled You’re gonna miss this.
Such was the case for five-star wide receiver Arjei Henderson following his announcement on Friday to re-commit the Sooners. He announced his decision in a video on Twitter, kicking off his official visit with a bang and possibly setting the tone for what could be a major recruiting weekend for OU. He was briefly committed to Oklahoma prior to committing to Oregon last summer. He de-committed from the Ducks following Willie Taggart’s move to Florida State.
“[Oklahoma has] been there throughout this whole recruiting process,” he said. “Throughout the Oregon commitment, even then they pushed harder for me than the school I was committed to. They never stopped hitting me up, giving me calls, so it was just the love that they’ve shown and the bright future of the program is something that I want to be a part of.”
Henderson said that among all the programs working hard to land him, he said that Lincoln Riley had been the most crucial figure in his recruitment. Prior to his appointment of head coach before the start of last season, he sold Henderson on a vison as the team’s offensive coordinator and never stopped pitching him a prominent role in the team’s offensive plans.
“Throughout the recruiting process, everyone’s done their share of pushing, but definitely Lincoln has probably recruited me the hardest,” he said. “Just because even when (Bob) Stoops was there he was the number-one guy hitting me up, so I’m always on the phone with him, talking it up with him about every other day a couple of times throughout the week.”
Henderson’s recruitment is immediately reminiscent of 2017 Rivals100 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb – who had also re-committed to Oklahoma following an earlier de-commitment. Both receivers hail from the Houston, Texas, area and had discussed the similarities in their recruitments prior to Henderson making his decision.
“I talk to him all the time – I actually spoke with him earlier today – so we’re actually real close, played ball together growing up and that’s somebody I always looked up to and we have a real good relationship,” he said. “He told me throughout my recruitment just to take my time, but I always know where home is. As far as his experience up there, he seems to love it.”
If Henderson’s career at Oklahoma mirrors Lamb’s once he gets on campus, that would make coaches and fans all the more happy with his decision. Of course, Henderson has no doubt that he and the other talented receivers that Oklahoma has landed in recent recruiting classes will make that kind of fast impact.
“As I watched them play last season, it was like music to my ears – for any receiver really – they were going four-and-five wide and threw the heck out of the ball,” he said. “I liked what I saw from them last year as far as their play calling, their pass/run ratio, and how much time the younger guys got – they played a lot of freshmen on both sides of the ball.”
Henderson had taken an unofficial visit to Texas A&M earlier in the week, perhaps creating a bit of nervousness for those Oklahoma fans following his recruitment – particularly since the Aggies were part of the Top 3 he announced earlier this spring – but his mind had already been made up at that point.
Even though Henderson’s recruitment has gone in a couple of directions since accumulating a formidable offer list since the spring preceding his junior season, he said that this commitment back to Oklahoma should also be his last.
“I won’t be too involved with recruiting anymore. Once I make my decision, that’s where I’m going to school at,” he said. “I’m definitely open to conversations, getting to know other schools, but I won’t be looking at anyone else – my recruitment is pretty much shut down from this point on.”
The Sooners also landed a commitment from fellow five-star wide receiver Theo Wease on Friday, but Henderson predicted an even bigger finish from Oklahoma by National Signing Day.
“I feel like when it’s all said-and-done, we should probably go down as the best recruiting class in 2019,” he said. “I expect this to be a huge weekend for in Norman, so I can’t wait to see what happens.”
