Big 12 Breakdown: Bedlam recruiting battles
For the second consecutive year, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will meet in the final game of the regular season to determine the winner of the Big 12 conference. The Sooners took 2015 with a 58-23 win, and after a bumpy to start to this season are looking more like the team they were expected to be in the preseason. The Cowboys battled back from some early disappointments of their own this season to find themselves right behind Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff rankings.
With the conference title on the line, here’s a look at the current and future players that will be most closely watched.
TOP OKLAHOMA vs. OKLAHOMA STATE RECRUITING BATTLE
The 2017 recruits that the Sooners and Cowboys had both been seriously battling for have all likely made firm decisions. This weekend could be the start of a major opportunity for either to make a big splash heading into next year with 2018 recruits, namely, Alston Orji. The Dallas-area recruit is expected to be on campus with his brother, Anfernee Orji, who currently holds one early offer from Arkansas. Both the Sooners and Cowboys have offered 2018 sibling prospects Jordan Moore and Joshua Moore, and the Cowboys have commitments from twins Tylan Wallace and Tracin Wallace in this year’s class, so recruiting brother combinations to land commitments is not an uncommon strategy for the rivals.
OKLAHOMA
HIGHEST-RANKED IMPACT PLAYER
Mixon finished his high school career ranked No. 8 nationally and was so physically gifted that he could play any number of positions on offense. Although he was suspended for Oklahoma’s game against Iowa State this season, he has otherwise been as good as advertised and a reliable back as fellow OU runner Semaje Perine missed three games in the middle of the season. Even after missing the game against the Cyclones, Mixon is the Big 12’s second-leading rusher with 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns.
MOST UNDERRATED IMPACT PLAYER
Coming into the season, Oklahoma’s most likely Heisman Trophy contender appeared to be quarterback Baker Mayfield. Since then, a portion of that Heisman talk has shifted to his top receiving target. Westbrook finished his high school career as a three-star recruit, but came to the Sooners as a four-star JUCO transfer. He enters this weekend sixth in the country in receiving yards this season with 1,354 and is tied for fourth nationally in receiving touchdowns with 15.
TOP 2017 COMMIT
Phillips is Oklahoma’s most recent commitment, but joins Addison Gumbs to give Oklahoma two Rivals100 linebacker prospects. Phillips is more than just a thumper as an inside linebacker - he is a rangy and capable pass-defender in the middle of the defense as well. Phillips chose Oklahoma over more predictable regional options in the southeast, and is a big part of the reason the Sooners have the third-best recruiting class in the country.
BIGGEST REMAINING TARGET
All indications point to Marvin Wilson having moved on from considering the Sooners, but another Houston-area defensive tackle has recently been the focus of the Sooners’ recruiting efforts. Rogers also comes from the Texas private school landscape, and has all the physical attributes other top prospects at the position share. Oklahoma has a need at defensive tackle in this class and could also consider yet another Houston product in Corey Bethley, but Rogers is a more intriguing and athletic first option.
OKLAHOMA STATE
HIGHEST-RANKED IMPACT PLAYER
Rudolph wasn’t in line to take the honors here until he completed his senior season and had a strong week at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas to jump into the Rivals250 at the end of 2014. The bump in ranking has been justified, as he’s flourished in a pass-friendly offense and conference. This season, Rudolph finished only behind Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes for top passer honors in the conference, and heading into the weekend, Rudolph has completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,591 yards and 25 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
MOST UNDERRATED IMPACT PLAYER
In similar circumstance to the Sooners’ top receiver, Washington finished his high school career with just two reported offers - Oklahoma State and Texas State. Mike Gundy’s staff saw something in the small-town Texas prospect that went overlooked by most of the other in-state programs. The Cowboys have received a huge return on their investment. In one fewer game played than TCU’s Jonathan Giles, Washington enters the weekend as second in the conference in receiving yards (1,159), behind only Westbrook.
TOP 2017 COMMIT
Hubbard has as much size as he does shiftiness and breakaway speed. The Canadian export has numerous offers, but has settled in as one of the Cowboys’ top commitments to this point. Justice Hill came in this season and had success as a freshman running back, and Hubbard will come in with better size and likely into a position group that could use an extra body or two with just one other commit in three-star RB J.D. King.
BIGGEST REMAINING TARGET
Oklahoma State wasted no time in offering Brennan after his decommitment from LSU. The Cowboys have one quarterback committed already in Georgia product Jelani Woods, but he is far from the level of polished that Brennan is. Brennan, a Mississippi native, is long and lanky, but he can fling the ball downfield in a snap and is a far closer comparison to Rudolph than Woods. Brennan threw for nearly 50 touchdowns to only four interceptions this season.
