Fact or Fiction: The Sooners could have historic class
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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1) The Sooners could have historic class.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Bryce Foster, Camar Wheaton, Tristan Leigh. These are all five-stars who are leaning heavily to Oklahoma and they already have five-stars Mario Williams and Caleb Williams in the fold. If the Sooners reel in five different five-star players and some other four-stars this class could finish in the top two or three, and would go down as their best class ever. Watch the Sooners down the stretch.
Gorney’s take: FACT. There are only a few classes in Rivals history for Oklahoma that could compare in terms of historical groups with 2002 and 2008 standing out when the Sooners had three five-stars and at least a dozen four-stars among the group. But the bar was set in 2019 when four five-stars–- QB Spencer Rattler and receivers Jadon Haselwood, Theo Wease and Trejan Bridges – signed. There is serious potential for that to be eclipsed this recruiting cycle as Foster looks to be leaning to Oklahoma, Wheaton has the Sooners in his top three and it looks like Leigh is in an LSU/Oklahoma battle for his services. There’s also a shot at least the Sooners can sneak in for five-star DE Tunmise Adeleye or especially five-star WR Emeka Egbuka so Oklahoma might not stop at five. It’s going to be a phenomenal class and the Sooners have tremendous momentum heading into the fall especially after the recent summit.
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2) QB Charles Wright will surprise some people at Texas.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Remember a guy named Colt McCoy? He was a bit of an afterthought in the 2005 Texas recruiting class with hyped Jevan Snead in the following class and Sherrod Harris well respected. Surely one of those two would replace Vince Young long-term right? And 13,000 yards later McCoy had a great four-year career and led Texas to the national title game. Snead transferred to Ole Miss and Harris left the program after being passed over a few times. My point? Wright is a bit of an afterthought with Hudson Card and Ja’Quinden Jackson in the 2020 class and uber-recruit Quinn Ewers in the 2022 class. But Wright, who replaces Jalen Milroe in the class after he flipped to Alabama, is no slouch and was coveted by Iowa State, the team that has developed Brock Purdy. Let’s not ignore Wright.
Gorney’s take: FACT. What I like most about Wright is the competitive spirit he showed by flipping his commitment from Iowa State to Texas. He could have gone to Ames and had a much easier time getting on the field and competing for the starting job in a few years. He knew full well when he committed to Texas that Ewers was already on board. Milroe flipped to Alabama right after the Ewers news and the Longhorns needed a quarterback. Is Wright on the same level as others in the Texas QB room or headed there soon? No, he’s not. But being that competitive and that driven could get him on the field over other higher-profile quarterbacks not named Quinn Ewers.
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3) Ja’Marr Chase is the best player in the SEC for this upcoming season.
Farrell’s take: FACT. There are a lot of talented players in the SEC this upcoming season including wide receivers Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, running back Najee Harris, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., linebackers Nick Bolton and Dylan Moses, offensive lineman Trey Smith, Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and many others. But Ja’Marr Chase, who had 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 scores last season, is the best. Yes I know Joe Burrow isn’t back for LSU but I don’t care. When you watch and break down what Chase does from getting off the line, using his big body and separating with ease, he just can’t be stopped and should have another big year. Give me Chase over anyone in the SEC.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Chase is the best receiver in college football this season but the best player in the SEC is Stingley. He was thrown to the wolves in his freshman season, nearly an impossible ask for someone in the SEC, let alone as an LSU cornerback, and Stingley was locking receivers down all season. With another season to grow and develop, the former five-star and No. 1 player in the 2019 class should be even better. Here’s some good trivia: The last DB to be taken No. 1 in the NFL Draft was … drumroll please … Gary Glick from vaunted Colorado A&M in 1956. Stingley is so good it wouldn’t be a shock if he broke that streak because teams see him as a franchise cornerback right now. Chase is good but he’s not at that level and without Burrow, we’ll see.