The 2019 Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas is rapidly approaching. Top prospects from the 2020 and 2021 classes will flock to Atlanta to put their skills to the test against elite competition from all across the country.
Oklahoma fans should have a vested interest in challenges taking place inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 25. Here are three storylines worth following:
1. Are we seeing a preview of the next great Oklahoma quarterback?
Oklahoma has earned a reputation of churning out not only first-round picks at quarterbacks, but back-to-back No. 1 overall picks. There was Baker Mayfield, the top pick in 2018, who helped reverse the Cleveland Browns’ fortunes. Kyler Murray followed suit and went first overall in April to the Arizona Cardinals. We’ll see if he can bring that same level of success to a franchise in desperate need of an offensive renaissance.
Lincoln Riley has shown the eyes a few times to open the 2020 cycle, but has yet to land a quarterback. Perhaps he’s already looking ahead to 2021 and five-star Brock Vandagriff, who will be competing with an elite group of 2020 and 2021 passers in Atlanta. The Georgia native is one of the best players in 2021 and included Oklahoma is his top six along with Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. He camped in Norman prior to the Rivals100 Five-star Challenge.
2. Should Oklahoma expect its next commitment from the event?
First-year Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is looking to turn the Sooners’ defense around in 2019 and is in search of new defensive backs to restock the secondary. Currently, Oklahoma holds commitments from four-star Ryan Watts and three-star Dontae Manning, both of whom are projected corners.
Grinch is in search of a tall, rangy safety and Bryson Washington fits the mold. Washington was outstanding at the RCS Houston camp and easily punched his ticket the big show in Atlanta. The Rivals250 prospect out of Houston took an official visit to Oklahoma for the spring game and there’s reason to believe that’s the team currently trending for the talented defensive back. Washington is expected to decide between Texas and Oklahoma on July 4 after competing at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge.
3. Will the Sooners' next offensive lineman be in attendance?
There are quite a few offensive linemen expected in the Benz with connections to Oklahoma, namely Rivals100 guard Sedrick Van Pran and 2021 Houston-area standout Bryce Foster. Could one of these big men wind up calling Norman home in the next few months?
Van Pran took his first official visit to Oklahoma for the spring game and sits atop the Sooners’ wish list for 2020. He’s also eyeing a ton of SEC schools, namely Georgia, Alabama and LSU, but Bill Bedenbaugh is making this interesting. Foster, too, is high on the Sooners and visited in the spring. He’s a powerful guard that fits the mold of an Oklahoma lineman and one of the best in the country for 2021.
