Sooners land latest Rivals250 commit in EJ Ndoma-Ogar

Rivals250 offensive lineman EJ Ndoma-Ogar was in attendance for Oklahoma’s spring game. He watched as numerous highly-ranked prospects committed and in one fell swoop, shot the Sooners’ recruiting class to tops in the nation.

Even though he took a more measured approach to making a commitment of his own, his decision on early Wednesday morning brought him to a similar conclusion; that Oklahoma was where his heart is.

“I have a lot history with the university with my grandfather being an alum and my older brother being a junior there,” he said. “But honestly, it came down to the guys in the locker room and my overall comfort level with the everything about the university. All of the top schools provide similar resources and support to their student athletes, but I was really impressed with how comfortable all of the pieces fit together. Even with all of the big names on the roster, there was still humility how the players carried themselves.”

Ndoma-Ogar has been no stranger to Norman, and made three visits to OU this spring. Even though Oklahoma may have always had the advantage as the more familiar option, he felt that he had objectively seen enough on his trips up there to envision his future with the program.

“I definitely felt like now was the right time because after seeing nearly 50 different programs during this process I had a better feel of what I needed, where I could contribute, and what places I felt like I was a priority,” he said. “I sat in position meetings, observed practices, sat in classrooms, ate in the general cafeteria, and interacted with non-athletes on campus. During each visit, I took time to learn new things about the school and the city. OU and Norman continued to feel like home.”

His commitment comes as he readies to kick off a spring football season of his own at Allen. After winning a 6A state championship last season, Ndoma-Ogar is part of a cast of 2019 players that will return next fall that much more improved and confident.

One of those players is five-star wide receiver Theo Wease, who re-committed to Oklahoma on his official visit during the Sooners spring game weekend. While Ndoma-Ogar acknowledged the obvious connection there, as well as the bond he has with other Dallas-area recruits that have committed to Oklahoma in this class, he’s also kept close relationships with players that have already been a part of the program.

“Of course, I will enjoy continuing to play with Theo as well as teaming up with Trejan (Bridges), Hendi [Arjei Henderson], and Stogs [Austin Stogner],” he said. “But I am excited about recruiting some of the top 2019 OL guys to join me. It was more of the guys already in the OL room like Bobby Evans. Plus, my older brother was really great friends with Rodney Anderson from our time in Katy and I see Kyler Murray at the house all the time. The familiar faces in the locker room were a big part of my decision.”

Ndoma-Ogar is one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the 2019 class, and though he plays in multiple spots at Allen, he’ll likely find a role on the interior of the Sooners’ line down the road. He clearly trusts offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh to put him in the best position for success, because he had already been doing so for years prior to his commitment.

“Coach B has been consistent from Day 1,” he said. “I have enjoyed sitting in his position meetings watching him get on guys but always coaching them on how to get better. We met in 2015 when I attended the OU camp as an eighth-grader but had the chance to participate against upperclassmen. Throughout the camp he was always coaching and building my confidence while making sure I was safe and maybe avoiding a few savages.”

Bedenbaugh wasn’t the only coach whose personal attention played a critical role in Ndoma-Ogar’s decision.

“Coach (Lincoln) Riley checked-in on me consistently both by text, phone, and when I was on campus,” he added. “His actions showed me that I was an important piece to his unit. He completely respected our process and encouraged me to go see everything out there so i could make the best decision for me and my family.”

Riley might be asked to continue that respect just a little longer, as Ndoma-Ogar said that he would like to take official visits elsewhere, but slot Oklahoma in as his final one. Whether or not those trips end up happening, the Sooners are undoubtedly going to be a tough team to dethrone as his future team.

“It was a lot of fun and added to my excitement about the university,” he said about his experience at the spring game. “It was a reminder of how amazing the OU fan base is and how fun it will be to play for them.”