Oklahoma Football Recruiting: Tracking NLI and Commitments in the 2019 Early Signing Period

We’ve reached the point where the majority of the country’s top 2019 prospects are already verbally committed to some school or another. Most of those commitments will stick, though there will certainly be exceptions. Additionally, the majority of current commits will be signing a National Letter of Intent when the Early Signing Period begins Wednesday morning.

Entering Wednesday, the Oklahoma Sooners have 19 commitments in their 2019 class, which currently sits at No. 8 in the 247Composite Team Rankings. However, two more big-time defense targets will be announcing their decisions on national television, so OU fans will want to pay attention.

Down at the bottom of the page, we’ll be keeping track of signatures and moving the names around accordingly.

Marcus Stripling – Houston (TX) Mayde Creek – Four Stars – No. 233 Overall – No. 17 SDE

At 6’3” and roughly 260, he has enough size and speed to end up being a factor for pretty much any defense in the country.

For quite some time, the Sooners seemed to be nipping at the heels of Alabama and Texas A&M, but OU is now the heavy favorite to land the four-star DE and Opening Finalist. Whether it was simply a numbers issue for the other suitors or not, OU will have to be thrilled to have a guy this talented fall into its lap.

Stripling will be making his announcement Wednesday afternoon.

Jeremiah Criddell – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei – Four Stars – No. 124 Overall – No. 12 Safety

OU made relatively late surges and came up with signatures from multiple defensive targets in the 2018 cycle, and that could be the case with the talented DB out of Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei. A longtime Oregon commit, Criddell reopened his recruitment just weeks after taking an official visit to Norman for the Bedlam game. This has been a bit of a back-and-forth battle between the Sooners and Ducks ever since.

Criddell is listed as a safety by the services, but he’s someone who has the skill set to potentially end up at corner with the Sooners if he does indeed sign. We’ll find out his destination Wednesday morning on ESPN.

Tommy Kennedy – Butler University (Grad Transfer) – Offensive Tackle

Oklahoma could potentially lose each of its starting offensive tackles to the NFL this offseason, so this is a pairing that could make plenty of sense for both parties. Kennedy, who would be eligible immediately as a grad transfer, visited OU this past week.

He also visited Texas. However, he didn’t appear to leave Austin with an offer, which leaves Miami and Auburn as the only other horses in this race. He visited both this past weekend, but you have to like OU’s chances.

Late Period Targets

Jadon Haselwood – The race for the nation’s top-ranked WR prospect is as interesting as any in this cycle. As you might’ve heard, the Metro Atlanta native and former UGA commit happens to be the son of an OU alum. On top of that, he’s a friend of Georgia QB Justin Fields, who is reported to be interested in a transfer and is rumored to be considering Oklahoma and others. Miami and Georgia will be very tough to beat for Haselwood, but there are some interesting variables here. He’s set to announce his decision in January.

Chris Steele – The talented DB from St. John Bosco has been high on the Sooners at various moments, but OU never seems to be able to sustain the momentum. Nevertheless, OU is in his top five, and he’ll also be announcing in January.

David Ugwoegbu – The edge rusher from of Katy, Texas is considered a strong OU lean at this point, favoring the Sooners over Texas A&M.

Danielson Ike – The Kansas City offensive tackle has been on OU’s radar for quite some time and will be signing somewhere in February.

Committed/Not Yet Signed

Five-star WR Theo Wease

Five-star QB Spencer Rattler

Four-star WR Trejan Bridges

Four-star TE Austin Stogner

Four-star OT Stacey Wilkins

Four-star OG EJ Ndoma-Ogar

Four-star EDGE Joseph Weté

Four-star CB Woodi Washington

Four-star CB Jaden Davis

Four-star RB Marcus Major

Four-star DE Marcus Hicks

Four-star S Jamal Morris

Three-star DE Kori Roberson

Three-star LB Jonathan Perkins

Three-star OT Finley Felix (JUCO)

Three-star DE LaRon Stokes (JUCO)

Three-star DT Derek Green

Three-star OG Marcus Alexander

Three-star RB Rhamondre Stevenson (JUCO)

Signed National Letter of Intent