ESPN’s Top 50 Newcomers List Populated With Strong Oklahoma Flavor

Nobody stated Lincoln Riley couldn’t recruit.

Oklahoma is well-represented on an ESPN checklist this week rating the highest 2022 newcomers in faculty soccer.

Sooners, former Sooners and almost-Sooners populate the checklist — 10 in all, or 20 p.c.

And, as ranked by ESPN, these 10 newcomers all seem within the high 38.

Right here’s a breakdown:

Sooners

No. 4, QB Dillon Gabriel

Oklahoma’s beginning quarterback for this season comes from UCF through the switch portal and is definitely one in every of solely two gamers on this checklist that Riley didn’t recruit to OU.

What ESPN says: “Gabriel performed for offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby at UCF, and now Lebby is the coordinator at Oklahoma. The 2 are reuniting at an ideal time after the Sooners misplaced quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler. In 2019 and 2020, Gabriel threw for a mixed 7,223 yards and 61 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He suffered an damage that reduce his 2021 season brief and now he has a possibility to steer Oklahoma.”

Former Sooners

No. 1, QB Caleb Willliams

Williams is the prize of this 12 months’s switch portal, and is one in every of a handful of gamers on the checklist that Riley recruited twice.

What ESPN says: “Williams was a star as a real freshman at Oklahoma beneath coach Lincoln Riley. He supplanted then-starter Spencer Rattler and completed the season with 1,912 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with solely 4 interceptions. He additionally had 442 speeding yards and 6 touchdowns on the bottom. The previous top-20 prospect adopted Riley to USC and has an opportunity to not solely enhance on what he did as a freshman, but additionally elevate the Trojans’ offense expeditiously.”

No. 10, QB Spencer Rattler

Rattler entered the switch portal final 12 months after the season-ending loss at Oklahoma State and after Riley bolted for USC. He was leaving no matter Riley’s choice, and he discovered match beneath Shane Beamer at South Carolina.

What ESPN says: “South Carolina had some dangerous luck at quarterback with accidents final season — a lot in order that the crew was taking part in grad assistant Zeb Noland at quarterback. Rattler threw for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns and 7 interceptions with 160 speeding yards and 6 touchdowns in his first full season beginning in 2020. He had Heisman hype going into 2021, however was changed by Caleb Williams and completed the season with 1,483 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions on 187 makes an attempt. He’s coming right into a state of affairs at South Carolina the place he can begin over, win the beginning job and attempt to regain what he had in 2020.”

No. 11, Mario Williams

Williams spent just one season in Norman after a highschool All-America profession in Florida. His contributions have been good as a real freshman Sooner, although it appeared extra was at all times doable with the previous 5-star recruit.

What ESPN says: “As a freshman final season, Williams had 380 yards and 4 touchdowns on 35 receptions. He was ranked No. 17 total within the 2021 class and was the No. 1 receiver. He already has chemistry with Caleb Williams and understands Riley’s playbook, so he ought to contribute early on.”

Virtually Sooners

No. 3, QB Jaxson Dart

Virtually two weeks after Gabriel dedicated to OU on Jan. 3, Dart was additionally strongly contemplating transferring to the Sooners after his freshman 12 months at USC, even taking a campus go to on Jan. 15 with former Trojans tight finish Michael Trigg. Dart ultimately committee to Ole Miss.

What ESPN says: “Ole Miss wanted a quarterback since final season’s starter, Matt Corral, is now within the NFL. Dart broke state highschool information in Utah as a recruit, throwing for 4,691 yards with 67 touchdowns his senior season. He was named the Gatorade Participant of the 12 months and signed with USC. He threw for 1,353 yards and 9 touchdowns final season on 189 makes an attempt.”

No. 15, QB Casey Thompson

Riley recruited Thompson out of highschool and practically landed him out of Newcastle, OK, earlier than Thompson went to Texas. Within the switch portal final winter, Thompson once more briefly thought-about OU earlier than committing to Nebraska on Jan. 7.

What ESPN says: “Thompson was the Texas starter final season and threw for two,113 yards, 24 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Nebraska starter Adrian Martinez transferred to Kansas State, which left a gap open for Thompson and Florida State switch Chubba Purdy. Nebraska was ranked twenty seventh in go yards per recreation final season, however ranked 97th in interceptions per try, 96th in sacks per try and 71st in whole interceptions.”

No. 23, RB Raleek Brown

Brown is without doubt one of the California 5-star prospects who dedicated to Oklahoma — however then made it clear he dedicated to Riley as he flipped his pledge from OU to USC.

What ESPN says: “Brown had been dedicated to Oklahoma, however flipped to USC after Riley took over as coach. He was the No. 5 working again within the class and has an opportunity to assist out in a number of methods this season. He can play working again, assist in the return recreation and be a slot receiver for USC, so his versatility ought to permit him to see the sphere very early.”

No. 32, WR Luther Burden

Burden is one other 2023 freshman who initially dedicated to Riley and the Sooners out of highschool in St. Louis. At one level, the Sooners had three 5-star wideouts dedicated — for the second time in 4 years. The primary time, 2019, solely Theo Wease completed his profession with the Sooners. This time, not one of the three even bought to Norman.

What ESPN says: “Burden was a five-star receiver within the 2022 class out of East St. Louis, Illinois. He is a 6-1, 195-pound prospect who has a possibility to immediately assist an offense that ranked No. 66 in go yards per recreation and misplaced its beginning quarterback. Missouri is returning a number of of its receivers from final season, however Burden has the expertise to compete with anybody presently on the roster.”

No. 37, WR Talyn Shettron

Shettron dedicated to OU out of Edmond Santa Fe, however flipped to Oklahoma State when the Cowboys supplied his youthful brother Tabry. He enrolled early and has impressed OSU coaches up to now this offseason.

What ESPN says: “Shettron initially dedicated to Oklahoma out of highschool, however then decommitted and picked Oklahoma State. He can have an skilled quarterback throwing to him in Spencer Sanders and can be coming in when the crew is seeking to substitute manufacturing from main receiver Tay Martin. There are different receivers in entrance of him, however with Oklahoma State’s offense, he ought to have loads of alternative.”

No. 38, WR Jordan Hudson

Hudson, an ESPN 5-star prospect from Garland, TX, dedicated to OU early, however then decommitted final June and ultimately flipped to SMU, the place he grew to become the Mustangs’ highest-ranked recruit since not less than 2006.

What ESPN says: “Hudson will slot in to new coach Sonny Dyke’s offense. A 6-1, 190-pound receiver from Garland, Texas, Hudson was the Horned Frogs’ highest-ranked recruit this cycle. They return fairly a bit at receiver, however Hudson has measurement and velocity that ought to get him appears to be like early on.”