Oklahoma
Why this Harlem football player drew little notice and why he picked Oklahoma State
It sounded too good to be true.
But it is definitely true.
Jordan Vyborny, a tight end who caught only 13 passes for 166 yards his junior year at Harlem, became an overnight NCAA Division I recruit after moving to Utah to live with his uncle and enrolling at Corner Canyon, which has won three of the last five Utah Class 6A state titles and played in the state championship game five years in a row.
Vyborny hasn’t played a game there yet. The season is still two months off. But he has committed to play for Oklahoma State — even before attending his first practice at Corner Canyon.
“I am surrounded by a ton of talent,” Vyborny said during a recent visit back to Rockford. “It’s not only me they are looking at recruiting-wise. Everyone here is going to want to show themselves and represent.”
More: Boylan grad Dean Lowry excited to play for another ‘iconic’ NFL team, Pittsburgh Steelers
Before picking Oklahoma State, Vyborny also took official visits to Eastern Washington and Boise State and unofficial visits to USC and UCLA.
While the tight end is an integral part of the NFL passing game — some announcers like to joke “the tight end is always open” — it is less so in high school and college football.
“There are a few colleges that are known for it,” Vyborny said. “Michigan dumps it to their tight ends a lot. Utah does it, too. Iowa State, believe it or not, does too. Oklahoma State is starting to change it up a little bit. The tight end is going to be more of a focal point and catch a lot more balls. It will play a huge role in their offense. They are moving to more 12 personnel (two tight ends, one running back).”
Vyborny may be the NIC-10’s biggest recruit since Auburn offensive tackle Vederian Lowe, now with the Patriots, went to Illinois in 2017. Vyborny is also the league’s first D-I recruit who didn’t make all-conference in the NIC-10 since Auburn’s Ray Robey, a starting defensive tackle on Northwestern’s fabled 1995 Rose Bowl team.
But Robey’s omission was highly controversial. His coach reportedly missed the all-conference meeting and no one nominated him. Vyborny was different. He basically went unnoticed. Until he left Rockford. Then, he was immediately discovered at a 7-on-7 tournament in Las Vegas, catching passes from four-star recruit Helaman Casuga.
More: Rockford NFL tackle Vederian Lowe to give back with camp: ‘I grew up on that side of town’
Scouts immediately fell in love with not only Vyborny’s hands, but also his measureables — 6-foot-5, 232 pounds and 4.68 speed in the 40-yard dash. He was quickly labeled a three-star recruit.
He also had the athletic pedigree. Vyborny’s sister, Mya Davidson, a 6-2 guard/forward, landed an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. His grandfather and great uncle, Jerome and Julian Vyborny, were Boylan grads who played football for the Illini. He had six aunts play basketball in college.
Vyborny will join a team that finished 10-4 last year and is 10-4 in bowl games the last 14 years under 19-year coach Mike Gundy.
“The environment, the coaches, everything about the program, I fell in love with,” Vyborny said. “The way I was treated. And not just me; also my uncle and my mom.
“I know I will be developed there. And Coach Gundy made it clear he is not looking for just talent, he is looking for leaders in the community. He is awesome. I love him.”
And he is eager to show off skills he never got to showcase in Rockford. And see how far that can take him.
“I want to show how explosive I am now,” Vyborny said. “How much faster I’v gotten. How much better at route running. I am expected to be more physical and show that on tape.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the San Antonio Spurs in the Semi Final of the 2025 NBA Cup tournament. This is the third year of the event and second straight trip for the OKC Thunder to the Semi Final.
This is set to be a barn burner, as the Oklahoma City Thunder enter this contest 24-1 and the San Antonio Spurs sit at 17-7. Though, the even better news for both sides is the injury report. The Spurs get back generational talent Victor Wembanyama from his multi-week stint on the injured list and the Isaiah Hartenstein returns for Oklahoma City after missing the Thunder’s last five games.
With Oklahoma City only missing Isaiah Joe (knee contusion) in this contest, it gives them a rare treat. The Thunder for the first time all season will have their fully healthy starting five at their disposal. Many believe Mark Daigneault will deploy superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Defensive ace Lu Dort, All NBA swingman Jalen Williams, Rising star Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein.
This was the first time all season the Thunder have had the chance to prove that thought process right. It can be hard to navigate such a talent filled roster especially as well as Cason Wallace played as a spot starter and leading the league in steals.
In the end, the Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t the ones to throw a curveball with the starting lineup. It was the San Antonio Spurs who will bring Victor Wembanyama off the bench according to the official injury report submitted to the league before tip off.
This makes sense as Wembanyama has missed three weeks of action with a calf strain. San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson revealed that his star center was going to be restricted in his first game back, especially against this historically great defense.
OKC Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineups
OKC Thunder Starters
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
- Lu Dort, G
- Jalen Williams, F
- Chet Holmgren, F
- Isaiah Hartenstein, C
San Antonio Spurs Starters
- De’Aaron Fox, G
- Steph Castle, G
- Devin Vassell, F
- Harrison Barnes, F
- Luke Kornet, C
The Oklahoma City Thunder will have to be mindful of their rotations to counter Wembanyama off the bench and stagger the likes of Holmgren and Hartenstein to counter it.
Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder will either take on the New York Knicks on Tuesday in the NBA Cup Championship game with a win or resume their regular season with a loss. Falling to the Spurs would snap the Thunder’s 16 game winning streak, but issue Oklahoma City four days off leading into Thursday’s clash with the L.A. Clippers.
Catch up on Oklahoma’s top headlines of the week for Dec. 12, 2025
Here are Oklahoma’s top headlines of the week for Dec. 12, 2025
A Pawnee native who died in a Japanese prison during World War II is headed back to Oklahoma after officials identified his body 82 years later.
James M. Walker was an infantry corporal stationed on the Philippine Islands when Japan invaded in December 1941. U.S. forces battled the Japanese in intense fighting for months, but ultimately surrendered to the invaders in April 1942.
After being taken prisoner, Walker and thousands of other prisoners of war were forced to travel 65 miles to a prison camp on the notorious Bataan Death March. More than 2,500 POWs are reported to have died at the camp.
Prison camp records showed he died on Jan. 1, 1943 at the age of 46, but he was buried in a common grave with other deceased prisoners. After the war, the American Graves Registration Service exhumed the bodies, collected samples for identification analysis and reburied the remains in a memorial cemetery in Manila.
To identify Walker’s remains, scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System also used mitochondrial DNA analysis and mitochondrial genome sequencing data.
Although interred as an “unknown” for decades, Walker’s grave was meticulously cared for by the American Battle Monuments Commission. His name is listed on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate his remains have been identified.
Upon his return to the United States, Walker will be buried in Maramec, Oklahoma in January 2026.
OKLAHOMA CITY, (KOKH) — Oklahoma City police responded to a fatal shooting in the 2600 block of N. Kelly Friday evening.
According to OKCPD, the shooting occurred at around 6:20 p.m.
When officers arrived, they located one adult male with gunshot wounds at the scene. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died during surgery.
Police believe the shooting was a result of a verbal argument that escalated into a fistfight and then a shooting.
The suspect has been taken into custody and transported to police headquarters for questioning.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates.
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