For those that haven't followed recruiting much this year, Joe Mixon is a name to know. The 5 star back out of Oakley California has recently completed his five official visits, and is still looking to take more (unofficial). His 5 visits were to Wisconsin, Florida State, California, Washington and Oklahoma. Mixon was in Norman for the TCU game, and came away very impressed. While he hasn't officially announced his top 3, it's widely known that the finalist are OU, Wisconsin and Florida State. Until last weekend, Florida State hadn't been mentioned much, but Mixon took an official visit for the FSU/Miami game and came away with FSU as one of the favorites. Right now, Oklahoma is in a very good position with Mixon (a HUGE Adrian Peterson fan). After he returned from Tallahassee, he said he wanted to take a few more unofficial visits to Arizona State, UCLA and "get back to Oklahoma again". ASU and UCLA make sense, since both offered Mixon and he didn't use an official visit on them, but to return to OU would mean the Sooners could be in the driver's seat for him. As it stands now, I think it's between OU and Wisconsin, but a second visit this season would make me feel more comfortable. As loaded as we seem to be at RB, Mixon is the kind of kid that would come in and contribute immediately.
I think it is also worth note that Adoree Jackson visited FSU with Mixon and came away very impressed. I am not trying to rain on your parade but things like this worry me. OU really could use some good news. I hate lingering around 14 commits. Notice i only specified # and not quality as i feel we have some quality commitments thus far. Even our 2 * guys like Windham.
I was a little concerned when Mixon first announced he was taking the trip to FSU, but then I think more about it and I think he went for two big reasons: 1)It was a big game, and why not go if you can? 2)FSU is the "sexy" team at the moment. In reality, Mixon probably won't go across country for a chance to play with Winston, considering Winston may, or may not be there by the time he starts. I think he was a little pumped up after his visit, but I just don't think the Seminoles will be there in the end. If he does come back to Norman, I'd say he's locked (as much as a recruit can be). In fact, I think he's already locked, but wants to see everyone that he can. He's going to announce during the Army All American game, so I'll definitely be watching.
Loaded now, but Clay, Williams and Finch are seniors. Ford and Ross are done because of a fumble and penalty respectively. :cocksure:
Ford, Ross & Perine (incoming) are already going to be a nice group, Mixon would probably move to the top of that list. Assuming we don't lose them all to fumble issues.
Take the following for what you will: There have been 4 draft eligible 5* running backs from California since 2006. 3 committed to USC and 1 committed to Colorado. None of them have been drafted (which is abnormal). Humorously, the only 5* prospect to be drafted from California as a running back was projected at linebacker out of high school (allen bradford). 2 were kicked off the USC team (3 if you count 2010 5* dillon baxter who is at baker university)
I'd love for is to land him. 8 time, I may have missed the thread on o-linemen. Any good news on that front?
Brennan Clay was a 5 star on Rivals. Ironically, he was in the same class as the two USC guys that are not in D1 now.
Looks like we could be done with the O-line this year (with Alvarez and Dalton being the only two commits). There is still an outside chance at Pruitt (he's committed to Arkansas), and Kenyon Frison (uncommitted), but it appears Bedenbaugh is closing the book on 2014 and focusing on 2015 (which should be a huge class). We'll see, a lot can happen between now and national signing day.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/oklahoma/fo...-Clay-79089;_ylt=AgWxkwDFO7bYOH8IUVanHMKWtJB4 Looks like he ended up about #53 in the nation though his rating puts him at 78. Geez they are inconsistent.
CA running backs taken in the last 3 years Round 1 - Doug Martin - Boise State 2* Round 2 - Shane Vereen - Cal 4* Round 3 - Ronnie Hillman - SD State 3* Round 4 - Roy Helu 3*, Taiwan Jones 0*, J Franklin 4*, Robert Turbin 2* Round 5 - Stepfan Taylor 4* Round 6 - Allen Bradford 5*, Kenjon Barner 3*
Interesting. I wonder where the hot spot is (which state/region) for RBs over the past 5 years? I may have to do a project to learn that info, maybe for all the skill positions.
Remember the generalities that I got from Rivals -> "Your team sucks, thus your players must suck" (a little of this bleeds to the draft from a political standpoint) and "Your state doesn't have the quality of players that the big 3 do" and "the big 3 are biased in order of FL then TX then CA". What you see in the draft is intersection of these 3 philosophies. HS Only From numbers -> FL (12), CA/TX (10), OH (5), VA (3) From round -> VA (3), CA (3.9), OH (4), FL (4.67), TX (4.8) -> Avg Round almost always favors CA From stars -> VA (3.67), FL (3.58), TX (3.5), OH (3.4), CA (3) Early Entrants -> FL(5), VA (2), OH (2), MI (2), CA/TX (1) - Please note that both MI kids drafted left early. I wouldn't touch a florida running back with a 10 foot pole. They leave early regardless of draft position. Note SC with Marcus Lattimore skews them up and down they had 4.5 stars and avg round of 5.
I wouldn't mind a 5-star RB. We've had some success there. It's the WR's that end up being the jerk-offs.
No way are these two done for a couple of fumbles as Freshman. Ford is going to be a beast. If we don't get Mixon we'll be fine with these two, Perine and Nathan Starks is waiting in the wings if we don't land Mixon. I doubt he switches but Bo Scarbough is now saying he will visit OU. But I really would like to get Mixon. Maybe, but I don't think we are done. There is a lot of offers out to OT's and we need a few badly. I think they will get two more OL. I think they we Frison. Nick Gates is still possible and an outside chance we convert McNeil from Lousiville. If all fall through I think they take a commitment from JUCO Patrick Au.
Boulder79's comment about Ross and Ford being done was a joke. Since you're new, I thought I'd shed some light on that (and how he posts). Anyway, I heard today that things are heating up for OG Natrell Curtis. So, there's a possibility. There's no way to know what's left, but I just don't see many quality O-linemen that are within reach at this point (other than the ones previously noted). I agree, we need OTs.
Define "Quality". As has been proven, OL is one of the areas that the recruiting services miss pretty badly. There are good low rated OL out there, we just have to find them.
Yeah, I think we've had Peterson, Calhoun, and Williams, so it's really not that great. Peterson made up for the other two, though. Williams would have been good for us.
