Wariboko, at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, has begun picking up steam on the recruiting scene this spring behind strong performances at the U.S. Army National Combine and the Rivals/Under Armour Camp.

Lawton offensive lineman Jalin Barnett was the first 2015 player in the state to be offered. Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas State and Oregon State have all offered him.

– By Jacob Unruh, junruh@opubco.com

Joel Blumenthal didn’t want to spend any time later in life wondering “what if.”

The Deer Creek quarterback, still holding out hope for a Division I offer, weighed his options and decided Thursday night to commit to Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan.

Blumenthal decided the juco route gave him the best opportunity to continue chasing his dreams–playing Division I football and beyond.

“I was really just thinking about what I wanted to do–go juco, Division II or walk-on somewhere,” Blumenthal said. “I wanted to play Division I and Butler gives me the best chance.

The Grizzlies have had success moving quarterbacks to Division I.

Zach Mettenberger signed with LSU following the 2010 season at Butler and started for the Tigers this season. Billy Cosh, Butler’s quarterback last season, is committed to Houston.

“They know exactly what I’m thinking,” Blumenthal said. “They know I want to play at the next level.”

Blumenthal threw for 2,456 yards and 32 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a senior, helping the Antlers to a district title and the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

He also ran for 643 yards and nine touchdowns.

“That’s exactly what they want,” Blumenthal said of Butler’s coaches. “They want an athletic passer that can run or keep the play alive when it’s needed. That’s exactly what I want to do.”

Butler’s coaches visited Blumenthal at home Sunday and he decided to commit Thursday night after a phone conversation with the coaches.

The only thing that could change Blumenthal’s decision would be a late Division I offer.
TCU and New Mexico expressed strong interest but went in different directions. Blumenthal has been in contact recently with Arkansas State.

Tulsa East Central wide receiver/defensive back Stanvon Taylor was named to the MaxPreps All-American team.

Taylor, an Oklahoma commit, earned the honors at defensive back. He had 34 tackles and four interceptions on defense, though most teams avoided going his way. On offense, Taylor had 61 catches for 1,035 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for two more touchdowns.

Taylor was The Oklahoman‘s All-State Defensive Player of the Year this season and played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl earlier this month.

He helped his team to the Class 5A championship game before falling to Carl Albert.

Also, Vian offensive lineman Rob Boyd was named to the MaxPreps Small Schools All-American team.

Boyd (6-foot-4, 285 pounds) is committed to Tulsa.

Boyd was a dominant force on the Vian offensive line that helped the Wolverines become the second highest-scoring offense in state history. Boyd was an Oklahoman first-team All-Stater this season and also played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl.

Also, Victory Christian quarterback Keats Calhoun was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American second team.

Here’s the rest of the team:
First-team offense
Second-team offense
Second-team defense
Medium School First-team offense
Medium School First-team defense
Medium School Second-team offense
Medium School Second-team defense
Small School First-team defense
Small School Second-team offense
Small School Second-team defense

raber@opubco.com

Four state players are among the nominees for the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Vian offensive lineman Rob Boyd, Sequoyah Tahlequah quarterback Brayden Scott, Tulsa East Central wide receiver/defensive back Stanvon Taylor and Lawton defensive end D.J. Ward are among the 400 nominees to play in the game.

The nominations were made the the game’s selection committee, consisting of regional coaches throughout the country and Rivals.com officials. Of the group, 90 will be selected to play in the game. The selections begin in September and run through early December.

The game will be played Jan. 5.

Taylor and Ward are both OU commits, with Taylor having made his decision public Friday. Boyd is committed to Tulsa. Scott has offers including Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Clemson, Missouri, Tennessee and Tulsa.

No player in the state has racked up offers over the last month like Edmond Santa Fe’s Khari Harding.

Tuesday, the defensive back added another when Indiana extended Harding an offer. Wednesday morning, he added Houston to his ever-growing list. Harding now has offers from Arkansas, Arkansas State, Kansas State and Wyoming. Kansas State was the first school to offer Harding on March 1.

Harding had 71 tackles and three interceptions as a junior.

His uncle, Rodney Harding, was a defensive lineman at Oklahoma State in the 1980s.

Edmond Santa Fe defensive back Khari Harding picked up his first offer Thursday, from Kansas State.
“It’s great,” Harding said. “It feels like all the hard work and the effort you put in is finally starting to pay off.”
Harding will visit Manhattan for the Wildcats’ junior day this weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Harding said. “‘I’m just going to check out the facilities, see what campus life is like and get to know the coaches.”
Harding had 71 tackles and three interceptions as a junior.
His uncle, Rodney Harding, was a defensive lineman at Oklahoma State in the 1980s.
Khari Harding said Oklahoma State–and Oregon State–send him correspondence regularly.
He said he’s yet to hear from OU.

Edmond Santa Fe quarterback Justice Hansen picked up a Missouri offer on Saturday. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Edmond Santa Fe quarterback Justice Hansen picked up his first college football scholarship offer from Missouri during a visit there Saturday, he said in a text message to The Oklahoman.

Hansen was one of the state’s top sophomores in 2011 and was a key part of Edmond Santa Fe’s turnaround from 1-9 in 2010 to 10-2 this season.

As a sophomore and first-year starter, Hansen threw for 2,558 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 529 yards and eight scores.

Hansen’s offer came during Missouri’s Junior Day, which he was invited to even though he is a sophomore.

Hansen is widely considered one of the state’s top prospects for the class of 2014.

Anadarko running back Sheldon Wilson is part of an impressive Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Class of 2012. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN

Anadarko running back Sheldon Wilson isn’t used to competing for playing time.

After signing Wednesday with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, he’ll have to put in extra work as he fights for carries with other top backs the Norsemen signed.

“I’m gonna love that,” Wilson said. “I’ve never really had to compete for carries, so getting pushed and competing every day will make me better.”

Putnam City running back Casey Curtis, who rushed for 1,805 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior, signed with NEO on Wednesday, as did Edmond North’s Jared Benway and Broken Bow’s Eric Dockins.

Wilson rushed for 3,335 yards and set state records with 57 rushing and 64 total touchdowns as a senior on Anadarko’s first state championship football team.

After the season, he was named The Oklahoman’s 2011 All-State Offensive Player of the Year.

Dale Patterson first recruiting class in his second stint as NEO’s coach was impressive beyond running backs.

NEO signed three top Oklahoma high school quarterbacks in McAlester’s Tony Kiefer, Owasso’s Kason Key and Mustang’s Brandon Taylor.

Four Edmond North seniors — Benway, tight end Troy Davis and offensive linemen Trevor Barron and Will Wiedenmann — also signed with NEO.

Other city-area prospects who signed with the Norsemen include Midwest City defensive back Ronnie Davis, Oklahoma Christian School kicker Keegan Carter and Kingfisher offensive lineman Hunter Endres.

The amount of talent NEO signed has Wilson thinking title.

“Looking at these guys, we might be able to win a little championship up there,” Wilson said.

Wilson will be joined at NEO by two of his Anadarko teammates, offensive lineman Randy Martinez and linebacker Wes Satoe.

“That’s really cool to go up there with teammates I know,” Wilson said. “I don’t have to go up there and feel like I don’t know anybody.”

Luther defensive lineman Justin Wilson, The Oklahoman’s Little All-City Defensive Player of the Year, will sign with Emporia State today.

Wilson (6-foot-1, 315 pounds) had 65 tackles and six sacks as a senior after moving back to the area from Georgia.

Here’s our Little All-City story on Wilson: Luther’s Justin Wilson is linemen king

Seminole quarterback Garrett Clark became the first player from the 2012 class to commit to Oklahoma Baptist University.

Clark threw for 2,330 yards and 24 touchdowns with nine interceptions as a senior. He also rushed for 556 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“His work ethic has been phenomenal,” Chieftains coach Mike Snyder said. “He has so much upside to him on the field and off the field. I refer to him as the high school Tim Tebow because of the way he carries himself.”

Clark was a four-year starter at Seminole.

He visited Northwestern Oklahoma State also but felt OBU was the right fit.

The Bison are scheduled to play their first varsity game since 1940 in 2013.

“He’s realistic about things and can understand the bigger picture,” Snyder said of Clark’s decision to go to a program where there would be no games next year. “He was comfortable and familiar with OBU and that was where he wanted to go.”

Snyder said new Bison coach Chris Jensen contacted Clark soon after taking the job earlier this month.

A day after Jensen’s hiring, 2011 Jones graduate Tyler Bayless signed with the Bison.

Clark’s parents are both OBU graduates.

Reeves took a visit to the school last weekend and made the decision to commit after the trip.

An Oklahoman All-State defensive back, Reeves (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) had 61 tackles and six interceptions as a senior and scored three rushing and a receiving touchdown on offense.

Linebacker Zeke Lewis is making a trip to the school this weekend. Lewis, also an all-stater, had a 6A-best 169 tackles and added six sacks and an interception.

Reeves joins James Flanders (Tulsa), Dakota Moran (Northeastern State), Devin Crisp (NSU) and C.J. Smith (Emporia State) as Midwest City players committed to play in college. Several others could decide between now and signing day, Feb. 1.

Moran was the anchor of the Bombers offensive line that helped Midwest City rush for nearly 3,500 yards this season. Midwest City was 11-1.

NSU was 7-5 last season, its last in the Lone Star Conference. NSU joins the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association next year.

Here are some of the players who are expected to sign this week:
BASEBALL
Blake Estep, Jones (Penn St.)
Isaac Hellbusch, Deer Creek (Arkansas)
Taylor Hawkins, Carl Albert (OU)
Ty Hensley, Edmond Santa Fe (Ole Miss)
Chase Stephens, Deer Creek (UCO)
Jordan Watson, Edmond Santa Fe (OSU)

BOYS BASKETBALL
Aaron Anderson, Edmond Santa Fe (Fresno St.)
Blake Blanchard, Deer Creek (Southwestern)
Matt Christiansen, McGuinness (San Francisco)
Joe Edmonds, McGuinness (San Francisco)
James Woodard, Edmond Memorial (Tulsa)
D’Andre Wright, Lawton Eisenhower (Tulsa)

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Kelsey Barnwell, Kansas (Missouri-Kansas City)
Ashley Clark, Midwest City (Tulsa)
Courtney Cowan, Kansas (Northeastern St.)
Ali Decker, Edmond Memorial (Wichita St.)
Toni Smith, Del City (Fresno St.)
Courtney Walker, Edmond Santa Fe (Texas A&M)

GOLF
Taylor Moore, Edmond Memorial (Arkansas)
Abby Thompson, Deer Creek (OCU)

GYMNASTICS
Keara Glover, Putnam North (Auburn)

SOFTBALL
Liz Broyles, Blanchard (Missouri-Kansas City)
Braxton Coil, Edmond North (Missouri St.)
Shalee Cordell, Newcastle (OBU)
Kaylin Hinshaw, Putnam North (Mid-America)
Leslie Miller, Blanchard (OU)
Kady Self, Edmond North (OU)
Caitlin Sill, Tuttle (Tulsa)
Bryana Wade, St. Mary (North Texas)
Brooke Zukerman, Lawton MacArthur (UCO)

TENNIS
Sarah Bowen, Heritage Hall (Hofstra)

VOLLEYBALL
Emily Belz, OCS (Henderson St.)
Sydney Fioretti, Edmond Santa Fe (OBU)
Hannah Holkum, Edmond Santa Fe (North Carolina St.)
Barbara Jackson, Edmond Santa Fe (OCU)

WRESTLING
Matt Manley, Perry (Missouri)

Del City’s 6-foot Toni Smith committed to Fresno State recently after taking an official visit to the school.

“She had a tremendous summer,” Del City coach Karri Sears said. “She played a lot more 3-4 and handled the ball a little bit more. She’s excited about her commitment. It’s a great thing for her and a great thing for Del City.”

Smith, who averaged 11 points and nearly nine rebounds per game last year, is expected to sign in November.

The Eagles drop to 5A this year after making the 6A state tournament a year ago. Smith, who will be a senior, was part of Del City’s state title team as a freshman.

“She wants to bookend her career with titles,” Sears said.

Smith had been drawing interest from Arkansas-Little Rock, Henderson State and Texas A&M-Commerce before her breakout summer.

She’d also talked to Wichita State. Her brother, former Southeast standout Ben Smith, plays for the Shockers.

Heritage Hall's Sterling Shepard has committed to OU.

BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com

Barry Sanders or Sterling Shepard?

The answer is easy, yet difficult.

Choose one and either way you get a fantastic player. But the choice is agonizing.

Both are terrific players with terrific bloodlines.

But sometimes tough decisions have to be made.

So I’m going with Sterling Shepard. Sanders might wind up being the better college player (and possibly beyond) of the two. But if I’m starting a high school team and I have the No. 1 pick, I’m going with Shepard.

Coming to the answer was not easy. The reason Shepard wins out in the end, though, is. Versatility.

Need a big-time, game-breaking run? Shepard can deliver. Need a dazzling catch to win a game? He can do that too. Need an arm to throw that pass? Shepard’s got that covered. Need a playmaker to go up and keep the other team’s top receiver from pulling down that pass? By now you’ve figured it out. Shepard can just about do it all.

Just take a look at his stats from last year, when he stayed healthy after suffering through concussion issues as a sophomore. He ran for 575 yards and 10 touchdowns, had 1,015 yards receiving and 18 scores, he threw for three touchdowns and racked up 103 tackles and eight interceptions on the defensive side.

You can’t go wrong with making Sanders the choice. Some get Barry Sanders burnout because we’ve heard about him for so long but go watch him play and you know he’s legit. If he had any other last name, he might not be quite as highly publicized but he’d be every bit as deserving.

But in the high school game, where creativity and versatility can get you a long way, I’ll take Sterling Shepard.

Edmond Santa Fe right-hander Ty Hensley walked to the mound at Wrigley Field on Saturday, starting for the American team in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game.

He got the first batter he faced to ground out, then worked out of a two-on, one-out situation with a double play to cap a scoreless inning.

“It was a blast,” Hensley said. “It was so much fun to be able to do that.”

Hensley hit 94 on the radar run during his performance.

After getting back from Chicago, Hensley made his college choice official when he committed to Ole Miss.

He chose the Rebels over Arizona State and Texas.

He said he had known he wanted to commit to Ole Miss for awhile but wanted to wait to make it official.

“I just wanted to make sure that it was for sure where I wanted to go,” he said. “I felt like it was a place where I could develop as both a pitcher and a hitter better than anyplace else.”

Even as a freshman, Cascia Hall's Conner Sherwood was already a beast.

Is Conner Sherwood among the nicest hard hitters out there? The Cascia Hall stud almost seems like he is too good to be true.

I’m beginning to think he’s just ‘too good.’ Sherwood will be entering his fourth year as a starter in the fall and comes in at No. 18 on the Super 30.

Take another look at the photo to the right. That’s Sherwood…as a freshman…in the semifinals. Needless to say Sherwood is not afraid of the big stage.

I’ve seen Sherwood play several times and what stands out to me is his leadership ability. He commands respect from his teammates and gets it by leading by example. I remember him dominating against Berryhill in the 3A state championship game in 2009. I also remember thinking how in the world is he only going to be a junior?

Fast forward to now, and he’s still the same player and entering his senior year. He has an offer from Tulsa, and I think he should get a couple of more. Not really sure what other teams are waiting for. Good size, great speed, tremendous attitude/character, has proved he can produce in big moments.

Regardless the focus right now for Sherwood and the Commandos is on getting ‘their’ championship back. Losing to Bethany in the quarterfinals was the first time Sherwood wasn’t taking pictures with a gold ball at the end of the year.

And coach Joe Medina, well, he’s not beating around the bush. Medina said he believes this could be his best team ever. Think about that for a second. Should be very interesting when you throw in Heritage Hall, Metro Christian, Anadarko, Tuttle, Kingfisher. Ooh, gotta love 3A.

For my story on Sherwood, go here.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Doesn't that picture tell you all you need to know about Zac Veatch?

Back again for another installment of looking back at our latest Super 30 members. So let’s not waste any time, shall we?

21. Kason Key, QB, Owasso
The Rams were the ‘little team that could’ last year. Seriously expected not one thing from Bill Patterson’s group last year. So it was a huge shock to me to see Owasso in the state semifinals but maybe not to the team itself. One big reason for last year’s surge and this year’s expectations is obviously Key. He’s got great size and a great No. 1 target in Keon Hatcher.

For Anthony Slater’s story on Key, go here.

20. Ronnie Davis, CB, Midwest City
He’s going to be recruited as a cornerback, but I’m starting to be more and more impressed with his ability to throw the football. Got to watch him (and seven other teams) at Edmond Santa Fe on Tuesday, and it sure feels like Davis could be returning to his quarterback roots. Either way, I stand by my story that Davis is going to blow up this year, no matter where he plays.

For my story on Davis, go here.

19. Zac Veatch, TE, Broken Arrow
BA coaches got on me good in February when I didn’t have Veatch on the February list. Consider that corrected and consider that an error on my part in the first place. Veatch is a big boy, no doubt. Easily one of the best tight ends in the state. When I was talking to Norman’s George Kittle about Veatch, yep, that confirmed it. “Oh, he is tough to bring down.” Good enough for me.

For Tariq Lee’s story on Veatch, go here.

Now in the teens of the Super 30. Up next is one of the best linebackers not only of this year but of the last couple of years. Been a name to watch for a while now. Stay with us every day as we unveil the Super 30 for 2012, culminating with No. 1 on July 24.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Midwest City's Ronnie Davis has waited patiently to make his impact.

A good coach will get in your ear early about some of his top kids. Well, it’s tough to top the efforts of Midwest City assistant coach Jason Sexton.

He’ll take every opportunity he can to just let you know how things are going. But nine times out of 10, Sexton has been 100 percent. So with that type of track record, you start to not brush him off and start to really pay attention when he says something.

That means we’re blaming Sexton if Ronnie Davis doesn’t pan out. I kid (100 percent), but Davis could be one of the more scrutinized choices of the Super 30 at No. 20.

His numbers don’t place him anywhere near the list. But as I’ve stated and will continue to state to email complaints, this isn’t about who the best high school player is. This list is about how the kids are being perceived on the recruiting trail.

And right now, yea, Davis’ stock is rising. He’s got great size as a defensive back, but things might get more interesting if coach Steve Huff believes Davis would best represent the team at quarterback.

No matter where he’s at, Davis is simply grateful to finally getting that chance. And if he does play in the secondary with Ricky Reeves, all I’m going to say is look out. That might be the best corner duo in the state right there.

Davis was a QB his entire life until learning the CB spot last year. The recruiting floodgates opened at corner so definitely going to be keeping tabs on how things progress for Davis.

He has natural instincts, and he’s good at baiting opposing quarterbacks. But in 6A, you don’t play both ways at CB/QB. After waiting, though, one way or another, Davis’ time is now.

For my story on Davis, here ya go.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

A healthy Cole Swayze is a dangerous Cole Swayze for Purcell.

Well,  if you love quarterbacks, assume you have enjoyed the last few days of The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for the class of 2012.

And we’re not done yet for a mini-spoiler alert. But first, a look back at Nos. 25-22.

25. Markus Wakefield, DL, Heritage Hall
I don’t have much to add on Wakefield than what I’ve already said. He’s such a smart player who understands the game so well. His quick feet will also make him a name to watch in the future. You know how much he’s valued by how nice Barry J. Sanders and Sterling Shepard treat him. Always treat the big boys well who are leading the way for ya.

For my story on Wakefield, go here.

24. Corben Jones, QB, Yukon
Among the incoming seniors I’ve seen in person, Jones is the best pure quarterback I’ve seen. The qualifier to that, of course, is we don’t get to see a lot of Tulsa area kids as much as we used to, but Jones is about as good quality as they come. With a new stadium and a bevy of weapons to choose from, this year should just build on a solid 2010 season.

For Scott Wright’s story on Jones, go here.

23. Cole Swayze, QB/ATH, Purcell
Tempted to remove the ‘QB’ tag from Swayze. Pure coincidence that Swayze wears No. 23 in football and basketball, and he’s No. 23 on the countdown. Scott Wright raved about his time with Swayze, said he was one of the best kids he’s talked to. The elephant in the room is his health. Coming off yet another major injury, Swayze has to show he can do it for a full season. Still holds an offer from Oklahoma State and appears ready to put past injuries behind him and come up big in the fall.

For Scott Wright’s story on Swayze, go here.

22. Adrian McDonald, QB/ATH, Lawton Eisenhower
OK, the ‘QB’ label should be taken away from McDonald. You watch him in the open field, yea, that’s not a quarterback, my friends. McDonald forced us to take notice of him with how well he played last season in leading Eisenhower to a quality season. Sometimes that ‘tweener’ label of being good at so many spots can hurt a kid so we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.

For Tariq Lee’s story on McDonald, go here.

Who is No. 21? It’s another quarterback is all I’m going to say. Find out in Monday’s Oklahoman. And if you’ve missed out on any of the previous installments, the Super 30 page is here.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall's Markus Wakefield is ready to become one of the team leaders for the Chargers.

He’s certainly not the fastest Heritage Hall player. He’s not the biggest. But if you ask me, there isn’t a smarter Charger than lineman Markus Wakefield. His dedication to film and to scouting reports really started to show up during this past season.

Will intelligence be the thing that grabs colleges’ eyes? Not sure, but if someone takes a chance on Wakefield, they’re not taking a risk in the character department.

Wakefield first stood out to me before his sophomore season. Unfortunately for Wakefield, his story is all too familiar. He was a big boy going into his sophomore year. Now going into his senior? Well, he’s pretty much that same big boy.

Put Wakefield in that same spot as Guthrie’s Landry Chappell, Midwest City’s Zeke Lewis, Millwood’s Marc Robinson and Connor Myers of Edmond Memorial from last year. ‘Two inches taller’ and they’d be breaking down his door.

Wakefield does have an offer from Colorado State, and he should pick up at least a couple of more. When talking about Wakefield, also have to mention his quick feet. He has tremendous footwork for a big man.

He’s the first Heritage Hall player to make the Super 30. Obviously he won’t be the last. And if you love quarterbacks, well, you’re going to enjoy the next couple of days of the Super 30.

And for my story on Wakefield, go here.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Mustang's Brandon Taylor comes in at No. 28 on the Super 30.

Gonna split up the reviews of the Super 30 kids into two posts per week instead of one. In this trio, we begin to see how deep the quarterback spot is in the state. Spoiler alert: you’re going to see even more quarterbacks in the very near future.

However, here’s a recap of Nos. 28-26:

28. Brandon Taylor, QB, Mustang
It irked quite a few Varsity followers that Taylor wasn’t on the original list in February. Taylor worked his way onto the list. Taylor obviously received a lot of looks because of stud WR David Glidden last season, but he’s proving he’s more than capable and deserving of his own attention. And seriously, any excuse to show this photo shot by Chris Landsberger is good enough for me.

For Scott Wright’s story on Taylor, go here.

27. Keon Hatcher, WR, Owasso
Starting to separate himself from the field just a bit. There was a logjam in my eyes at wide receiver a couple of months ago, but Hatcher is pulling away down the stretch. Great camp performances combined with getting an offer from Arkansas has me believing No. 27 might end up being too low when we get right down to it.

For Anthony Slater’s story on Hatcher, go here.

26. Darrack Harger, QB, Sand Springs
Been a name on the radar for a while. I say that because I remember the lack of panic for the Sandites when Johnny Deaton got injured a couple of years ago. Here you have an Oklahoma State commit (at the time) going down, and Sand Springs was still feeling good about things. That said to me all I needed to know about the future of Harger, who was just a sophomore at the time.

For Tariq Lee’s story on Harger, go here.

Who is No. 25? Find out Thursday in The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com/Varsity. And catch up on all your Super 30 goodies as our daily countdown continues until we reach No. 1 on July 24.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Norman's George Kittle has gone from unknown to sought after commodity.

Saturday began our second annual summer series on the Super 30, a countdown of the top 30 football recruits for the class of 2012.

Last year we announced who they were before the series, not this year. If you wanna know who they are, keep yourself locked in at NewsOK.com/Varsity.

This is going to be a daily countdown until we reach No. 1 on July 24.

30. George Kittle, WR, Norman
Most sons of college coaches get some extra looks as a courtesy. And then when you see Kittle play, you realize it’s not a courtesy thing at all. He is Bruce Kittle’s son, but he’s a lot more than that. Kittle is the real deal on either side of the ball. At 6-4, he could be a wide receiver. He also has the intelligence to lead the defensive backfield. He was 6-0 after his sophomore season and is now 6-4 and close to 200 pounds.

For my story on Kittle, go here.

29. Marc Robinson, LB, Millwood
Just like a couple of guys last year, if Robinson was a couple of inches taller, he’d be in the top 10. No doubt in my mind about that. Nobody is going to play with a bigger chip on his shoulder than Robinson, who is getting back on the field after missing last season. A transfer from Heritage Hall, Robinson is ready to show everybody he still belongs among the elite.

For Scott Wright’s story on Robinson, go here.

And for No. 28, check out Monday’s Oklahoman.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall's Barry J. Sanders in no rush to make a verbal commitment.

Heritage Hall running back Barry J. Sanders was at Florida State earlier this week for a camp, but he said that it is not an indicator that he is closer to committing.

Sanders, who has said in the past he wants to wait before committing, stood by that stance Thursday.

“I’m not going to rush into any thing,” Sanders said. “Right now I’m just taking a couple of visits before I narrow it down.”

Sanders said he plans on naming a top five when the school year begins and those five schools will be where he makes his official visits.

Sanders named Oklahoma State, Alabama, Florida State and UCLA as his four favorites last year. Stanford has also become one of his favorites.

Though Sanders was at FSU for the second time, he didn’t work out. He said he is not 100 percent recovered from foot surgery in the winter.

“I’m close. Definitely. I would say in the 90s (percent), but I’m not there, and I don’t want to risk anything,” Sanders said.

Sanders, a four-star prospect, has offers from more than 15 schools, including Tennessee, Auburn and Notre Dame, to go with his top four schools and other universities.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Seven days later, and the Golden Hurricane have received three more in-state verbals and all three could play offense.

McAlester’s Adam Boyd became the latest in-state recruit, committing to Tulsa on Tuesday night.

“I think it’s the best fit for me,” Boyd told InsideTulsaSports.com. “I called Coach (Bill) Blankenship. He said he was very excited. He said they don’t know what I’ll play yet, but it will probably be inside receiver, safety or I might grow into a linebacker.”

Midwest City running back James Flanders and Madill running back Caleb Muncrief have also committed to Tulsa in the last week.

Tulsa was Boyd’s only offer at the moment though he had been receiving heavy interest from several Big 12 and Ivy League schools.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Back to the topic, the different format for the final day of the camp kinda makes doing scrimmage-by-scrimmage reports pointless. There were so many. If you saw me, I was basically anchored on the 50 yard line and kept my head on a swivel between the two fields.

Midwest City
Bombers had highlight of the day for me. In a hotly contested battle with Stillwater, the Bombers used some of that Bomber Magic on the final play.

Quarterback Ronnie Davis gave it to Cornell Neal, who chucked it into the end zone to Zeke Lewis for the scrimmage-winning score. What made the play, really, was the fact Midwest City got the snap off with 1 second left in the 10-minute scrimmage. But the snap did count.

If you ask me, Stillwater was the darling of this camp. Stillwater opened people’s eyes all three days. However, Midwest City also showed it’s still among the best. And though early indications are that Stillwater is going to be a player this season, the Bombers showed they’re not going away anytime soon, either.

Second highlight of the day: Ricky Reeves of Midwest City one-on-one against Stillwater’s Jesse Vester. How’s that for an early June battle between two of the best athletes in the state?

Stillwater
Like I said, no team impressed me more. Got a chance to talk with Jesse Vester and Jerame Littell during those first two days. Had a good chat with coach Tucker Barnard on this final day. I won’t spoil it because I’m writing a big Stillwater story for Monday’s paper. How’s that for a tease?

Bishop McGuinness
Irish were learning on the job in this camp, said coach Justin Jones. Not only are coach and players still trying to adjust to everything, but the Irish had maybe the least amount of practices coming into the event. Jones said because of dead week during finals, the Irish only had six practices. Or as he put it, ‘three offensive practices and three defensive practices.’ I’m not sold on the McGuinness offense yet, but ya gotta love that defense, especially those linebackers.

Deer Creek
Getting off the mat to finish the job. In a scrimmage against, ooh, I wanna say Stillwater, QB Joel Blumenthal tweaked his ankle on the final play. In the ensuing scrimmage against Bixby, Blumenthal found Hunter Dinkines for a touchdown on the final play. Came away really impressed with Brennan Miyake. He’s already a big boy. Deer Creek was missing some key linemen and had to battle 6A teams for those three days so not going to be too harsh. Coach Grant Gower was extremely pleased and that’s good enough for me.

Norman North
Enjoyed seeing Bryan Payne do his thing. He’s a little dude, but he’s got some game in him. Between him, Emilio Gatewood and Raymond Demby, that was a nice set of backs last year. Payne looks like he’ll have to be the man, but if he can endure the punishment, that’s OK. Coach Wade Standley said it was just Day 12 of the team and him together so like most coaches at this point, happy to get some good reps in.

Edmond North
I really like Luke Hoskins. I’m not sure how the X-and-Os battle is going between Jesse Mathews and Hoskins, but Hoskins has looked good. Also glad to see Jared Benway take some big shots and bounce back up. Really hope Benway can stay healthy. Jarion Tudman was also back in action Friday after being banged up Wednesday. This is another team that I’ll see a lot more of in the future so I didn’t critique the Huskies too much.

OCS
A lot of the names I’ve grown to love with the Saints are gone, but coach Derek Turner is extremely excited about this group. He admits they’re a young squad, but he said the talent in the freshman/sophomore class is some top notch stuff. Hope to see more of the Saints this summer.

- Edmond Santa Fe wasn’t there on the final day. That’s alright, know there will be plenty of other times I’ll catch up with Lance Manning and company…Little Axe coach Ted Dorrell is excited to be a head coach again, that’s for sure. The Indians took a big hit via graduation, but Dorrell has some real fire…McLoud coach Eric Cardin said his team is young, but a camp like this always helps out. Realistically, Redskins are one year away, but Cardin is pumped for the future…Didn’t get to meet with Tecumseh coach Greg George too long. He said he loved the camp, best camp his team goes to. Savages did OK from the action I saw.

- Some of these same teams are out at Boone Pickens on Saturday for the Red Bull Game Breakers. I won’t be there, but I have ‘correspondents’ who will fill me in.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Slowly making the rounds for spring football. We’re just about done and one of my final stops was Wednesday evening at Norman to watch the Tigers’ Orange-White scrimmage.

If you wanted to see how good running back Donovan Roberts looks, well, you were out of luck. Roberts had less than five carries. However, he did throw a touchdown pass on the first play of the scrimmage. You can’t expect Roberts to get a test in spring so that made sense.

However, if you wanted to see the development of the passing game, bingo, you were in luck. Last year I became enamored with Roberts and Jaime Myers that I didn’t really notice anybody else. This year? Um, it’s hard to not notice George Kittle.

Kittle recently earned an offer from Air Force and you can see why. Not only does he have tremendous size (6-4 and at least 200 pounds), but he is a solid athlete.

Talking with Scott Wright, and he was mentioning how Kittle is able to dunk with ease. That makes sense. Kittle made a lot of nice plays and caught a touchdown.

Kittle makes life a lot easier for quarterback Zach Long. No longer a young pup, Long looks a lot bigger and a lot more comfortable playing the part. Coach Greg Nation said Long still has aways to go, but he’s making a lot of progress.

Also my first chance to see OL Foster Hare. If you didn’t know who he was, it wouldn’t take you long to find out. At 6-7 and 300 pounds, he towers over the rest of the Norman players.

The scrimmage split up the seniors and then let the senior captains pick their players. It was a fun time, but you cannot learn too much from a spring scrimmage with the way the teams are divided.

Either way, I didn’t have Norman sniffing the top 15 yet alone the top 10 last year. This year? Um, don’t be shocked to see the Tigers in the single digits. Replacing nine of 11 starters on defense will be tough. But when you have Roberts, Kittle and Long, that will offset some of the pressure.

Norman will be a team camp in Tulsa in early June (hmm, not sure if I can get out there). Definitely would like to see this team in the summer. We’ll see.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Ward has picked up four offers from big-time programs in the last four days. Texas Tech on Tuesday, Oklahoma on Thursday and now the Cowboys and Beavers on Friday. He has eight offers total.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Ward, who will only be a junior in the fall, picked up an offer from OU on Thursday to give him six total and second from a Big 12 school this week. Texas Tech offered Ward on Tuesday.

“D.J. is a kid who just does everything that is asked of him,” coach Randy Breeze said. “He’s never content. He’s always wanting to do more to help the program.”

Ward burst onto the scene last year and received some looks when scouts were looking at stars wide receiver Tyrequek Zimmerman and linebacker Jabral Johnson. Zimmerman and Johnson are headed to Oregon State.

Ward, 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, had 94 tackles and nine sacks last season. He is considered my many recruiting experts as the top in-state prospect for the class of 2013. Ward also has offers from Tulsa, Texas A&M, Kansas State and Arizona.

***

Not much to add here, except I loved getting to watch Ward last year. I haven’t been able to see him this spring, but nobody should be doubting his ability. He is the real deal.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall's Markus Wakefield received an offer from Colorado State on Wednesday night.

Colorado State representatives were one of several teams to show up at Heritage Hall’s spring football practices. Now it’s clear why.

Chargers lineman Markus Wakefield picked up his first offer as the Rams offered Wakefield on Wednesday night, Wakefield told The Oklahoman.

Wakefield, a force on both sides of the ball, had 137 tackles and 15 sacks last season and will be entering his third year as a starter for Heritage Hall in the fall. Wakefield is listed at 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds. Coach Andy Bogert said Wakefield is going to continue to attract attention because of his excellent footwork and football intelligence.

Wakefield recently participated in the OkVarsity.com combine last weekend and said, like many other top recruits, he plans on attending a lot of camps this summer.

Wakefield becomes the fourth Charger senior to pick up an offer. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard has committed to Oklahoma. Running back Barry J. Sanders is a four-star prospect with more than 20 offers, while Quintaz Struble earned an offer from Arizona two weeks ago.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The Yellowjackets defensive lineman smoked the field in the bench press with 31 repetitions at 185 pounds. Westmoore linebacker Joshua Morgan had 29, while Edmond North’s Brock Byford did 27.

In the power ball toss, it was Edmond North’s Cole Parsons who stood out with the top toss of 40 feet, 3 inches. Nobody had a better vertical leap than Yukon’s Darius Owens. The Millers defensive back topped out at 38.6 inches. And Bryce Robinson of Edmond Memorial had the best 20-yard shuttle run time at 4.09 seconds.

Curtis of Putnam City had the fastest time in the 40-yard dash at 4.32 seconds. Another combine of the same format is Saturday at Broken Arrow.

***

Give me some time to digest the results, and I’ll come back later in the week with some other nuggets for ya.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Offensive lineman Foster Hare continues to get looked at by college coaches, while wide receiver/defensive back George Kittle picked up his first offer.

Kittle, who caught five touchdowns on offense and had five interceptions on defense, was offered by Air Force on Saturday, said Norman coach Greg Nation.

Kittle is a 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds and came onto the scene last season as part of Norman turning things around.

The Tigers will conclude their spring practices with the Tiger Tune-up scrimmage on Wednesday afternoon.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Putnam City's Casey Curtis star was on full display with a 4.32 effort in the 40-yard dash Saturday.

Is he really that fast? Yep, Putnam City running back Casey Curtis really is that fast. After posting a sub 4.40 40-yard dash in his first attempt, people were wondering if it was faulty timing.

So the Pirates star lined up and did it again. Five different people were timing him, and bam, 4.32. Yep, 4.32 for Curtis in the 40-yard dash Saturday morning at the OkVarsity.com combine at Yukon’s Miller Pride Stadium.

Fellow chum Scott Wright has been high on Curtis for a long time. I haven’t doubted it, but it was great to see it with my own eyes. We have Curtis currently ranked No. 20 on our Super 30 recruits for the 2012 class. A new list will come out within the next month so it might change.

Curtis was actually a little disappointed with his shuttle run time, but all I had to do was remind him 4.32 and his smile came back.

The 40-yard dash was one component of multi-part combine presented by OkVarsity.com, the Oklahoma high school site of Rivals.com. Players also participated in the power ball toss, shuttle run, vertical leap and had the option of participating in the bench press.

Other thoughts and observations

- First time to see Ponca City quarterback Brent Wilson. This combine isn’t really a skills showcase, but Wilson fared well from what I saw. And like some others, just good to see who some of these kids are after reading so much about him. Wilson said he’s excited about this year because a lot of the Wildcats have grown up.

- This was in Yukon’s backyard so no shock to see plenty of Millers there. However, Valliant and Forgan? Huh? Valliant brought a good chunk of kids and coach Brett Jones was more than happy to make the trek for his kids to get some recognition and get tested.

- Santa Fe’s Trevan Smith had a really good 40 time as well. I wanna say 4.37 but don’t quote me. Wolves brought a good chunk of kids. Tellin’ ya, a lot of talent for Lance Manning and company to mold into a cohesive force.

- Power ball toss just sounds like a World’s Strongest Man competition. A lot of the kids had trouble with the first toss because either had never done it before or were too busy trying to get it high. The key to power ball toss is to chuck that thing forward and not so much about the height. Heritage Hall’s Markus Wakefield said it was weird, at first, because he’d never done anything like that before. I thought he fared well in both tosses.

- Piedmont’s Cassius Calhoun was on hand. The Wildcats running back is making the move from Casady to Piedmont. And Piedmont has a new coach in former Stillwater assistant Craig Church. Calhoun said he is ready to show what he can do. He’s a lot more comfortable and ready to be a leader for Piedmont.

- Missed out on Jared Benway from Edmond North. He was finishing up as I was still getting a grasp on the format of the day. Very excited to see a healthy Benway. The Huskies are one of my destinations for the second week of spring practice.

- Results, according to OkVarsity.com’s Justin Mitchell, will be available either Sunday or Monday. When I get ‘em, I’ll post them. Good camp, hope the kids took advantage of their opportunity. The Tulsa side is next Saturday at Broken Arrow. Also, look for plenty of videos on NewsOK.com in the upcoming day(s). Able to talk and meet with a lot of kids.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

It began Wednesday as defensive end Quintaz Struble was offered by Arizona, the junior told The Oklahoman on Wednesday night.

After having nearly his entire sophomore season wiped out because of a knee injury, Struble was dominant at defensive end last year.

Struble finished the season with 104 tackles and 15 sacks. He also caught two touchdowns at tight end but said he is being recruited more as a defensive end and as an athlete and not as a tight end.

Struble’s offer comes on the heels of quarterback Quinn Shanbour also receiving interest from the Wildcats. After being forced to sit out last season after transferring from McGuinness, Shanbour is also expected to make a splash for Heritage Hall in the fall.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

However, Sanders and teammate Sterling Shepard are among the three Oklahoma players that have made the cut for the Rivals 250, a list of the top 250 football recruits for the 2012 class.

Sanders is the highest ranking Oklahoman at No. 121. Jenks star running back Alex Ross, who has committed to Oklahoma, is No. 183.

Shepard, who has also committed to the Sooners, is No. 220. All three are rated as four-star prospects. Sanders is No. 1, Ross is No. 2 and Shepard is No. 4 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for 2012.

***

Won’t argue with any of these guys making it, obviously. I still feel names like Donovan Roberts of Norman and Cayman Bundage of Douglass aren’t getting enough love but that can still change.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Part of me was shocked to hear that Norman running back Donovan Roberts committed to Arkansas on Wednesday. The writer in me was thrilled I didn’t have to hound the junior all summer about recruiting updates.

But the part that was shocked was because I didn’t think Roberts had reached his ceiling in terms of schools that were going to offer him. That’s just how good he can really be. With offers from nearly every big conference in the nation, I felt he could pick and choose.

However, Roberts was pretty sure about Arkansas after his first visit. He named a top four of Pittsburgh, Michigan, Arizona and the Razorbacks. And after getting the seal of approval from Mom (hey, that’s the biggest approval you need), Roberts made it official.

Did he do it too early? Not if you ask him.

“When you know in your heart that this is where you want to be, there’s no point in waiting,” Roberts said. “You want to get on that wagon before it’s too late.”

Roberts said talking to Arkansas running backs also convinced him Fayetteville was the place to be. And if you think he’s a soft commit, Roberts quickly debunked that: “I’m a Hog 100 percent. I’m done.”

Roberts is ranked No. 5 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for 2012 and rushed for more than 2,000 yards as a junior.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Norman's Donovan Roberts committed to Arkansas on Wednesday. "I can't wait to be a Hog."

Norman running back Donovan Roberts said he had no preference of when he was going to commit. He said he would know when it’s time.

His time came Wednesday as the Tigers star running back committed to Arkansas.

“This was a tough decision, but I did a lot of talking with my family and just trying to figure out what would be the best fit for me,” Roberts said. “I can’t wait to be a Hog.”

Roberts recently listed a top four of Michigan, Pittsburgh, Arkansas and Arizona. He also had offers from Iowa State, Kansas State, Tulsa and Indiana.

Roberts was making his second visit to Arkansas on Wednesday. He said he enjoyed his first visit, but he wanted to get his mother’s opinion. His parents made the trip with him this time around and everybody was in agreement.

Roberts became one of the top running backs in the state last season in helping turn around the Tigers program. Roberts rushed for more than 2,000 yards in helping Norman back to the playoffs.

“It’s a load off my shoulders and this means my senior year starts now,” Roberts said. “It’s time to get ready and do whatever I have to do to help the team do something special.”

Roberts is ranked No. 5 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for the class of 2012.

After getting offered by Pittsburgh late last week, Roberts was offered by Arkansas on Monday night. The Razorbacks become the eighth team from the sixth different conference to offer the junior running back.

It’s almost getting old at this juncture. I kinda reached this point last year with Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers. Yep, another school has offered. The first offer is always kinda neat (yes, I just said neat). But after that, well, you come to expect it.

***

In other Norman news, OL Foster Hare attended the Junior Day at SMU and came away impressed with the facilities and coaching staff there. Hare is getting a lot of attention from Ivy League schools, among others.

I’ve said it before with the Heritage Hall kids that when you’re noticing someone like Roberts, you’re bound to notice some of the other guys, too. One star recruit will always help out the program as a whole as Hare is getting rightfully recognized now.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Um, I don’t have to wonder anymore. Pittsburgh becomes the latest big-time program to offer the Norman junior. What I find interesting has been the wide variety of schools showing interest.

He’s not just a regional prospect. In fact, Roberts wasn’t really a regional pick until just recently. It was the big uglies in the Big Ten that reached out to Roberts first. Roberts has offers from Indiana and Michigan in the Big Ten. Add in Arizona in the Pac-10. Iowa State and Kansas State in the Big 12. Pittsburgh in the Big East and Roberts also has an offer from Tulsa.

We are a long way from having to do 6A rankings for the preseason, but I admit Norman, with Roberts leading the charge, is definitely looking like it will crack my top 10.

Roberts is No. 5 on our Super 30 for the 2012 class. You’ve heard me gush about the top five enough (Barry J. Sanders, Alex Ross, Cayman Bundage, Sterling Shepard) that I don’t know if I could make a change in the top five, but Roberts is certainly showing he belongs in that top tier.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Too early for 2013 class talk? Maybe, but Deer Creek's Joel Blumenthal is one to watch.

Before we get to the weekly news and notes on some of the top recruits, really think some recruiting experts are missing the boat on the class of 2012.

Heritage Hall’s Barry J. Sanders dominates the headlines and has for the last couple of years. And then when a program like Oklahoma offers players such as Jenks’ Alex Ross and Heritage Hall’s Sterling Shepard, that obviously makes people stand up and notice.

Those three again were recognized with Sanders at No. 51, Shepard at No. 85 and Ross at No. 89 of the Scout 300. And then that was it. Really?

No love for Norman RB Donovan Roberts or Douglass OL Cayman Bundage? Or an OL like Blake Belcher from Guthrie? And we might all be sleeping on just how good Ramsey Hamilton of Beggs after how well he has fared in workout/combine atmospheres.

I really like this class. Hey, maybe I’m overestimating how good this class is going to be, but I can tell you that I’m already excited for the fall. Heck, even spring practice.

With that said, more news and notes:

- Edmond Santa Fe has been off the radar lately, but that should change this year. Not only is Ty Hensley a top baseball/football prospect, defensive back Conner Bays performed extremely well at an Under Armour combine last weekend in Houston. It’s going to be a new looks Wolves team so it will be very interesting to see how this team gels together.

- When you start talking about the 2013 class, it starts in Lawton with D.J. Ward, but I’m wondering just how far up the ranks Deer Creek’s Joel Blumenthal is going to go. He performed well at a combine in Dallas in late March and has been invited to Tampa for a top camp in the summer. It is invite only with 25 quarterbacks from 15 different states.

- Mention Casady recruiting for 2011, and you go right to DL Graham Bennett and LB Garrison Lee. However, don’t forget about Mac Katigan. He’s going to Princeton’s Junior Day this weekend and has also been invited to the junior days at Yale and Dartmouth. Dartmouth seems like a natural fit considering his older brother, Austin, is a freshman on the football team.

- Incredibly busy time of year when it comes to combines. Casey Curtis of Putnam City is off to a couple more on this weekend. We won’t call Curtis ‘Scott Wright’s boy,’ but Scott is very high (rightfully so) on the ability of Curtis. With more info, read Scott’s blog.

- OKVarsity.rivals.com is going to have its in-state combines next month. The Oklahoma City area one is May 21 at Yukon, while the Tulsa area is May 28 at Broken Arrow. For much more info, here ya go. I definitely intend to attend both combines but have no idea if I’ll be able to. Justin Mitchell does a great job with the OKVarsity site, and it’s a very well-run exhibition.

- A couple of forgotten kids are starting to make some noise. Edmond North RB Jared Benway missed all of his junior season with a broken leg but is back and looking good. Same can be said for Heritage Hall quarterback Quinn Shanbour. Shanbour left Bishop McGuinness a day before the season opener. HH coach Andy Bogert said Shanbour played a vital role in helping the team practice against opposing QBs last year. Shanbour just returned from a visit to the University of Arizona.

- As always, you got info, drop me a line. You went to a camp? Let me know how it went.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

All three are ranked in the top 90 but nobody else from the state made the list.

Sanders tops the list at No. 51. Sanders has listed Oklahoma State, Alabama, Florida State and UCLA as his favorites. He has been busy making the rounds and has said he is looking for the right fit.

There are no questions regarding Shepard and Ross and where they’re going to attend. Both have already committed to Oklahoma. Shepard is ranked No. 85, while Ross is No. 89.

Sanders is No. 1, Ross is No. 2 and Shepard is No. 4 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for 2012.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Roberts picked up an offer from Kansas State on Thursday to give him six offers. Iowa State, Arizona, Tulsa, Indiana and Michigan are the other schools that have offered the Tigers star running back.

Roberts, ranked No. 5 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for 2012, rushed for more than 2,000 yards last season.

One of the reasons for his success was because Roberts was running behind offensive lineman Foster Hare. The junior is 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds and attended the junior day at Tulsa and plans to attend the junior day at SMU on April 16.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall junior running back Barry J. Sanders isn’t any closer to making a commitment, but he did earn another honor.

Sanders was named the 10^th best recruit for the class of 2012 by Tom Lemming as Lemming released his top 100 recruits Tuesday.

Lemming has spent more than 30 years evaluating recruits. Sanders was the only player from Oklahoma in the top 100. Dorial Beckham-Green, the Springfield, Mo., wide receiver, was ranked the top prospect.

I’ve admit that I’m bias toward the Oklahoma kids, but I was amazed that Alex Ross of Jenks, Cayman Bundage of Douglass, Sterling Shepard of Heritage Hall and Donovan Roberts of Norman didn’t sniff the list. Feel people are sleeping on this class still.

- Edmond Santa Fe junior Ty Hensley said he wants to keep his options open for football. Meanwhile, the baseball honors continue to roll in for the star pitcher.

Hensley has been invited to participate in the Under Armour All-America baseball game Aug. 13 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Hensley is one of 36 players invited and is the lone Oklahoman on the roster. The game will be televised live on MLB Network (Cox 264). The players participating were chosen by a committee of Baseball Factory scouts.

The game will punctuate a four-day event for the players that will include a formal workout for MLB scouts, a home run derby and a meet-and-greet with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.

- Sand Springs quarterback Darrack Harger was among one of the top performers at the Under Armour combine in Dallas last weekend.

Harger, 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, has added 15 pounds since the end of last season and was said to be the best quarterback in the bunch by Rivals.com

Harger doesn’t have any official offers but is receiving interest from several Big 12 schools, including Oklahoma State.

Top QB prospect is going to be a battle. The four early favorites: Harger, Kason Key of Owasso, Ramsey Hamilton of Beggs and Corben Jones of Yukon. It feels like every week that is something different to report on at least one of them.

- A name to watch is definitely Stillwater wide receiver Jesse Vester. He’s been just as busy as anybody else, attending Tulsa, OSU and KU Junior Days. His April is going to be pretty busy, too. And with new coach Tucker Barnard officially in Stillwater and QB Jerame Littell, Pioneers will definitely have a different look.

- Southmoore has produced one top talent after another in the last couple of years and don’t look for that to stop in this upcoming season. Running back Andrew Long is definitely the gem of the SaberCats, but linebacker Jackson Stallings is starting to come on the radar. Neither have any official offers, but coach Chris Jensen has done a great job of getting his kids noticed.

- Any news or notes you wanna contribute? Drop me a line, appreciate it.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Guthrie star Kentrell Brothers completed one of the more intriguing recruiting stories in the last year. The Bluejays star, who has signed with Missouri to play football, wasn’t shy to take as many different recruiting trips possible.

One Brothers down and here comes another. Sophomore Richard Brothers will be joined by Deer Creek sophomore quarterback Joel Blumenthal at the Under Armour combine in Dallas this weekend.

Richard Brothers had 83 tackles last season. Blumenthal has been a name to watch for the Antlers since his freshman season. He saw spot duty at QB last year but should be the starting quarterback for Deer Creek in 2011.

- As already reported, Norman’s Donovan Roberts nabbed two more offers with Iowa State and Arizona joining Michigan and Indiana. He’s going to get overlooked because of Jenks’ Alex Ross and Heritage Hall’s Barry J. Sanders, but Roberts is the real deal. The offers are starting to roll in, and I don’t think they’re going to stop anytime soon.

- Fellow chum Matt Baker of The Tulsa World says Cascia Hall stud LB Conner Sherwood has earned his first offer as Tulsa has offered the Commando junior. I like Sherwood and definitely think the next couple of months will see him on more people’s radar.

- Jenks defensive tackle Ashton Henderson also made news with receiving an offer from Louisville. Looking at the measureables (is that a word?), you have to like Henderson. I’ve never seen the 320-pounder play so I can’t comment too much on him. I know DT is becoming more and more important in today’s game.

- Very intrigued what is going to happen with Edmond Santa Fe’s Ty Hensley. I think he’s a solid as they come when you’re talking about a baseball prospect. However, he is not letting go of football. Might he be in the same spot as Broken Arrow’s Archie Bradley? Is it something where he’s looking for football and baseball? Hensley is getting looks in both sports, but baseball remains the sport where there is more interest.

- Anadarko’s Sheldon Wilson continues to be bombarded by schools showing interest. No official offers, but he’s getting letters from schools all over the nation. Very intrigued to see how Anadarko (as a community) handles the attention. It’s going to be a wild ride for the Wilson and the Warriors in the next 6-9 months.

- As I always say, you got news, ship it this way.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Iowa State and Arizona are the latest schools to offer the Tigers star back.

Roberts, currently No. 5 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for the top football recruits for the class of 2012, said the biggest thing he is working during this offseason is his speed.

Roberts rushed for more than 2,000 yards last season in helping lead Norman back to the playoffs.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

- Norman RB Donovan Roberts got his first in-state offer recently as Tulsa extended the offer to the Tigers star. Indiana is the front-runner because of his relationship with Kevin Wilson. However, it should get a lot more interesting in the upcoming months. As for Roberts, he’s not too concerned about an offer from the Sooners. ‘If it comes, it comes. They’re going to do what they have to do.’ He’s seen it before where OU has waited on Norman boys until the late stages of the game.

- Broken Arrow’s Zac Veatch is someone who will be appearing on the next Super 30. He has exploded since the end of last season and currently holds three offers (Kansas, Houston, Tulsa). He is 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and is currently slated as a tight end.

- Look out for the Casady boys in Garrison Lee and Graham Bennett. You cannot produce more than what Lee did last season at linebacker. And Bennett has the size that everybody is going to be looking for. I don’t know if it’s on his highlight DVD but Bennett tracking down Heritage Hall’s Barry J. Sanders last year should be. It was a great show of just how fast the defensive end really is.

- Quarterback will be an interesting position to track. Right now it appears scouts like Ramsey Hamilton of Beggs to be the top guy. He’s receiving interest from all over the Big 12 and SEC areas. Good size, good arm, good head, he appears to be on the fast track to success. Ponca City’s Brent Wilson is another strong contender as is Owasso’s Kason Key. Wilson gets overlooked, at times, because of the lack of team success. However, he has been solid for the Wildcats.

- I’ve always viewed Yukon’s Derek Deeds as a wide receiver, but it appears his future might be at safety. He’s definitely getting more looks there and he is performing well at camps at that position.

- Speaking of camps, there is a Nike camp in Houston this week. I know a couple of local players are thinking about attending but nothing is confirmed. If you know who is going, drop me a line.

- Just a small sampling of some updated recruiting news. You know more? Let me know. We’ve only just begun with the 2012 class.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

For those that have seen Heritage Hall junior wide receiver Sterling Shepard play, these highlights really won’t shock you at all.

But for any Oklahoma Sooner fans who haven’t seen the all-around threat play, here is a taste of what you’re going to get to see in Norman.

Stopped by Heritage Hall after school Tuesday to talk with Shepard about committing to OU. Personally, probably could have included a lot more highlights but here ya go.

Heritage Hall's Sterling Shepard is running his way to Norman. Shepard committed to OU on Monday.

Heritage Hall star wide receiver Sterling Shepard really did intend to wait before making his commitment.

He wanted to be patient and look to see what else was out there, but the truth is his heart has always been with Oklahoma.

Shepard made it official, verbally committing to the Sooners on Monday. Shepard joins Jenks running back Alex Ross as two in-state recruits of the class of 2012 to commit to OU.

“This is where my heart is,” Shepard said. “There is great tradition here. My father, my uncles went here. It was time.”

For the full story, go here.

***

Not a shock at all to any that know Shepard. He was genuinely shocked when the offers started to come his way. He just doesn’t think of himself that way. However, he was definitely hoping an OU offer would come his way.

His mother was going to be supportive, no matter what, but the name Shepard means a lot to OU and the Sooners mean a lot to the Shepard family.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Norman's Donovan Roberts can add Michigan to his list of offers.

While Big 12 schools continue to show interest in Norman’s Donovan Roberts, Big Ten schools are ones who are giving out the offers.

Michigan joined Indiana as the two schools to offer the Tigers star running back. The Wolverines offered Roberts late Monday night, coach Greg Nation texted The Oklahoman.

Roberts, No. 5 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for the class of 2012 football recruits, also recently attended the Kansas junior day. Though the Jayhawks did not offer Roberts, he said he enjoyed the visit and also appreciated the honesty the Kansas staff displayed.

Roberts rushed for more than 2,000 yards last season in helping lead Norman back to the postseason.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

What do you think? For more on it, here is my story from Monday’s paper. And for Alabama’s response to the situation, here ya go.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

He did. The Golden Hurricane have become the first program to offer the Bombers star running back. Flanders was offered after Tulsa’s Junior Day and was one of many area juniors to attend the event.

“I’m just trying to get my weight up,” Flanders said. “I’m lifting a lot of weights and getting ready for track season.”

Flanders is receiving interest from several other Big 12 schools, including Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State. However, Flanders said he is not ready to list any favorites just yet.

Flanders rushed for 1,672 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. His older brother, John, is a starting defensive back for Tulsa. James Flanders was listed at 170 pounds last season and said he is around 180 pounds right now.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The Thompsons (Charles and Kendal) at Kendal's OU ceremony at Southmoore

I keep saying ‘Southmoore’s Kendal Thompson,’ maybe I should say ‘Oklahoma’s Kendal Thompson.’ Real fun environment at the signing ceremony today:

There is no doubt Southmoore quarterback Kendal Thompson is ready for the next chapter of his life to begin. There’s also no doubt he enjoyed making a brief return back to high school.

Thompson, an Oklahoma signee, joined several other Southmoore athletes for a signing day ceremony Wednesday afternoon in the Southmoore gym.

“This is like a family day for me,” Thompson said. “It’s celebrating with the Southmoore family and recognizing all the hard work that was done to get here.”

Thompson wasn’t allowed to stick around too long as he had to get back to campus in Norman. Thompson said he is taking 14 hours this spring.

Thompson said making the adjustment to college hasn’t been too difficult, saying the 5 a.m. workouts have been one of the toughest adjustments.

“It doesn’t feel too weird at all already being in college,” Thompson said. “This is what I’ve been preparing for. This is what I’ve wanted to do.”

Thompson committed to Oklahoma in November 2009 and will follow in the footsteps of his father, Charles Thompson, who also played quarterback for the Sooners.

Kendal Thompson’s senior season wasn’t what he was hoping for as a leg injury forced him to miss six weeks. In limited time, Thompson was 24 of 32 for 295 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 233 yards and had a rushing and receiving score.

Kendal is a lot different player than his father was and Charles is not concerned at all about Kendal being his own person.

“That’s the thing about Kendal – he’s always had his own identity,” Charles Thompson said. “I’m proud of him not just as a father but as someone who also wore those colors. It’s very exciting.”

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

2012 Super 30

1. Barry J. Sanders, RB, Heritage Hall (5-11, 190) — Already has 14 offers and includes Alabama, Florida State, UCLA and Oklahoma State among his favorites. Received an offer from Florida on Friday. Junior season cut short by foot injury but averaged more than 12 yards per carry. Coach Andy Bogert said Sanders’ biggest asset has been his willingness to become a complete back.

2. Alex Ross, ATH, Jenks (6-1, 205) — Always dreamed about going to Oklahoma, and as soon as the offer came, he verbally committed. Admits he is still learning to play the running back position. One of the most dynamic players in the state in 2010 and one of the fastest athletes in the state.

3. Cayman Bundage, OL, Douglass (6-2, 293) — Came onto the scene last summer and hasn’t dropped off. His college future appears to be at center, and he really impressed at the US Army National Combine in San Antonio last month. Florida State has been leading the charge.

4. Sterling Shepard, WR, Heritage Hall (5-11, 175) — Shepard’s size would be the only deterrent. That hasn’t stopped five schools from offering him, including Oklahoma. His father and his two uncles played for the Sooners. Shepard is arguably the biggest all-around threat in the state as a receiver, defensive back and kick returner.

5. Donovan Roberts, RB, Norman (6-0, 195) — Indiana has the inside track on landing the Tigers’ star because of the relationship Roberts has with former OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. When Wilson took the job at Indiana, it didn’t take long for the offer to be extended to Roberts. His size is his biggest strength.

6. Damian Gibson, TE, Tulsa East Central (6-3, 220) — His work ethic was his biggest question mark, but a solid junior season silenced critics. Receiving interest from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to go with Miami and Penn State.

7. Blake Belcher, OL, Guthrie (6-6, 271) — Great size and has impressed at combines last summer. Belcher has quick feet and is receiving interest from several Big 12 and Pac-10 schools, including Oklahoma.

8. Ricky Reeves, DB, Midwest City (5-11, 175) — Reeves is one of three Bomber defenders on this list and has arguably the most potential of the trio. Has performed well at combines since season has concluded.

9. Ashton Henderson, DL, Jenks (6-2, 321) — One of the biggest players in the state but with great athleticism, too. His weight has been an issue, but Henderson said he is ready to slim down heading into his senior season.

10. Michael Thomas, DB, Lawton MacArthur (6-1, 195) — A sleeper at this point. Thomas is making the move up recruiting charts because of how physical he has at defensive back.

In the 'Year of the RB' don't forget about Putnam City's Casey Curtis.

2012 Super 30

11. Sheldon Wilson, RB, Anadarko (5-10, 170) — His 49 rushing touchdowns put him on the map and his combine performances are keeping him there. Not the biggest but great potential as an all-around back. Said he is working on his upper body strength heading into senior year.

12. Ramsey Hamilton, QB, Beggs (6-2, 180) — The top-rated quarterback in the state for the 2012 class. Said his strength is making plays scrambling out of the pocket. Arkansas is showing high interest, but there are several other teams in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC giving him a look.

13. Andrew Long, RB, Southmoore (5-9, 165) — Another player whose lack of size is wiped away by what he can do on the field. Must show he has fully recovered from a foot injury. Has come up big against the SaberCats’ toughest opponents the last two seasons and has sprinter’s speed.

14. Conner Sherwood, LB, Cascia Hall (6-2, 215) — Has been on the national recruiting radar ever since his sophomore season. A physical presence who is able to stop opposing teams’ rushing attacks.

15. Daniel Burton, OL, Putnam City North (6-4, 270) — Opposing coaches rave about Burton’s ability, and he has good size. Potential to become that unknown lineman that breaks out with offers this spring.

16. Victor Williams, DB, Muskogee (5-9, 165) — Another all-around threat for the Roughers. Williams size will be a drawback, but he’s already shown in combines he can compete with the best.

17. Kevin Peterson, DB, Wagoner (5-11, 165) — A two-way threat with the Bulldogs who played a big role in helping Wagoner reach the state championship. Getting more and more comfortable at cornerback.

18. Ronnie Davis, DB, Midwest City (6-1, 170) — Went through some growing pains in his first year in the secondary but started to put it together later in the season. Receiving interest from several Big 12 schools.

19. Adrian McDonald, ATH, Lawton Eisenhower (5-10, 160) — Being recruited as an athlete right now, but McDonald made a big statement this year at quarterback for the Eagles. Tremendous playmaking ability.

20. Casey Curtis, RB, Putnam City (5-8, 175) — Nobody can catch him in the open field as Curtis speed sets him apart. Despite relative small size, showed good toughness in being the workhorse for the Pirates. Also a dangerous kick returner.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com; Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Purcell's Cole Swayze is once again on the road to recovery.

2012 Super 30

21. Kason Key, QB, Owasso (6-4, 195) — The Rams weren’t expected to do much last year. However, led by Key, Owasso made run to state semifinals. Key said he is a pocket passer and is receiving heavy interest from Missouri, among other Big 12 schools.

22. Zeke Lewis, LB, Midwest City (5-10, 205) — On a team loaded with defensive stars, Lewis was the most productive on the field in 2010. He’s a force at linebacker at the high school level, but his future in college also could be at safety.

23. Cole Swayze, QB, Purcell (6-1, 195) — Another recruit that has been on the radar for a good two years. Offered by Oklahoma State last summer but is once again trying to come back from a major injury. Swayze tore his ACL midway through last season, but his production cannot be questioned.

24. Corben Jones, QB, Yukon (6-2, 185) — Became a name on the recruiting circuit last season and has received heavy interest from Oklahoma State since that time. Said his decision making is going to be something he’ll be working on as he said he tried to force things too many times last year.

25. Markus Wakefield, DL, Heritage Hall (6-1, 270) — He’s been this big since his sophomore year, and it looks like his future will be at nose guard. His intelligence and his quick feet help him stand out, said coach Andy Bogert. Wakefield did a great job of clogging up running games last season.

26. Alton Adkins, RB, Glenpool (5-10, 180) — Emerged as one of the state’s best running backs last season. Good toughness and the spring and summer should open up doors for Adkins.

27. Jesse Vester, WR, Stillwater (5-10, 180) — Vester and quarterback Jerame Littell have developed a great chemistry. Vester is one of the legitimate deep threats in the state and is receiving interest from Big 12 schools.

28. Darrack Harger, QB, Sand Springs (6-3, 190) — Harger got to learn under former star Johnny Deaton and is on track to become the next solid quarterback for the Sandites. He is receiving interest from several Big 12 schools.

29. Eric Dockins, RB, Broken Bow (6-0, 195) — If one player has a chip on his shoulder on the list, it’s Dockins. An injury-filled junior season didn’t allow for Dockins to be at his best and his stock has dropped. If he can stay healthy, he can definitely make a move up.

30. Adam Boyd, ATH, McAlester (6-1, 185) — Interest is ranging from all over the country for the wide receiver and defensive back. Teams from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-10 have shown interest.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com; Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Mustang QB Brandon Taylor has a chance to enter the next edition of the Super 30.

Oh, Super 30, how I love and loathe you at the same time. This list will go under dramatic changes in the upcoming months. Players we didn’t think much of might all the sudden become hot commodities.

So if your favorite player isn’t on this list, don’t be upset, there’s still time for Scott and myself to find the ‘error in our ways.’ I’m really liking this year’s crop of players. It’s extremely top-heavy, and it’s an incredible year to be a running back, no?

Three of the top five are running backs (Heritage Hall’s Barry J. Sanders, Jenks’ Alex Ross and Norman’s Donovan Roberts).

Here were some of the players that didn’t make the list but still have a very good chance to:

Quintaz Struble, Heritage Hall; Derek Deeds, Yukon; James Flanders, Midwest City; Kendal Davis, Sapulpa; Jevonta Cross, Tulsa East Central; Keon Hatcher, Owasso; Brent Wilson, Ponca City; Tylor Seabolt, Jones; Orion Jones, Jenks; Landry Chappell, Guthrie. These were the names that made the paper. However, I also wanted to add some more.

Mustang QB Brandon Taylor is someone who can shoot up this list in the next couple of months. Another quarterback to watch out for is Jerame Littell at Stillwater. A new coach might be exactly what he needs. Millwood isn’t completely devoid of talent, either. OL Devin Dobbins appears to be the Falcons’ best prospect. And LB Marc Robinson might make it back if he can regain his form he had at Heritage Hall.

And then there are three names that stand out to me from what I’ve seen in person: Casady’s Graham Bennett and Garrison Lee and Edmond North’s Jarion Tudman. I’ll be interested to see if any of these guys start making some noise at camps/combines in the upcoming months. Bennett has great size, Lee was incredibly productive and Tudman is a game-changer.

The list was compiled by Scott Wright and myself. We looked at film, talked to coaches, looked at recruiting charts, judged off what we’ve seen personally and did our best. Look for the next list to come out in the summer.

With that said, here is your preliminary Super 30 for the 2012 class.

So, who did we miss?

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall's Barry J. Sanders was offered by Florida on Friday afternoon to give him 14 offers now.

The hits keep coming at Heritage Hall. A day after teammate Sterling Shepard was offered by Oklahoma, another Heritage Hall star has received another major offer.

Junior running back Barry J. Sanders was offered by Florida on Friday afternoon, the running back texted The Oklahoman.

The Gators become the 14th school to offer the Chargers star. Sanders has listed Alabama, Florida State and Oklahoma State among his favorites.

Sanders is recovering from foot surgery and missed most of the second half of the 2010 season.  In just 96 carries, Sanders rushed for 1,168 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Sanders said he plans on visiting Alabama for the second time in the near future. Sanders made the Rivals 250 list for the 2012 class earlier this week and Scout.com has Sanders as a four-star prospect.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The list, released Wednesday, did not include number rankings.

Sanders has 12 offers, including Alabama, Florida State and Oklahoma State. He said he plans on visiting Alabama in a couple of weeks. It will be his second visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Ross became the second verbal commitment to Oklahoma for the 2012 class. Ross committed to the Sooners late Tuesday night.

***

If I may be so bold, I thought for sure at least one (if not all three) would be on this list: Sterling Shepard of Heritage Hall, Norman’s Donovan Roberts and Douglass OL Cayman Bundage.

Yea, there might be some OKC-area bias there as I’ve seen these kids often and know what they can do but really feel they are among the top 250 in the nation.

Roberts is one of the best college-ready RBs I’ve seen in my short time. Bundage has impressed on the field and at combines. And Shepard, well, you guys know how I feel about his playmaking ability.

For those wondering, Scott Wright and myself have been working on a Super 30 for 2012. That will be unveiled Sunday.

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Jenks RB Alex Ross became the second player to verbally commit to Oklahoma's 2012 class. Ross averaged more than 12 yards per carry in 2010.

He came out of nowhere to have one of the best rushing seasons of anybody in the state, but Jenks junior running back Alex Ross is not a secret anymore.

Ross verbally committed to Oklahoma on Tuesday night, he confirmed via his Facebook page.

Ross wasn’t even the starting running back for the Trojans when the season began, but he quickly took advantage of his opportunities when starter Zack Langer went down with an injury.

Ross rushed for 1,548 yards on just 122 carries and had 27 touchdowns. He also averaged more than 40 yards per kick return and took three back for scores.

Ross attended both OU Junior Days in the last two months and is being recruited as an athlete.

Ross had received interest from other Big 12 schools but had not received any official offers.

***

This is an incredible ‘get’ for the Sooners if you follow Oklahoma high school sports. He was easily among the best players in the state and just an absolute jaw-dropper. His film was a lot of fun to watch.

He said this was the offer he was waiting for. He got it and didn’t waste any time.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Oh yea, it’s not in football, though. Bishop McGuinness junior Elyse Hight has verbally committed to play soccer at Notre Dame.

I know Hight as the dominant post presence for the Irish girls basketball team, but she made her name first as the goalkeeper. She was being recruited by various schools at both sports but decided she wanted to stay ‘Irish.’

“I’m excited about joining the Irish in the future,” Hight said. “It’s a great opportunity to play for Notre Dame’s soccer team and attend the university.”

If going to ND wasn’t enough, the soccer program has never been hotter. The Irish won the national championship last year, defeating top-ranked Stanford in the title game. That path to the championship was paved on the road with five wins away from South Bend, Ind.

Hight attended Notre Dame’s soccer camp last summer and fared well, being named to the camp’s All-Star team. She was already one of the state’s best goalkeepers as a sophomore and that shouldn’t change this year.

Coming off the heels of Signing Day, yep, we have to wait a long time before Hight can officially sign with Notre Dame.

Barry Sanders talks about what he likes at his four current top choices.

Recently had a chance to speak with Heritage Hall junior Barry J. Sanders. The running back is now up to 12 offers. However, his four favorites remain the same from when he unveiled them in October: Alabama, UCLA, Florida State and Oklahoma State.

Here’s a little insight as to why Sanders is interested in each program.

Alabama — “It’s a proven program that’s always looking to get better. Coach (Nick) Saban is a great coach who always has his players bound for success. I went down there for their game against Ole Miss, and it was fantastic.”

UCLA — “They struggled a little bit this year, but coach (Rick) Neuheisel takes a very active approach. With everything that’s happening at USC, they (Trojans) might be down. This is UCLA’s chance.”

Florida State — “I think they have the No. 1 recruiting class for this year. I love what coach (Jimbo) Fisher is doing there. He knows the tricks of the trade, and he has recruits excited about the program.”

Oklahoma State — “If I choose to stay close to home, it would be pretty easy. The facilities are tremendous. The people there are great. And it’s another program that keeps growing as coach (Mike) Gundy is doing big things there.”

The other I asked Sanders about was is there anything he’s looking for when it comes to these schools’ recruiting classes and personnel:

“I definitely look at the running backs at each school and who they’re bringing in and where I might fit in. I wouldn’t mind going somewhere where I could learn from a great back for a year. Alabama’s Trent Richardson would be a senior if I went that way, and he would be a good person to learn under.”

As time permits, I plan on doing more of these one-on-one breakdowns with some of the top recruits for the class of 2012.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The story of how Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers faxed in his letter of intent to Weber State:

Obviously, nobody envisioned Signing Day to go like this. With Memorial closed, Myers had to find another outlet. OK, just go with his parents (or one of them) to their job and fax it in.

Nope.

The places of business for both his mother and father were closed. Try again.

OK, let’s call UPS because you know they have a fax machine. Good point. Family makes the call, and UPS is closed.

Attempt No. 3. Hmm, how about Kinko’s? Back in my HS/college days, the No. 1 spot to go to make color copies. But no luck for the Myers family as Kinko’s was closed.

Finally, the Myers clan ends up at a Homeland. Yes, a Homeland grocery store and faxes in Myers’ letter of intent.

Scott Myers, Connor’s father, said panic was starting to set in, but they got the job done.

Connor Myers was among the best defensive tackles in the state this year. I’ve joked with him before that if he was two inches taller, universities would have been banging down his door. I still believe it’s true, but Weber State has been a good home for Edmond kids.

However, the two other in-state recruits joining Myers at Weber State are not Edmond boys. Del City wide receiver Marquis Walters and Tulsa Edison’s Steven Carpenter are also going there.

And like I said, if you have similar stories, would love to hear them.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

One of the major shockers occurred up in Wagoner with athlete Prince McJunkins. Some sites had him committed to Louisiana-Monroe despite the fact the Tulsa World’s Matt Baker kept in constant contact with McJunkins, and he never said he was committed.

Today was the day and McJunkins went Georgia Southern. He’ll do well wherever he ends up.

Friday through Tuesday was a rush in terms of late commits and things like that so maybe that took away some of the drama of the day, too. I’m not doubting Arizona or Oregon State, but I didn’t think Domonique Petties of Duncan nor d’Vante Henry of Southmoore were going to get a chance. I’m glad they are – just didn’t see it coming.

Also strange to not be shooting video of ceremonies. Instead, the first question to every recruit I talked to was ‘were you able to fax your letter of intent in?’ Just about everybody I talked to said they were.

Incredibly tough to compile an accurate signing list tonight. I did the best I could as some in-state schools didn’t post any on their websites probably because nobody was working today.

All of the top recruits in the state went where they said they would. And Del City’s Jamelle Naff and Millwood’s Josh Turner signed from the all-star game in Austin, Texas.

We’ll probably be scrambling to officially confirm those lists. So if you see some errors or omissions in the list on NewsOK and in Thursday’s paper, drop me a line.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Heritage Hall junior wide receiver Sterling Shepard received an offer from Notre Dame on Wednesday, said Heritage Hall coach Andy Bogert.

Shepard was an all-around threat for the Chargers in helping lead the team to a Class 3A state championship.

Notre Dame is the second school to offer Shepard. Oklahoma State offered him in December. UCLA, Missouri and Alabama are among the other schools currently showing interest.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

1. Josh Turner, Millwood (Texas) — A great fit. One of the most selfless, unassuming top prospects I’ve ever met. Ready to make a name for himself.

2. Kendal Thompson, Southmoore (Oklahoma) — Already got a leg up and has enrolled with the Sooners. He’ll play somewhere at OU, unsure if it will be QB.

3. Dylan Dismuke, Duncan (Oklahoma) — Great senior season to send him off to Norman. Lifelong dream come true for the big man.

4. Kentrell Brothers, Guthrie (Missouri) — Took his time and made the right call for himself. Felt he was the best player in the state this year.

5. Tyrequek Zimmerman, Lawton (Oregon State) — Zimmerman and Jabral Johnson are headed to Corvallis and should make a big impact for the Beavers.

6. Domonique Petties, Duncan (Arizona) — Petties was extremely busy making the rounds. He is double-signing with Arizona and NEO. Freakish talent, for sure.

7. Garrett Gladd, Sallisaw (Tulsa) — Switched from Stanford to Tulsa and seems really pleased with his decision. Would have been a force anywhere.

8. Kevonte Richardson, Millwood (Hutchinson, Kan.) — An all-around talent for the Falcons. Can do a little bit of everything on the field on both sides of the ball. Could be QB or could be DB, good at both.

9. Jamelle Naff, Del City (TCU) — Naff will join teammate Chazten Gonzales with the Horned Frogs as team makes leap to Big East. Both are pumped about it.

10. Austin Beck, Nowata (Arkansas) — Tried to early enroll with Razorbacks but was denied. Shouldn’t adversely affect him at all.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

***

There has never been any question about the athletic ability of Southmoore senior d’Vante Henry.

Nicknamed “The Freak” by his teammates, Henry made a smooth transition from cornerback to defensive end this season. That transition came full circle as Henry committed to Oregon State on Tuesday.

Henry, 6-foot-5 and 192 pounds, has great size but knows he will have to grow into his body for college. One thing nobody can take away is his speed.

Henry was the anchor leg of last year’s Southmoore 400-meter relay team that won the state championship and has been clocked at 4.35 for his 40-yard dash time.

“The phones have been blowing up about him in the last couple of months,” Southmoore coach Chris Jensen said. “His height and speed really set him apart.

“His weight — I feel once he gets a chance to really concentrate on the weight room, he has the chance to put on the weight and keep that speed.”

Henry was also considering being a preferred walk-on at Oklahoma. Henry had 65 tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles and an interception in 2010.

Lawton’s  Tyrequek Zimmerman and Jabral Johnson are also committed to Oregon State.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Domonique Petties, left, has found a home at Arizona. Dylan Dismuke, of course, is going to OU.

Unfortunately, I never got a chance to see Duncan’s Domonique Petties play in person. His highlight films sure were fun to watch, though.

After being ruled ineligible, wasn’t sure what would happen with Petties. Would he fall off the radar of top schools because he was too much of a risk? Would he mentally fall apart and become totally forgotten?

No and no. Petties has worked his butt off to get himself in good standing academically. And this last month, Petties was busy making the recruiting rounds. He went to Arizona and Pittsburgh in the last two weekends.

He said he loved the Arizona visit and made it official today. Petties, who also had offers from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, verbally committed to the Wildcats on Monday, said Duncan coach Jim Holloway.

I think Petties future is at safety. Or maybe a hybrid safety/linebacker. Either way, he’s got the size and the speed to play both spots so we’ll have to see.

That gives Duncan three top kids. Dylan Dismuke, of course, is going to Oklahoma. Lineman Dylan Laurens is headed to Southwestern Oklahoma State. And now Petties, who is actually going to sign with Arizona and NEO (explained in the story).

For the story, read after the jump:

When Duncan’s Domonique Petties was ruled ineligible midway through the season by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, he wasn’t sure if his dream of playing NCAA Division I football was over.

It’s not. After back-to-back weekends of making visits, Petties verbally committed to Arizona on Monday, said Duncan coach Jim Holloway.

Petties, 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds and being recruited as an athlete, was having a solid senior season for the Demons before it was discovered that Petties was in his fifth year of high school. The problem was discovered in his transcripts after transferring from Del City.

Petties missed a year of school between his sophomore and junior year because of extenuating circumstances, and it made him a fifth-year student. The NCAA requires that prospective student-athletes finish high school in four years unless there were extenuating circumstances. Petties was ruled to have extenuating circumstances.

“His focus has been on taking care of his academics,” Holloway said. “He’s been unbelievable during this entire time. Some kids once they would have found out they couldn’t play, wouldn’t have been able to deal with it.

“He’s done the total opposite. He’s had a tremendous attitude and has spent his time working hard in the weight room and getting his grades in order.”

Petties, a three-star prospect according to Rivals.com, is ranked No. 6 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 and was the highest-ranked prospect to not have committed.

Petties visited Arizona two weeks ago and also made a trip to Pittsburgh this last weekend.

Petties had more than 20 offers, said Holloway, which included Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, among others. However, Arizona is taking a chance. The Wildcats have to file a waver to get Petties into school. However, the waver cannot be filed until after the end of the school year with the transcript to show Petties has qualified.

If Petties doesn’t academically qualify, he has a backup plan. Holloway said Petties will also sign with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami on Wednesday, too.

Petties will be one of three Duncan football players signing as lineman Dylan Dismuke is going to sign with Oklahoma and lineman Dylan Laurens will ink with Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Holloway said the signings are still scheduled to happen Wednesday but may be postponed because of weather. The paperwork will be faxed Wednesday no matter what.

“This is a great group of kids,” Holloway said. “They’ve meant a lot to the program, and it will be tough to replace them.”

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

***

Southmoore quarterback Kendal Thompson has waited all his life to make it official and sign to play football for the Oklahoma Sooners.

His wait will be over Wednesday even if his celebration might be delayed a couple of days.

With a winter storm expected to hit the state late Monday night and Tuesday, schools are already beginning to think about how they will adapt for National Signing Day on Wednesday.

Southmoore athletic director Dewayne Hunter said even if school is closed, which will most likely be the case if the storm hits as hard as predicted, the letters of intent will be faxed to the respective schools.

Hunter said the ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m., will be changed to Friday at the same time. The SaberCats will have at least four students signing with perhaps more to come in the future. Joining Thompson will be football players Tylor Whitfield (East Central) and Austin Brooks (Wheaton College) and softball player Hartley Tyler (Mid-America).

“Yes, we’ve already planned ahead and will have the paperwork faxed Wednesday regardless,” Hunter said.

The faxed paperwork is crucial to the process. Without the universities receiving the information, the college coaches are not allowed to openly talk about that particular recruit signing.

If schools are closed, it shouldn’t hinder any official signings. In almost every signing ceremony, that is not actually when the student is signing the letter of intent.

Most LOIs are signed and faxed the very first thing in the morning of Signing Day. The ceremony is an opportunity for the students to be celebrated by their family and peers.

It’s a ceremony Jones football coach Dave Martin is extremely excited to have. Longhorns defensive tackle Micah Thompson will sign with North Texas on Wednesday.

“We’ll find a way to make that happen,” Martin said. “We’ll find a way to fax it someway, somehow.”

Martin said the potential postponement of the ceremony is a big disappointment, though. Because Thompson is signing with a Division I school that is within driving distance, Martin had been assisting any North Texas media that wanted to show up.

But now? Martin said the school will simply have the signing ceremony for Thompson the first day classes are back in session. The 9 a.m. time is staying the same.

Scheduling Signing Day ceremonies is already a tough chore for athletic directors and coaches. Everybody is trying to find a balance for the right time to accommodate students’ families so the achievements can be celebrated.

A weather postponement just adds in a new wrinkle.

“We’re trying to have at least a 24-hour notice,” Edmond North athletic director Tom Snider said. “Even if we have school Wednesday, we might not have the ceremony.

“You have people coming from out of town and you have to take that into consideration. We’re going to make a decision first thing Tuesday.”

Snider said the ceremony would be moved to Friday if it’s postponed. The Huskies currently have nine students signing in sports ranging from football to cross country to soccer and lacrosse.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

21. Connor Myers, Edmond Memorial (Weber State) — Hit the visit circuit hard this month before deciding on Weber State. A lot of Edmond products are there.

22. Trent Martin, Jenks (Tulsa) — Martin has also put on his recruiting hat in trying to lure some other Tulsa area products to the Golden Hurricane.

23. Emilio Gatewood, Norman North (Undecided) — Senior season didn’t go the way Timberwolves were hoping, but still a great talent.

24. Brayle Brown, Shawnee (Louisiana-Monroe) — What a story. Spends most of the year at WR because of labrum injury and will still play QB. Great heart.

25. Isaac Maselera, Glenpool (Oklahoma State) — Flirted with changing his commitment to Tulsa before deciding to stay with the Cowboys.

26. Derrick Alexander, Tulsa Washington (Tulsa) — A late change from Louisiana-Monroe to Tulsa, but a change you could see coming. On the field, there were few equals to Alexander this season.

27. John-Phillip Hughes, Tulsa Edison (Oklahoma) — A great senior year was taken away from him by injury but still a find at tight end. Said he plans to walk-on for the Sooners.

28. Jabral Johnson, Lawton (Oregon State) — Went from Arizona to Oregon State. Close friends with Zimmerman and two have found a home.

29. Brandon Swindall, Millwood (Undecided) — Nothing more Swindall could have done on a field to show he deserves a shot. Some school is receiving an incredible ‘get.’ Does have an offer from New Mexico, though.

30. Chazten Gonzales, Del City (TCU) — One of the best dual-threat QBs around, he’s been solid with TCU all year and having Naff join him is great for both and TCU.

Tuesday: Nos. 20-11.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The Timberwolves all-around talent announced he is committing to the University of Pennsylvania.

Davis was once a Stanford commit, having given his verbal to the Cardinal in December 2009. However, after a falling out with the coaching staff in which both parties decided to go their separate ways, Davis was back on the market in November.

A three-star prospect by Rivals.com as a linebacker, Davis was unable to find offers from some of the top schools. Not because of his lack of talent but because most schools did not have any offers to give out.

A positive, Davis said, to committing to Pennsylvania is Ivy League schools do not give out athletic scholarships. So if something happens at a bigger school where a signee drops out, Davis is able to transfer and not be penalized.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — I’ll do whatever is asked of me. I’m never going to stop working hard and giving everything I have,” Davis said.

***

Davis had given me every inclination in my interview with him last week that Penn was going to be his destination. You really cannot discount the fact that he is able to get on out if something happens at a major school.

But let me also say football doesn’t define Davis. His education, where he looks to focus on business, is probably even more important to him at this point in his life.

Watching Davis play the last two years, I’ve thought he’s among the 10 best all-around players I’ve seen. He’s got the goods and will be able to contribute wherever he goes. If it’s Penn, more power to him. He’s learned a lot about who he is and his character in the last couple of months so I know he’s comfortable in his own skin right now.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

***

Luetjen switches to Tulsa

The last week has been a crazy time for Hennessey senior Derrick Luetjen. But he’s confident that he has made the right choice.

The Eagles star defensive tackle has switched his commitment from Louisiana-Monroe to Tulsa, Luetjen said Sunday night.

“It was a great visit, loved everything about it,” Luetjen said.

Luetjen said he had nothing bad to say about Louisiana-Monroe, but the advantage of Tulsa being so close to Hennessey was something he could not pass up.

Luetjen has been one of several defensive tackles on Tulsa’s radar. Reports came out last week that Tulsa was looking for defensive tackles and Luetjen was one of the prospects they were looking at.

Luetjen, 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, had a phenomenal senior season for Hennessey, helping lead the team to its first state championship. He was named first-team Little All-City and second-team All-State by The Oklahoman.

***

Luetjen was confident with his choice of the Warhawks. But Tulsa has always been on his wish list. He knew if he received an offer, he would be good to go.

It’s been an insane week for Luetjen. He kept his options open after learning Tulsa was searching out defensive tackles. They don’t come much better than Luetjen.

“It’s been absolutely crazy,” Luetjen said. “Cannot believe all of this is happening for me.”

More than his play on the field, I’ve always been impressed by Luetjen’s leadership. I saw it first hand against Davis in the 2A championship game. He was not going to be denied, and he made sure the rest of the team was following his lead.

Still a couple days away from Signing Day so who knows what’s in store?

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

He’s such a great athlete in several different ways, but I wasn’t sure if there was one way that he would actually stand out. A top-notch quarterback. Solid in the secondary. Anchors the basketball team at point guard. A leader on the baseball team.

But Patterson has found a home at Tulsa. Patterson had a meeting with Tulsa coach Bill Blankenship on Saturday and committed to the Golden Hurricane to play football.

“I’ve known a bunch of coaches here, and it’s a natural fit,” Patterson said. “I was playing basketball last night. And me and my dad drove up here and got to Tulsa like at 12:45 in the morning. It’s been a crazy 24 hours.”

Patterson said he is being recruited as an athlete. I could see him as a defensive back or wide receiver. He’s a natural leader so he’ll find a home somewhere.

Patterson accounted for more than 3,000 total yards of offense, throwing for 20 touchdowns and rushing for 16 more. He also had four interceptions on defense.

Patterson said he was also considering Southern Nazarene and Northeastern State but admits he was getting a little nervous having not committed anywhere this close to signing day.

Kingfisher coach Jeff Myers told Patterson that Tulsa planned on getting in touch with Patterson this week so Patterson was waiting and waiting. Call came Thursday night. Scott Wright and myself put Patterson at punter on the Little All-City team just because we were trying to get him on there someway. He’s earned it, that’s for sure.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

It helped him make us his mind as Myers has verbally committed to Weber State, said his father, Scott Myers, in an e-mail Friday morning.

Myers, 6-foot and 287 pounds, was a first-team selection for Big All-City by The Oklahoman and was one of the leaders of a stout Bulldogs defense.

Myers also visited Florida Atlantic and Air Force in the last month. Myers said he likes the attitude of the Weber State coaches.

It also doesn’t hurt that former Memorial players David James and Anthony Morales are there. Edmond Santa Fe alums Willie Okwuonu, Alex Land and Trevor Pletcher are also at Weber State. Del City wide receiver Marquis Walters has also committed there.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The defense was exceptional, led by Greg Offenburger and Matt Connery. But Roberts’ season (and Norman’s, quite frankly) would not have been possible without the play of the big boys up front.

And one of them did do enough to get noticed as lineman Zach Johnson has committed to Houston, said Norman coach Greg Nation.

Johnson was a beast this season for the Tigers. And at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, he’s got the size and frame that everybody is looking for.

Not sure if it was Johnson’s commitment, but Scott Wright was telling me that Brandon Swindall is no longer looking at Houston as an option. The Cougars told Swindall that they had no more offers left.

Was Johnson the final offer? I have no idea, but it’s incredibly interesting if that is the case that two local boys ended up having their futures decided without knowing it. Johnson and the rest of the line helped Roberts to more than 2,000 yards on the ground in 2010.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

The list was put together by NCSA Director of Football Recruiting Randy Taylor, along with former college recruiting coordinator Bob Chmiel and three former NFL players, Othello Henderson, Marcus Price and Ryan Neufeld.

Bundage has been on the radar of several Division I programs after strong performances at camps last summer, including one in Dallas and another at Florida State. The Seminoles, along with Oklahoma, Nebraska, Alabama, Miami, North Carolina, Cal and a few others have stayed in contact with Bundage as he prepares for his senior season.

Bundage started at left tackle for the Trojans in their run to the Class 4A state title last fall, but his college future is at center or guard. He was Douglass’ starting center as a freshman and sophomore, before the need increased for him to be on the edge.

Here is the NCSA’s top 25 players from the combine:

1 Chance Allen WR 6-2 180 Elkins High School
2 Vince Biegel LB 6-3 210 Lincoln High School
3 Ray Buchanan Jr. DB 5-10 165 Peachtree Ridge High School
4 Cayman Bundage OG 6-2 255 Douglass High School
5 Jason Croom WR 6-5 215 Norcross High School
6 Jordan Diamond OT 6-5 265 Simeon High School
7 Stefon Diggs WR 6-0 165 Good Counsel High School
8 Khaliq Gatson DB 5-10 160 William Penn High School
9 Xavier Grindle RB 5-10 170 East Marion High School
10 Mark Harrell OT 6-5 250 Charlotte Catholic High School
11 Marcus Holliday RB 5-9 165 Fairley High School
12 Nick James DT 6-3 310 Long Beach High School
13 Brian Kimbrow RB 5-10 165 Memphis East High School
14 Byron Marshall RB 5-10 195 Valley Christian High School
15 Michael McHugh WR 6-2 185 Kirkwood High School
16 Vincent Miller WR/DB 5-11 170 Henry Clay High School
17 Trenton Norvell QB 6-4 215 Seabreeze High School
18 Dorian O’Daniels LB 6-1 180 Good Counsel High School
19 Ondre Pipkins DT 6-2 295 Park Hill High School
20 Deaysean Rippy LB 6-2 200 Sto-Rox High School
21 Patton Robinette QB 6-4 190 Maryville High School
22 Anthony Smith DT 6-1.5 260 Westfield High School
23 Caleb Smith TE 6-5.5 215 Kentridge High School
24 Spencer Stanley DE 6-4 250 Trinity Valley High School
25 DJ White DB 5-11 180 Union Grove High School

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Choctaw senior defensive end Hunter Davis admits he committed more to the former Tulsa coaching staff than he did to the school.

And when former coach Todd Graham and company left to go to Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago, the recruiting game was once again open for the Yellowjackets star.

As fast as it was open, it’s been closed as Davis has switched his verbal commitment from Tulsa to Kansas State, Davis confirmed Sunday night after a visit to KSU this weekend.

“It wasn’t an impulse decision at all,” Davis said. “The last two weeks I had been leaning toward Kansas State.”

Davis committed to Tulsa in July but listened to other offers. At 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds, Davis is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com.

In his senior season, Davis had 59 tackles and three sacks and was constantly the one player opposing offenses had to have a game plan for.

Davis originally was going to take another visit next weekend, but he said Sunday night he is calling all interested coaches to let them know he is dead set on being a Wildcat.

“I went there last year and really liked it. This (visit) just kind of confirmed everything,” Davis said. “I really like the town and love what coach (Bill) Snyder has done with the program.”

National Signing Day is Feb. 2.

Millwood defeated Wichita North 50-44 Friday without Swindall and Josh Turner, who was making his official visit to Texas. Turner has been committed to the Longhorns since the summer and there’s no doubt that he’s staying that way, but this was a chance for him to meet the new members of the coaching staff and spend some time with new defensive coordinator/DB coach Manny Diaz.

As for Swindall, the 6-foot-4, 170-pound receiver is weighing his options and waiting for offers. Arkansas has not extended a scholarship offer yet, but that could happen this weekend. Same goes for Houston, where he is scheduled to visit next weekend.

Swindall has an offer from New Mexico and visited the campus in late December, keeping them in the mix as the Feb. 2 Signing Day looms.

Swindall made a name for himself by intercepting a state-best 17 passes and returning eight of them for touchdowns, an NFHS record. But offensively, he went for more than 1,300 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. His height and long arms make him a big target, and his ball skills were among the best around this season.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Jones defensive tackle Micah Thompson stands out pretty much wherever he goes. But at a Class 2A school, it’s hard to ignore somebody that is 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds.

It was hard for colleges to ignore that, too. Thompson recently committed to North Texas, said Jones head coach Dave Martin.

The defensive tackle was the heart of the defensive line for the Longhorns, registering 78 tackles, three sacks and an interception.

“He’s obviously really excited as are we about the situation,” Martin said. “We feel it’s going to be a great fit for him.”

Interest in Thompson picked up over the summer as Tulsa, among others, started to give the Longhorns lineman some attention. Jones reached the second round of the playoffs, losing in an overtime thriller at Davis.

Right now, the 6-foot-4 receiver who set a national record by returning eight interceptions for touchdowns last season, is looking hardest at New Mexico and Houston. He visited New Mexico before Christmas, and has scheduled a trip to Houston for Jan. 28.

He’ll make the trip with fellow Falcon Kevonte Richardson, projected as a QB, WR or DB at the next level. Richardson is the cousin of Cougar head coach Kevin Sumlin.

Swindall has an offer on the table from New Mexico, and Richardson is holding eight offers. But the scholarship situation at Houston is a little unclear at the moment, yet it should be cleared up by the time they make their visit in a couple weeks.

Arkansas has also been in the mix with Swindall, though they have yet to set up a date for him to visit the campus. Part of the hangup there could be the fact that Swindall is being recruited by Garrick McGee, who was a major player in the hunt for the Tulsa job. So now that Bill Blankenship has that gig, maybe things get back in motion with Swindall.

In other Millwood football news, Josh Turner plans to play in the USA vs. the World all-star game in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 2.

The game is held on signing day, so Turner will be close enough to hand-deliver his letter of intent to Mack Brown if he wants. But Millwood will hold a signing ceremony for Turner at the school on a later date after he returns.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

The commits keep coming for the Del City football team. The fourth Eagle offensive player has committed to go with the first player on defense.

Running back/wide receiver Greg Johnson and cornerback Drew Smith have both committed to Sam Houston State, joining QB Chazten Gonzales (TCU), OL Jamelle Naff (TCU) and WR Marquis Walters (Weber State).

“There are a lot of other kids from Oklahoma that go to Sam Houston so it should be a natural fit for both of them. They’re good kids,” coach Nick Warehime said.

Johnson was an all-around threat for the Eagles this year. He rushed for 696 yards and seven touchdowns and added 355 receiving yards and four scores. Johnson said Sam Houston State sees him as a wide receiver and kickoff returner.

Smith had 32 tackles and one interception last season for Del City.

From being the head coach at Spiro to now being the head football coach at the University of Tulsa, it’s been a long road traveled by Bill Blankenship.

But one former colleague said Tulsa could not have chosen a better candidate.

“Holy smokes! That’s tremendous,” said Edmond Memorial athletic director Mike de la Garza upon hearing Blankenship was getting the job. “Bill understands the overall picture and can run a program. He’s a great choice.”

Blankenship was officially announced as the new head coach for the Golden Hurricane on Friday afternoon. Former coach Todd Graham resigned Monday to become the head coach at Pittsburgh. Tulsa was 10-3 this year and closed the year on a seven-game winning streak and ranked No. 24 by the Associated Press.

And it’s not like Blankenship hasn’t entered a coaching spot with high expectations before. Blankenship came to Memorial after Edmond’s state championship in 1989 and knew what the pressures were. But de la Garza said Blankenship did fine with the program.

After his stint at Edmond, Blankenship took over the Tulsa Union program and helped make it the dominant force it still is today.

“He set the groundwork at Union to make it a power,” de la Garza said. “He was doing all of that while being the athletic director and football coach. But he didn’t just make it a power, he made sure it was continuous.”

In his 14 years with the Redskins, he amassed a 154-26 record, including three state championships.

Blankenship has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach for Tulsa, serving as running backs coach and special teams coordinator. He also just completed his first season as senior associate coach.

“That was a pretty courageous step by Bill to go to Tulsa,” de la Garza said. “To be successful, you need courage. Bill has it, and he’ll definitely put in the time and effort.”

Bill Blankenship is the second member of the Blankenship family to earn a head coaching spot in the last month. Muskogee hired Bill’s son, Josh, as its head coach in late December.

Been making the rounds with some of the kids that participated in the US Army National Combine in San Antonio. Here are some of their thoughts and impressions on last weekend:

Cayman Bundage, OL, Douglass

Douglass junior offensive lineman Cayman Bundage doesn’t have any official offers, but he turned a lot of heads at the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio.

Bundage, 6-foot-2 and 293 pounds, was a reason why the Trojans won their first state football championship since 1976.

Recruiting experts said Bundage was light on his feet and had one of the best techniques in pass blocking.

Bundage became a name to watch last summer after a strong performance in a Florida State camp. The Seminoles have continued to show interest in him. Oklahoma, Nebraska, Alabama and several others have been in contact with Douglass coach Willis Alexander regarding Bundage.

“Cayman has been ready to play since he was in the ninth grade just because of his quickness, his footwork and his understanding of how to play the game,” Alexander said. “He’s getting a lot of interest from BCS conference schools. He’s a center or guard in college, even though we’re playing him at tackle.”

Sterling Shepard, WR, Heritage Hall

There is no question that Heritage Hall junior wide receiver Sterling Shepard showed this season he is among the best in the state.

But at the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio last weekend, Shepard said he learned he can compete with other elite athletes from across the nation.

“I was really happy with the way everything turned out,” Shepard said. “They taught me a few things when it came to technique.”

Shepard said interest has increased dramatically. Shepard picked up his first offer from Oklahoma State in December and said Missouri, Alabama and UCLA are also showing strong interest.

Shepard also said it appears most schools have him pegged as a wide receiver. Defensive back was once an option but not too many schools are looking at Shepard there anymore.

Derek Deeds, WR/DB, Yukon

Deeds said, much like Shepard, the combine really helped him realize he can compete with some of the other top talents in the nation.

Deeds is a veteran of these all-star competitions as it feels like he was at just about every one imaginable in the summer.

The Millers star said three schools have heavy interest in him: Oklahoma State, Missouri and Tulsa.

Hunter Dinkines, Deer Creek

Dinkines has a rather odd story. Somewhere along the way this season, Dinkines broke his pinky finger.

From his father, Bill: “The week of playoffs against Tulsa Washington, he shows it to me and he can not straighten it out.  We taken him to the doctor and they enlighten us that not only is it broken but it had already healed.”

Dinkines had to have surgery to re-break the finger so that it could be put back properly. However, he was cleared to participate at the combine.

Barry J. Sanders, RB, Heritage Hall

Still recovering from foot surgery, Sanders did not participate in the 2011 combine. However, he did announce he will be playing in the 2012 US Army game.

Sanders has listed Alabama, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Florida State as his four early favorites and said the next couple of months he will be focusing a lot more on his recruiting.

***

I sent feelers out to some of the top recruits I knew were there. If they respond, I’ll have a Part II update. If you’re one of them, hey, drop me a line.

The last time we checked in with Bridge Creek’s Ryan Spangler he had several offers and the interest was picking up with each passing week.

After checking in with Bishop McGuinness assistant Andy Fisher this week, he said Spangler might be the most sought after prospect in the state.

Fisher said Penn State and Gonzaga saw Spangler play one time, and that was all it took for those teams to offer the forward (who also stars at quarterback).

Spangler now has 11 offers. He’s not a bad little QB, either. Well, maybe little isn’t the word to describe Spangler.

- A couple of Irish boys are also tearing it up on the summer circuit as Matt Christiansen and Joe Edmonds are both starting to receive interest from top schools. Both will only be juniors and Christiansen is ranked in ESPN’s top 100 for 2012.

- Another team to watch for, said Fisher, will be Putnam City. Think everybody knows about Dominique Raney, but the summer has been very kind to senior RonQuis Lewis and junior guard Tre Payne.

- The Southmoore girls team is taking a huge hit with the loss of Sidney Cook (who has moved to North Carolina), but the interest in the boys team has picked up with the play of Brandon Lucas. He was someone I circled last year after watching him play twice. He’s got the goods.

- And another familiar name (for Edmond followers) as Fisher said Memorial star Obi Emegano has impressed scouts with his play this summer.

- I’d love to see Ardmore’s Nino Jackson in action as I had several coaches at the OCA clinic talk about how Jackson is the real deal. An offer from Kansas is enough for me.

- And of course, you can’t talk boys basketball without mentioning Douglass. It seems like everybody in the Trojans’ lineup will be fielding offers left and right.

A star in both basketball and football, Holland Hall’s Kwame Sexton committed to Tulsa to play football Tuesday.

Sexton told InsideTulsaSports.com on Monday night that the university was the right fit and that he wanted to tell the Tulsa coaching staff Tuesday before making it official.

Sexton was receiving interest from several other schools and also had an offer from the University of Illinois.

As a junior, Sexton rushed for 1,250 yards and 16 touchdowns. Sexton said the academic programs and the facilities were two of the biggest reasons for his selection.

***

I got to see Sexton quite a few times last year playing basketball (I’ve only seen video for football), but you can tell how athletically gifted.

To be honest, I thought for sure he was heading to the Illini. Or maybe, being from Chicago, I was hoping he would go to Illinois.

Guess I just figured it was such a weird school for a kid in this area to get an offer from that here had to be a real strong reason why.

Anyway, like I said, I got to see Sexton tear it up on the basketball court. And this may have been his finest moment, a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Casady.

It’s not a shocker to keep hearing these three names excel. The surprising thing is that Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers and Tulsa Edison’s John-Philip Hughes still aren’t getting the recognition.

According to Barry Every, a recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, Myers, Hughes and Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers were all very impressive at the National Underclassmen Combine two weekends ago at the University of Oklahoma.

I especially liked what he wrote about Myers because I’m in total agreement about it. Every said it’s tough for Myers to get noticed because he’s playing a position (defensive tackle) that’s tough for colleges to find. Myers has offers from Air Force and Weber State, feels like he should have more.

Not much more you can say about Brothers. The Bluejays star has racked up one big honor after another the entire summer, and the ball feels like it’s in his court at this point.

Hughes came out of nowhere this summer, and I’m glad he’s getting some recognition. He looks clunky out there, but he’s extremely gifted and should start to get some offers and interest.

For Every’s full report, including the top names for 2012 and 2013, here ya go.

The spring and summer have been incredibly busy for Del City offensive lineman Jamelle Naff.

He picked up nine offers in seemingly no time but has narrowed his choices down to Missouri and Texas Christian.

The Tigers were the first team to offer the Eagles star and has been one of his favorites the entire process.

Naff said he hasn’t ruled out any new schools that might offer, but only Missouri and the Horned Frogs remain viable candidates of schools that have offered.

Earlier this summer, the 6-foo-4, 311-pounder said he plans to commit during the middle of his senior season. That is still the case unless something drastically changes.

Naff’s teammate, QB Chazten Gonzales, committed to TCU earlier this summer.

Yukon's Derek Deeds arrived back in Oklahoma early Saturday morning and was back at another camp.

Yukon wide receiver Derek Deeds is back in Oklahoma, but his crazy week isn’t nearly done. He got back in time for the national camp at OU on Saturday and Sunday.

Here are more of his thoughts from today as well as some more insight on what it was like to be in Virginia this week. Deeds will be back Sunday for his final installment.

“Well I made it back just in time for Top Prospect camp. My flight from Virginia was delayed and I didn’t arrive in OKC until 12:30 this morning.

I got a few hours of shut-eye before linking up with QB Corben Jones and heading out to Norman. Corben also made Top Prospect camp.

It is really awesome to be there with Corben, because we’ve been teammates since we were 7 years old. Corben’s dad coached us on the youth team PCO Rams. We have been playing together ever since, except for when we went to different middle schools in Yukon and played against each other.

Top Prospect camp went great today. I am really looking forward to tomorrow. They have divided the players into teams, and we will be having a 7 on 7 tournament.

Before I forget, I have a few last thoughts about FBU Top Gun in Virginia. ESPN was there filming an episode of a reality TV show called “The Ride”. “The Ride” follows highly recruited high school QBs.

For this episode they were following four senior quarterbacks who were competing for the last spot in the U.S. All American Game. Hopefully, we can watch some Top Gun highlights on TV.

There sure is a lot of history in Virginia. Everywhere you turn, George Washington or Thomas Jefferson did something important.

I’ll update you again tomorrow with the last day of Top Prospect camp.”

Yukon's Derek Deeds is done with one camp and ready for his next one Saturday.

Back again with another installment from the Yukon junior. Derek Deeds is a little short on this one (understandably so) as he was just about to fly back home from Virginia to be back in time for the OU camp Saturday.

Here are his thoughts from Day 3:

“On my way to the Richmond (Virginia) airport. I just left top gun in Williamsburg. It was very hot today the heat index was 110 with really high humidity.

After lunch we had a special guest speaker Kyle Maynard who was born with partial arms and partial legs and yet he had played football, wrestling, and is training to be an MMA fighter. He also benches 420 pounds. He was awesome.

Today at camp we had a film session, 7 on 7, and one on ones. All in all top gun was a great experience and I’m now looking forward to top prospect camp at OU in the morning.”

***

Deeds said he will still blog about the huge camp at OU as well.

Back again with his blog is Yukon's Derek Deeds.

Back with more from Yukon’s Derek Deeds. He has five straight days of national camps and has agreed to blog about his experiences all five days. I would like to thank Deeds for all his cooperation.

Here is day two:

Fun day at Top Gun today. Pretty much the same type workout as yesterday – including pass route work, one-on-one’s and 7-on-7, along with some classroom work with motivational speakers from the NFL.

The coaching staff here is amazing, I think every one of them played in the NFL. One of my position coaches is the personal receiver coach of Chad Ocho Cinco and Steve Smith.

Well, gotta go with the family to a “ghost tour” in Colonial Williamsburg.

Tomorrow is going to be crazy busy. While I was vacationing in D.C. last week, I found out I made the National Top Prospect camp which is at OU this weekend.

So tomorrow (Friday) I will attend camp here in Virginia until about 3:00 and will then catch a late flight to OKC so I can attend the Top Prospect camp at OU on Saturday morning.

This will be my first time to fly by myself!

The crazy summer for Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers is not over just yet. Brothers will be joined by Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers and Tulsa Edison’s John-Philip Hughes as the three senior representatives from Oklahoma at the National Underclassmen Combine Ultimate 100 Top Prospect camp.

The two-day events runs at OU on Saturday and Sunday. There is no testing as it is strictly competition-based. Saturday runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. while Sunday is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be position drills, 1-on-1 drills, 7-on-7 competitions.

Douglass’ Cayman Bundage and Yukon’s Corben Jones lead the Oklahoma invitees for the junior class.

Senior invitees:
Kentrell Brothers, LB, Guthrie
Connor Myers, DL, Edmond Memorial
John-Philip Hughes, TE, Tulsa Edison

Junior invitees:
Brandon Cromp, LB, Jenks
Javon Bowler, CB, Union
Cayman Bundage, OL, Douglass
Corben Jones, QB, Yukon
Kasey Key, QB, Owasso
Brent Wilson, QB, Ponca City
Ashton Anderson, DL, Jenks
Derek Deeds, WR, Yukon (already in Virginia for another camp but will still attend)
Orion Jones, DL, Jenks

Good luck and congrats to all.

The ESPN RISE Elite 11 Quarterback Competition has seen the likes of former Florida great Tim Tebow and former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford.

However, it had never seen a signal-caller from Oklahoma in its previous 11 years until now as two high school quarterbacks will represent the state in the four-day event later this week at Soka University of America in California.

Southmoore’s Kendal Thompson and Broken Arrow’s Archie Bradley are two of the 12 quarterbacks who have been invited. Thompson has committed to Oklahoma while Bradley has committed to OU to play baseball and football.

The final 12 were chosen after a process of tape evaluation, interviews and workouts. They will compete against each other and receive guidance from some of the top college quarterbacks, including Miami’s Jacory Harris and Jerrod Johnson of Texas A&M.

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For more on who made the cut, go here.

I mentioned Edmond Memorial’s Kameron Doolittle participating in the Southwest’s Ultimate 100 last weekend in Duncanville, Texas.

However, he wasn’t the lone Bulldog or Oklahoman who made the trip. Memorial defensive stud Connor Myers had a very impressive day for the one-day showcase. He’s a beast, can’t say it enough. His size turns people away while his performance on the field makes people re-think their position.

Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers was named the top linebacker. I don’t know what else he can do to up his profile at this point. He’s done everything right this summer.

When it came to juniors, just as coach Willis Alexander said, Douglass OL Cayman Bundage had a brilliant outing. I’m very intrigued to get a chance to see the Trojans. They lost so much, but I’ve heard some real strong positive things from people that have seen them.

And I’ma give a shout out to OKVarsity.com guru Justin Mitchell. He turned my head toward Tulsa Edison’s John-Philip Hughes at the one-day event at LaFortune Stadium. He’s such a big, big man, about 6-4 and 240. Right now he’s playing tight end. If he’s got the hands, he’ll make one heckuva TE.

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And in baseball recruiting news, Archie Bradley is going to have some company at Oklahoma as fellow Tiger pitcher Mason Hope committed to OU on Wednesday night, he confirmed via message.

Keeping track of the 2011 football recruits is hard enough but trying to keep tabs for 2012 is darn near impossible at this point.

Obviously there are some names that you’re going to be hearing a lot about for the next two years. Names like Barry Sanders of Heritage Hall and James Flanders of Midwest City and Conner Sherwood of Cascia Hall are going to become even more of household names.

However, I couldn’t include everyone in Monday’s piece. So here are just a few more names to keep an eye out for:

Cayman Bundage, OL, Douglass: Coach Willis Alexander said Bundage is already receiving heavy interest from top schools such as Florida State. Looking forward to seeing the Trojans later this week at the Santa Fe passing league event.

Ashton Henderson, DT, Jenks: Someone whose name I’ve heard a lot in the last month or so. He’s massive at 6-2 and 321 pounds, but I’ve been told his footwork is phenomenal.

Devin Dobbins, OL, Millwood: Yea, the cupboard isn’t bare just because this year’s crop of Falcons will be leaving the nest. Assistant coach Kevin Cox has been high on Dobbins and his 6-2 and 292-pound frame should have Millwood followers excited.

Jeremy Cunningham, DL, Dibble: A bond with Gerald McCoy has certainly helped his game. He’s a little raw right now, but coach Charley North said if Cunningham can apply himself consistently, there is no doubt he can play at the next level.

Blake Belcher, OL, Guthrie: With the spotlight squarely on Kentrell Brothers, recruits like Belcher will get a lot more looks. I don’t know if there’s any truth to it, but I’ve always believed it one or two good recruits will lead to more opportunities for other teammates.

I seriously could go on and on and on, but let me throw it out to you guys. Who have I missed? Who is going in under the radar right now? Sound off.

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A couple of links from our friends at The Tulsa World.

First, Matt Baker and his piece on the unfortunate situation with K.J. Rucker at Idabel.

Second, Mark Foster chronicles how big of an influence Bill Allen had at Tulsa Webster and beyond.

Millwood's Josh Turner has earned the No. 1 spot on The Oklahoman's Super 30. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

So we’ve come to the end of the road, huh? No better way to end it than with a look at Millwood’s Josh Turner. He caused quite a stir committing to Texas a few weeks ago. Now he’s just looking to get ready for the season.

I can’t imagine what these last couple of years have been like for Turner. As a sophomore, he was already being touted as a name to watch. I know full well that wasn’t what I was thinking my sophomore year.

At times, I’m sure it’s been tough on him, but he’s carried himself so well that he has earned the respect of a lot of people who probably had no idea who he was before this summer.

It will be interesting to see if Turner is able to flourish this year as he’s always been someone, to me, that you know will do well at the next level but not necessarily here. He put up good numbers last year but not the kind of numbers that make you say he’s a four-star recruit who deserves to go to Texas.

Millwood is always loaded with talent and losing to Kingfisher last year has got ‘em playing with a chip on their shoulder. If Turner wants to shut up a lot of naysayers, going out there and having a ridiculous season is going to be the best way to do so.

Again, before Turner committed, he had 24 offers…24. Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Nebraska, OU, you name it, he probably had it.

I’ve gotten to know Turner a lot better during this summer, and even I can admit he’s a lot more nicer and respectful than I ever thought he would be. It’s easy to have a ‘star’s head,’ but he doesn’t. His down-to-earth demeanor to go with his talent = rare thing to find.

And with that, the Super 30 is in the books. A new Super 30 will come out for our annual football preview and there will be some changes. And you know what? Never too early to start lookin’ to 2012.

Dylan Dismuke, right, and Dominique Petties should have Duncan standing tall this year. Photo by Robert Przybylo, The Oklahoman

I’m glad driving from Oklahoma City to Duncan is one of the easier road trips you can possibly make. For someone who gets lost often on the road, it’s great to know even a blind squirrel could find the Duncan HS.

Because let’s be honest, trips to Duncan are going to be commonplace this season with the likes of Dylan Laurens and Dominique Petties. Oh yea, and Dylan Dismuke.

For all the hullabaloo surrounding some top recruits in the state going to Texas and other out of state places, Dismuke is one of those kids who couldn’t see himself anywhere else but Oklahoma.

It’s the first thing he mentioned, ‘it’s a dream come true.’ Dismuke became a target last season for a lot of top schools across the country and that helps get the word out on Petties and Laurens.

But it’s also helped Dismuke be able to deal with everything. He mentioned the biggest key to the team’s success this year is team unity.

We can’t get jealous of each other about all this media attention. We have to stay together and fight as a team.” – Dismuke

Duncan coach Jim Holloway raves about Dismuke’s work ethic as Dismuke has done everything he can to put himself in the best possible position.

It looked like that ship had sailed on the OU offer, but it came and Dismuke has been even more motivated since that day.

With a line featuring Dismuke and Laurens (the two Dylans), no question why Duncan fans are pumped for September to get here.

Kendal Thompson, an OU commit, is the big man on Southmoore's campus now. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

The rumors were running rampant after last season that Kendal Thompson was going to bolt from Southmoore to head to Heritage Hall to play with Barry Sanders and win a state championship.

The private schools writer in me was excited about seeing that duo carve up the competition one game after another, but I’m glad Thompson is back with the SaberCats.

Southmoore had so much talent last year and yea, the losses of Mason Myers, Julian Wilson, Austin Haywood, etc., definitely don’t have the expectations as high as last year. But this will be the true test in my eyes.

This year is certainly going to be Thompson’s team. To go with running back Andrew Long, these are the guys that are going to have to make sure Southmoore isn’t just a one-hit wonder.

Saw Thompson play a couple of times last year (admittedly, they weren’t his best games). However, when a play needed to be made, he came through. That’s the kind of toughness you need from a quarterback, and that’s what you’re looking for from a leader.

Southmoore isn’t the darlings of the state going into this season, so maybe this year is even more important to sustaining the success of the program. Thompson knows how to deal with adversity and pressure, being Charles Thompson’s son will do that for ya.

Thompson could hide out in the crowd of all the talent last year. Now it’s his time. The four-star recruit is ready.

Lawton's Tyrequek Zimmerman had 10 offers before committing to Oregon State. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

It was pretty early in the year last season where fellow chum Ryan Aber started talking to me about Lawton’s Tyrequek Zimmerman.

He mentioned about how good he was at defensive back and wide receiver. I got to see Zimmerman play twice last year and definitely concurred with those sentiments.

However, I actually didn’t see Zimmerman as a wide receiver like most. I thought he was going to excel and find his future in the secondary. Truth of the matter is that he would have found a home just about anywhere.

When Zimmerman committed to Oregon State two weeks ago, it kinda caught me off guard. I thought for sure he was going to wait a little longer. However, after talking to him following the commit, I understood why.

It was the ‘want me’ factor. The Beavers clearly wanted Zimmerman. He became their second WR for the 2011 class and the team was in constant communication with the Wolverines star.

South Carolina, I thought, was going to become Zimmerman’s home. It’s extremely difficult to turn down any type of offer in the SEC. And Zimmerman was high on the Gamecocks, but Oregon State really stepped up its game to nab one of the top recruits in the state.

I haven’t examined the schedule too thoroughly at this point, but I hope the stars align where I can see a couple of Lawton games this season. After getting to know their kids at our media day in May and writing their profiles for the Super 30 series, want to see ‘em all put it together on the field.

I don’t know if you can even consider Lawton a dark horse at this point. I fully expect them to make it into the semifinals (of course, depending on the draw). The only question I have is how many more of Randy Breeze’s boys will sign to play college ball.

Boy oh boy, are we getting close. We’ve reached the top five of the Super 30, and by this time next week, you will have learned a lot about some of the top kids for the upcoming year.

But before we do that, let take a look back at the week that was for the Super 30…

No. 11 Davion Pierson, Millwood: A quiet kid off the field, Pierson is a beast on it. His stock is soaring thanks in large part to getting in much better shape heading into his senior season. For Scott Wright’s story on Pierson, go here.

No. 10 Austin Beck, Nowata: This Arkansas commit is one of the most imposing figures in the state. He’ll be playing offensive line in college, a position he hasn’t played too much of in HS. For Justin Harper’s story on Beck, go here.

No. 9 Jamelle Naff, Del City: He’s still getting accustomed to the attention and playing the recruiting game. You can’t blame him as less than three months ago, he had zero offers. Naff has eight now. For my story on Naff, go here.

No. 8 Garrett Gladd, Sallisaw: Sometimes it just hits you when you least expect it. Gladd figured he would be staying in the area but became enamored with Stanford on his visit and committed to the Cardinal. For Scott Wright’s story on Gladd, go here.

No. 7 Kevonte Richardson, Millwood: It all started with Richardson a long time ago when he was offered by UNLV as a freshman. A lot has changed since, but he’s still a hot commodity and a leader for the Falcons. For Ryan Aber’s story on Richardson, go here.

No. 6 Dominique Petties, Duncan: He might be the best athlete in the state when it comes to athleticism, and Oklahoma certainly has taken notice. Petties is right at home on a loaded Duncan squad and has several offers. For my story on Petties, go here.

No. 5 Kentrell Brothers, Guthrie: Robert Frost has the ‘road not taken.’ Well, Brothers story is one where every road is being traveled. A leader on and off the field, Brothers has accumulated 15 offers. For my story on Brothers, go here.

For much more on the Super 30 kids, including stories, bios, analysis, videos and more good stuff, keep it locked here on NewsOK.com.

From one stop to the next, been a busy time for Guthrie's Kentrell Brothers. Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

I thought we could stop paying attention to Guthrie for a while. After the likes of Kye Staley and Donte’ Foster to go with talents like Keaton Callins and Kent McDonald, thought the talent well would run low.

No, sir.

Heard the rumblings early last year about ‘hey, watch out for this kid Kentrell Brothers.’ And after watching him play once in football and several times in basketball, amazing he went as long as he did without being pursued. And yea, you need to watch out for Brothers.

It started in December when Brothers earned his first offer from Missouri. OK, so he’s a Big 12 guy, what’s new? The second offer coming from Duke was an eye opener. And it’s trickled from there.

It’s been in the Big East with a team like Syracuse to multiple teams in the Pac-10, it’s really been one school after another.

Brothers is obviously going to make his name in college on the defensive side of the ball. But if he didn’t, we might be pumping him as one of the best wide receivers in the state.

Brothers had a crazy-good year as a wideout last year. And now that QB Bryan Dutton has a year under his belt, Bluejay fans gotta be pretty pumped up.

He’s done a tremendous job in marketing himself, but that was only half the battle. Once his name got out there, he’s made sure it hasn’t left with the way he’s performed at a variety of camps the last couple of months.

And just like I said about Petties, it’s tough to open up with a better first game than Guthrie and Duncan at Jelsma Stadium.

Dominique Petties, center, and Dylan Dismuke are two big reasons why Duncan will be a force this year. Photo by Robert Przybylo, The Oklahoman

Some Oklahoma supporters are a little agitated by Duncan’s Dominique Petties right now. How can someone who has had an offer from the Sooners for so long still not commit?

In talking to him, it’s not a pride thing. He’s still just weighing his options like most kids around this time. Obviously, the OU offer stands out compared to his other four ones, but prestige isn’t really playing a role in it.

Having to battle that ‘athlete’ label is tough, but Petties is taking that in stride. It’s pretty incredible to think what Del City would be like had Petties stayed with the Eagles. However, he left after his sophomore season because of family issues, and now it’s the Demons who have one of the most talented teams in the state.

Petties’ highlight video is some fun stuff, advise you to check it out when you get a chance. He came out of nowhere on OU’s Junior Day and the interest has stayed steady there and increased at other places.

Duncan coach Jim Holloway has been most impressed with Petties’ attitude since coming to the Demons. “He’s been someone who has been willing to do whatever we’ve asked of him.”

How much fun is Week 1 going to be with the showdown between Duncan and Guthrie? And perhaps on both sides of the ball, might see a showdown between Petties and Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers. Two more months, my friends.