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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

***

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.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

- College football coaches are getting real familiar about where Beggs is as star quarterback Ramsey Hamilton continues to get attention nationwide.

Hamilton, 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, has emerged as one of the top quarterback prospects for the class of 2012.

He will compete at an Elite 11 quarterback event April 9 at TCU. Oklahoma signees Kendal Thompson and Archie Bradley were both Elite 11 quarterbacks last year.

The next day Hamilton is going to head to SMU for a Nike quarterback camp where participants made it via invitation only.

In the last couple of weeks, coaches from Missouri and Virginia Tech have visited Beggs.

- As Scott Wright had in Tuesday’s paper, Douglass lineman Cayman Bundage has listed Arkansas as his favorite at this juncture. Bundage is No. 3 on the Super 30. His future is going to be at center at the next level.

I thought it was a little weird for him to come out and say that because I don’t think the interest in Bundage has reached its highest point yet. It will be interesting to see if Bundage commits anytime soon. I do feel schools are going to be busting down his door this summer, but we’ll see.

- A lot of attention for Norman goes to running back Donovan Roberts (No. 5 on the Super 30) but offensive lineman Foster Hare is really picking up some steam here in the last month.

Hare is listed at 6-3 and 300 pounds and is starting to get some interest from some Big 12 schools and smaller Division I schools. Another case where it will be interesting to see if Hare’s stock goes up in the next couple of months.

- Guthrie offensive lineman Blake Belcher is starting to get the attention figured was coming his way. He’s picked up offers from a couple of Pac-10 schools in Arizona and Oregon State. The Beavers, of course, have made some strong strides in Oklahoma with former Deer Creek star Dax Dilbeck, Booker T.’s Michael Doctor and the Lawton boys from last year, Jabral Johnson and Tyrequek Zimmerman.

- Casey Curtis was one of several local recruits to head to a Nike camp in Houston two weeks ago. Never too early to start hitting the camp circuit. Two years ago I would have said it doesn’t matter how many camps you go to because if you’re talented, you’ll be found.

Now? My advice (for whatever it’s worth) would be to go to as many as possible. Get people to know your name and show off the talents as much as possible.

- Quarterback Brent Wilson of Ponca City has also been busy making the rounds. His latest stop was at Kansas State, where he was one of only five quarterbacks in attendance.

Wilson is an interesting case because right now he could be a quarterback or athlete. And early signs are he is OK with being classified at either spot. He can definitely make some plays, though. He is right on the fringe of the Super 30, you could argue he deserves inclusion.

- McAlester athlete Adam Boyd sent me his highlight DVD from last year. I haven’t had an opportunity to watch it but definitely looking forward to it. Boyd is right on the edge and is another kid that I think has a good chance to move up the ranks.

- Any more news and info on the top kids? Let me know.

***

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.

***

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

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

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.

Garrett Gladd of Sallisaw is no exception. He’s a humble, intelligent kid who works — as in, a real job — and still finds time to keep focused on his future, which has a wide array of possibilities.

He turned down offers from Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico to commit to Stanford in April. He’s an offensive lineman at the next level, but in Class 4A ball, he’ll have to be a two-way player.

“There’s no way we can’t play him on defense,” Sallisaw coach Craig Benson said. “But if he needs a break, he gets it on defense.”

After reaching the state semifinals last year, Gladd sees this year’s squad matching or surpassing that run, even with the loss of key players like quarterback Matt Oberste.

“We lost a lot of great seniors last year,” he said. “But we have a lot of great leaders back, guys who had to step up last year and play a big role. Defense could be our strength. We have a lot of depth.

“I’ll probably be a starter on the defensive line, but we’ve got some kids who can step in and be good. I really think we can get back to the semifinals or even go farther.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Del City's Jamelle Naff has come out of nowhere to become a top prospect. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Missouri is known as the school that got the whole conference realignment talk started. It’s starting to become known as another thing in Oklahoma recruiting circles.

Just like Guthrie stud Kentrell Brothers, the Tigers were the first school to offer Del City offensive lineman Jamelle Naff. And just like Brothers (whose offer total is now a whopping 15), Naff has become a name for a list of who’s who in schools keeping an eye on him.

I’ve seen Naff play twice, but it felt good to be able to sit down and talk with the Eagles’ beast last week at our photo shoot.

You can tell the recruiting process is fun and stressful at the same time for him. “I’m just so new to it, you know.” In less than two months,  the offer count went from zero to eight. Not bad, huh?

The attention started last year with WR studs Chris McAlister and Donavan Dan, but it carried over in helping Naff and quarterback Chazten Gonzales into getting some looks.

Naff, like most Del City players, cannot wait for this year to start. Missing the playoffs last season is just something burnin’ in all of them right now.

Naff would like to visit Colorado, which I thought was interesting. Like most recruits, he had the ‘it’s good and bad’ approach to the Buffs going to the Pac-10.

He said it would stink, of course, because friends and family can’t see him play, but he would get the chance to go out west and play some new teams and visit new areas.

With Naff leading the way for Gonzales to throw and Greg Johnson to run, August and September cannot get here fast enough for Del City fans.

Former Central star Demarco Cobbs is one of many past in-state recruits looking to make his name outside of Oklahoma. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Well, seems like I ruffled a few feathers in my piece Monday about ‘it’s OK for in-state kids to look elsewhere.’ I’m not backing down from my position because I know what Millwood’s Josh Turner is going through.

Well, sort of.

It wasn’t like I was a top-notch athlete with colleges banging down my door or anything. However, I made a decision pretty early on that I wasn’t going to stay in Ohio to attend college. I wanted to branch out and experience things. And some of it was definitely ego wanting to show I could make it by myself.

I could have (and financially speaking, should have) stayed home and attended The Ohio State, but I didn’t and went to OU.

Turner and former Tulsa Central stud Demarco Cobbs were lucky enough to have the country at their disposal. I agree with what Millwood assistant Kevin Cox said ‘there is no bad decision.’ I mean when you’re talking about teams like Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, etc., aren’t you nitpickin’ at that point?

Turner took a lot of heat. He responded to a couple of the negative comments and turned them into fans. When you let Turner explain himself, it’s easy to respect the kid for his choice.

And let’s get one thing straight – not all the comments were bashing Turner. A lot of people are wishing him the best of luck (except for that one weekend in October) and a lot are excited for Turner and proud that the young man knows what he wants to do.

Turner respects the Sooners and has been an OU fan for a long time. Truth of the matter is OU got into the game a little too late as Texas had already made quite the impression on him.

On one hand, I understand it’s tough to watching Gerald Jones (Millwood) and David Oku (Carl Albert) thrive at Tennessee or Texas Tech succeeding because of kids like Colby Whitlock (Noble), Tramain Swindall (Millwood) and Harrison Jeffers (Lawton Eisenhower), among numerous examples.

But on the other, I think it’s great to see the home-grown talent going elsewhere and making a name for themselves.

Millwood lineman Davion Pierson

Spend five minutes talking to Millwood’s Davion Pierson, and then spend five more minutes watching him play, and you’ll quickly realize he’s one of those enigmas that exists in football’s big men on the offensive and defensive lines.

Grizzly bears on the field, teddy bears off it.

Pierson is a polite, soft-spoken kid who transforms into a terror at defensive tackle. He had offensive line coaches going mad at the Yukon team camp earlier this month, because no two players could block him, even from the 6A schools.

Right now, Pierson only has two offers, Kansas State and Tulsa. But that list will grow as he reforms his body. He has trimmed 25 pounds since last season, and he’s busting it in the weight room to rebuild the lost pounds with muscle.

Millwood is full of major-college prospects, including the top recruit in the state in DB Josh Turner. But to the Falcons, it’s hard to imagine any player more valuable to the team’s potential success. Take away Turner — as dangerous as he is — and Millwood has four more guys who can step in and play at a high level.

But on the offensive and defensive lines, Pierson is bordering on irreplaceable, along with junior-to-be Devin Dobbins.

Last year, the team went through a virtual carousel of offensive linemen, grabbing anyone with decent size to play a role. But building around Pierson, offensive coordinator Kevin Cox feels much better about his front five this year.

“The offensive line has always been a question since we’ve been here,” Cox said. “We think we made some strides and found some people who can help us out a lot — maybe even a freshman. We’re actually going into this season and we’ve got a clear picture of where we’re going up front.

“We’ve got the guys in the backfield and out wide that are gonna make the plays. If our linemen can just give them a split second, they’ll do what they need to do. We’ve got to get our guys taking pride in protecting the quarterback. When I played, you took pride in your quarterback having a clean jersey. We’ve never had that with our offensive line.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

And down the stretch we come. It’s not that the first half of the Super 30 isn’t an impressive list, but we broke on through to the other side this week.

Starting to look at the kids that either have an insane amount of offers of who have committed to some top-tier schools.

Here’s a look back at the week that was in the Super 30…

No. 18 Trevon Lewis, Midwest City: It’s his time to shine now. With Dominque Jones and Emmanuel Maxwell moving on, Lewis will become the unquestioned leader of what should be another stout Bombers defense. For my story on Lewis, go here.

No. 17 Archie Bradley, Broken Arrow: Making adjustments is pretty easy for Bradley. Whether it was transferring from Muskogee to Broken Arrow or playing football and baseball, the man has a plan for everything. For Justin Harper’s story on Bradley, go here.

No. 16 Hunter Davis, Choctaw: A polarizing figure with great size and speed. Problem was he didn’t play his heart out on every play, now it’s playing a role in the recruiting process. He’s determined to show what he’s made of. For Scott Wright’s story on Davis, go here.

No. 15 Cody Miller, Lawton: The Wolverines have one of the most talented pools of kids in the state. But every team needs that one guy it can look to when the times are tough. For Lawton, that is Miller. For my story on Miller, go here.

No. 14 Tyler Lockett, Booker T.: Another Lockett, another Kansas State commit. His father, Kevin, and his uncle, Aaron, had great careers for the Wildcats.  It wasn’t a slam dunk, but Tyler is ready to add to that legacy. For Scott Wright’s story on Lockett, go here.

No. 13 Daniel Davis, Norman North: Ya know, if Davis’ football career ever goes south, he has a backup plan. The Timberwolves star and Stanford commit is obsessed with swimming pool basketball and is poised for another great year. For Justin Harper’s story on Davis, go here.

No. 12 Kameron Doolittle, Edmond Memorial: He’s been having fun this summer playing basketball and other things like that, but yes, he does realize he is a top recruit. With four offers, Doolittle is in no rush to make a decision. For my story on Doolittle, go here.

We’re entering the top 10 this week. For more thoughts on all the Super 30 kids, including stories, bios, blogs and videos, keep it locked on NewsOK.com.

Edmond Memorial's Kameron Doolittle is someone who can Do-a-lot. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Ah, finally felt I had a ‘gimme’ in my assignments. Scott Wright can tell you everything there is about Mustang’s David Glidden. And you know Justin Harper knows about as much as possibly can about Norman North’s Daniel Davis.

I just had to be patient, and it came with Edmond Memorial’s Kameron Doolittle. The first time I wrote his name in the paper two years ago, I put ‘Cameron.’ Well, it didn’t take long to know that was a mistake, and it didn’t take long for me to realize this was a name I better get accustomed to typing.

Doolittle really is a rather unassuming fella. He doesn’t look too stressed out about anything and just kinda has fun and goes with the flow. He doesn’t carry himself around with a ‘star’ attitude.

It began early as Tulsa offered Doolittle before last year started. Since then, it’s been a nice steady flow of offers (Colorado, Colorado State and Wyoming) and interest. But he’s also had fun playing basketball this summer, too. I admire him for not letting the recruiting process control his life.

There is no question he’s not a natural quarterback, but he’ll definitely do the job this season for the Bulldogs. Blake Umberham helped him in his development so much last year, especially when it came to the little things.

On the recruiting trail, he’s being looked at as a wide receiver. It makes sense. He has great speed, solid hands and is dangerous when he’s out in open space.

His name got helped with how well Memorial did as a team last year. It got more eyes on him, and he certainly delivered.

The Bulldogs have a nice group of seniors returning this year, and I’m pumped to see this offense. From coach Justin Merideth to Doolittle to Connor Myers, they’re all talking about how much more explosive this group is going to be.

Though his college future is as a football player at Kansas State, Tulsa Washington's Tyler Lockett will return to the basketball court for the Hornets next season, meaning they will have four starters back from the 5A state championship squad.

I could’ve talked to Tyler Lockett for another hour when I had him on the phone for an interview earlier this week. There were a dozen more things I would’ve liked to bounce off him, just to understand what shaped him, what his young life was like as the son of an NFL player, stuff like that.

Heck, I barely touched on basketball long enough to find out if he’ll play for Shea Seals’ defending 5A champs again next season — and the answer is, ‘yes.’

But as great as all that would’ve been for me, I’m sure an 18-year-old has better things to do in the middle of the summer. So we’ll come back to that other stuff another day.

Still, I came away with a lot of interesting stuff that wasn’t able to make it into Friday’s story about Lockett, No. 14 on our Super 30 list. Here are a few of the leftover nuggets from the Tulsa Washington star:

On Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who coached Tyler’s father, Kevin, and uncle, Aaron: “I wanted to play for a legendary coach. I think coach Snyder is a great coach, and I think he’ll get the Wildcats back to the top again.”

On new Tulsa Washington coach Darrell Hall: “He’s a very good coach. I believe he can lead us to a state championship. He brings a lot of discipline. He’s making the game mental for us. We have the athletes and the ability, but he’s putting the mental part in us.”

On why he would prefer to redshirt next season at K-State: “I want to get bigger. I want to learn the offensive and defensive systems, because I want to try to play both ways, and I want to know it all when I get my chance to get on the field. Also, I’ve been getting some college credits alread, and if I redshirt, it will be easier to focus on my first semester, and then I can have 24 hours completed when most of the other freshmen only have 12. I think that will be a good start for me.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Are you getting accustomed to hearing about Millwood, Duncan and Lawton at this point? Here comes another Wolverine on the prowl.

Just like his teammate, Jabral Johnson, saw Miller play twice last year. One of those games was the best running attack Lawton produced all year (against Edmond North), but I can definitely see why Miller is getting so much love.

This is two of the top QBs in the state who have praised the North Texas camp. Miller and Shawnee’s Brayle Brown have commented on how much they enjoyed it. With all the top camps around, you don’t expect the Mean Green to be right in the thick of things.

Miller’s size has college scouts salivating. You just don’t find 6-4 quarterbacks who understand the game the way Miller does all too often.

This is going to be a special season for Miller and his top target, Tyrequek Zimmerman, as the two have said time and time again what great chemistry they have.

Miller’s maturity is what is making him stand out, according to coach Randy Breeze. He’s always had the tools, but he’s starting to really understand the game.

Some recruits have openly admitted how tough this whole process is – not Miller. He is having the time of his life just going from one crazy-good camp to another.

I have no way to quantify this, but I think that type of positive, happy attitude shows off during camps and meeting with scouts. He’s so relaxed, exactly the way you want your future QB to be.

You want to know how I know Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers has been among the busiest people this summer? Because we can’t even coordinate a time when he can come in for a 30-minute photo, video session.

Seriously. I’ve tried three times to arrange something with Brothers as we continue our football recruiting series on the Super 30, and it keeps blowing up in my face. He’s everywhere, except Oklahoma.

Brothers found out Tuesday that it was time for a trip to California and USC. It’s just the latest of a long list of trips he’s made. Most of them have been on the west coast.

He’s been at Arizona, Arizona State, went to Disneyland one day, Washington, Oregon, Oregon State – he’s having fun with those Pac-10 schools.

Along the way, it seems he’s getting an offer at every stop. An offer from Disneyland would be impressive. Brothers is now up to 15 offers, and I’ll definitely be keeping tabs on what happens with this trip to USC. Offers are only for the select few for the Men of Troy, so we’ll see.

It’s pretty much agreed upon that Brothers is going to play at linebacker, but I was amazed at how impressive his receiving numbers are. I guess the season he and then-freshman QB Bryan Dutton had really went under the radar for me.

I remember when he got his first offer from Missouri, and then his second one from Duke, and it has just absolutely rolled downhill since with one school after another.

Guthrie just feels like one of those teams right now that is going to be a consistent contender on a yearly basis, and it’s tough to find a nicer coach than Rafe Watkins.

Hopefully, Brothers makes it back from USC  just fine, and we can finally knock out that media session with him. He certainly deserves the recognition.

Lawton's Tyrequek Zimmerman committed to Oregon State on Tuesday night. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Lawton football coach Randy Breeze said he believed he had at least 10-12 players that could sign to play football, including several at the Division I level.

With the season still more than two months away, he’s being proven right. Wide receiver Tyrequek Zimmerman committed to Oregon State on Tuesday night, becoming the second Lawton player to commit to a Pac-10 school.

“They’ve showed a lot of interest from the beginning,” Zimmerman said. “They throw the ball a lot. They also said once I get there, I’m definitely going to be able to play.”

Zimmerman had offers from eight other schools and said South Carolina and Texas Christian were the other two schools he was considering.

Zimmerman was being recruited as a wide receiver and a defensive back and will play WR for the Beavers.

Zimmerman had 54 catches for 945 yards and 11 touchdowns last season to go with 69 tackles and one interception defensively.

“He can put on a show on offense or defense,” coach Randy Breeze said. “I don’t think people realize how strong he is, though. He’s a unique talent.”

Lawton’s Jabral Johnson committed to Arizona in February.

***

Zimmerman has had a real busy summer, hitting up the OU, OSU and TCU camps. I was hoping to see him last Saturday at Tulsa, but he didn’t participate.

He’s impressed me every time I’ve seen him play so knew it was a matter of time. There was no rush on his part to get this done before his senior season started, but everything just fell into place.

With his commitment, the burden now falls on Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers as the top Super 30 recruit to not commit anywhere.

1. Josh Turner, Millwood - Texas
2. Dylan Dismuke, Duncan – OU
3. Kendal Thompson, Southmoore – OU
4. Tyrequek Zimmerman, Lawton – Oregon State
5. Kentrell Brothers, Guthrie – ???

I have a great appreciation for honesty in athletes. Not just the kind of honesty that is the opposite of lying, but honesty to themselves — people who are true to their feelings when they speak to the media.

When a guy says “I’m just happy to help the team,” he’s telling the truth, but it’s generally not the true feeling he has inside. He’s really just channeling Nuke LaLoosh and Crash Davis. When a kid opens up and tells you how he genuinely feels, especially when it’s something not everyone would admit, it’s refreshing.

I’ve found a lot of honesty in the kids of the Super 30, but none yet more open than Choctaw’s Hunter Davis. As you’ll see in my story in Wednesday’s paper, he admits that he hasn’t always played his hardest on every play, and now he’s paying the consequences in recruiting.

He has a long list of big-time colleges recruiting him for a variety of positions, from defensive end to linebacker to a tight end/fullback hybrid. But only two of them — Tulsa and Kansas State — have offered scholarships so far. He knows if his game film showed the athlete that he could be instead of the one who would take a play off from time to time, he’d have a lot more options right now.

And because he was so honest in talking about the past shortcomings, it makes it that much easier to believe him when he says how much harder he’s going to work to disprove any thoughts about him being lazy.

Davis comes in at No. 16 on our Super 30, but probably has top 10 or even top 5 talent after talking to people about him, and I think that will show from him this fall. His coach has already seen it. 

“He can take control of one side of the ball, just take that side of the field away,” coach Bill Bays said. “He can be as good as he wants to be. He can do things other guys only dream of doing.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

It was a ‘Before They Were Stars’ moment for me last year. I didn’t know anything about this Trevon Lewis character from Midwest City heading into the Bombers’ showdown against Edmond Memorial.

But there it was late in the fourth quarter, and it was Lewis who ended up making the game-clinching play. Lewis picked off a pass and took it to the end zone in the district opener last year.

About a week later it started to hit me that this guy I had never heard of was probably going to become one of the players I would get to know really well in the 2010 season for the 2011 signing class.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what’s happened as Lewis has become someone I’ve just managed to see around a lot during this summer and his game has really stepped up.

I don’t know how much you can really take from spring or early summer, but I sensed some real maturity from Lewis at the big camp at Edmond North. He stepped up on the field and was just as big a leader when the team was closing up shop for the day.

Lewis is excited about getting to show what he can do this year…on both sides of the ball. He can’t stop smiling about the fact he’ll play fullback this year. He’s No. 18 on the list, but like some of our other top kids, he doesn’t have any official offers yet.

I’m not worried about it, and he’s not worried about it. He’s got too much size and too much quickness to not have the scouts knockin’ on his door.

And here’s the blast from the past, the video with Lewis following last year’s win against Memorial.

Hope you guys are enjoying our countdown of the top 30 football recruits for next as much as we are enjoying writing all the stories on the kids.

We’re entering Week 3 with No. 18 on Monday, but here’s a look back at what we saw this last week…

No. 25 Connor Myers, Edmond Memorial: Whether it’s football, powerlifting or Taekwondo, Myers is a competitor in every sense of the word. His Taekwondo background sure is proving its dividends now. For my story on Myers, here ya go.

No. 24 Trent Martin, Jenks: He broke his leg last year, but his heart and determination is something any college scout would love. Tulsa jumped on him early, and he committed in February. For Justin Harper’s story on Martin, here ya go.

No. 23 Isaac Maselera, Glenpool: He’ll be a stud in the secondary for Oklahoma State, but he’s a lot more than that to the Warriors. He’s a quiet kid until he steps on the field and lets his play do the talking. For Justin Harper’s story on Maselera, here ya go.

No. 22 Brayle Brown, Shawnee: The Brown family is pretty famous in Shawnee and having to balance being father and coach for Billy to Brayle is a great example of a father-son working relationship. For Scott Wright’s story on Brown, here ya go.

No. 21 Emilio Gatewood, Norman North: Gatewood is making the move to the Timberwolves after excelling for Millwood. It will give him a real chance to see if he can cut the mustard against 6A teams. For Scott Wright’s story on Gatewood, here ya go.

No. 20 Jake Love, Tonkawa: The Kansas commit is one of the most versatile talents in the state. A champion in football, wrestling and track, what can he possibly do for an encore as a senior? For Scott Wright’s story on Love, here ya go.

No. 19 David Glidden, Mustang: Yea, he’s undersized, but he’s one of the most explosive talents in the state. He’s using this summer to rest up and get healthy and will be a name to watch. Committed to OSU. For Scott Wright’s story on Glidden, here ya go.

Keep visiting the Varsity blogs and NewsOK.com for more analysis, videos and stories on the Super 30.

This feels like ages ago after Millwood’s Josh Turner committing to Texas for football and Edmond Memorial’s Drew Dahlberg committing to Oklahoma for baseball all in the same time period.

But a ‘long’ time ago (try Saturday early afternoon), I was pumped about the one-day camp that OKVarsity.com held at LaFortune Stadium in Tulsa.

For the record, that was my first time at the Stadium, not bad. More than 50 players participated in the three-hour event.

Without question, the quarterbacks were the story of the day. Not necessarily because of their performances (though they were good), but because six top QBs were there: Del City’s Chazten Gonzales, Jenks’ Sawyer Kollmorgen, Shawnee’s Brayle Brown, Yukon’s Corben Jones, Booker T.’s Jordy Albert and Bridge Creek’s Ryan Spangler.

That was the first time I’ve seen Jones and Albert so now I get it. Albert was one of the QBs in the Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Tour while Jones is just going to be a junior at Yukon. Spangler is so tall – something you really can’t appreciate until you see him. It will be interesting to see if his future is in football or basketball.

I kinda strayed away from the usual suspects as took this opportunity to get to know some of the Tulsa-area kids who I won’t get to see too often.

Tulsa East Central had a couple of real standouts in WR Dinazzio Teague and DE Ashton Dandy. I felt Teague had one of the best camps of anybody there. But keep in mind, I didn’t get to pinpoint all 50 kids, and it was easier to gauge how the QB/WRs were doing than anybody else.

What impressed me most about Teague wasn’t so much his speed (though he is fast), but it was his ability to get separation from the defenders. Teague is receiving interest from Texas Tech, among others.

Dandy will be playing DE for the Cardinals but looks more suited to be at linebacker in college. Very impressive physically (passed the eye test) and also had a strong day.

Muskogee already has one top DB for this year in Kyler Harris, but I was impressed by the work ethic and ability of junior Victor Williams. For my money (which isn’t much, by the way), Williams and Teague’s battles were the highlight of my day.

Over at Tulsa Edison, it was John Phillip Hughes who caught my eye. He’s a big boy, about 6-4 and 230 pounds or so, but he showed some real good movement.

Some of your Super 30 kids were in attendance: It was good to see Derrick Alexander of Booker T. and Trent Martin of Jenks. Steven Carpenter of Jenks was there but did not participate. He may have stolen the show if he’d been healthy.

Caught some linemen drills, not too much. I admit I couldn’t identify most of the Tulsa-area ones, but it was good to see Westmoore’s Tyler Newton and Bethany’s Darren Davenport and Hennessey’s Derrick Luetjen again. Newton has a real motor to go with his nice size.

There were 15 juniors there, and I paid close attention to Midwest City’s James Flanders and Putnam North’s Dre Holman. Really think before the end of this year those two names are going to be mentioned at all times when talking about the best of 2012.

Special thanks to OKVarsity.com publisher Justin Mitchell for orchestrating the event and all his assistance.

Look for videos with Westmoore’s Tyler Newton, Del City’s Chazten Gonzales and Yukon’s Corben Jones on NewsOK in the next day or two.

I’m not like Scott Wright, your resident West Metro expert. I don’t get to see Mustang wide receiver and Oklahoma State commit David Glidden on a near weekly basis. So the awe factor is still there for me.

If you watch Glidden on a regular basis, you know full well what I’m talking about. The first time I saw Glidden was in Week 2 at Edmond North.

He clearly belonged on that field. I said to myself that if people would ignore the measurements, some school was going to get a great find. His tackle on Xavier Smith on a punt return was a great mano a mano moment.

Maybe it’s because I’ve always been one of dem small guys that stuff like height and weight just don’t mean that much to me. As I said repeatedly last year and prob will this year, a lot of it comes from the eye test. And Glidden passes in spades.

He can go deep, but he’s got the toughness and right the mental attitude to WANT to go across the middle and take the hit.

Glidden was easily one of the most explosive players in the first half of last season. The emergence of Daniel Farrow at RB kinda took away the pass-happy offense, but Glidden still never really took a step back whenever he got his opportunities.

Now with a full year of reps with QB Brandon Taylor, very interesting to see what is going to become of the Broncos offense this season.

We’ve already had some Big 12 Conference commits like Isaac Masalera (OSU) and Jake Love (Kansas), and Sunday’s story features Mustang star receiver David Glidden, also bound for Stillwater.

The elusive 5-foot-8, 165-pound Glidden gave up football as a freshman, but came back because he missed the game, and because he spent that year watching his brother play for the Broncos as they were building themselves into a legitimate program, year after year.

So he returned as a sophomore, though his first love is still basketball. And he still has a passion for baseball as well, and feels he could make an impact in the Big 12. He hasn’t discussed the idea with any coaches at Oklahoma State, but if the opportunity were to present itself, he wouldn’t mind trying the two-sport route. It worked out OK for Josh Fields.

As for his senior year at Mustang, Glidden loves basketball too much to give it up, and he thinks the 2010-11 Bronco ballers could be one of the more athletic teams Mustang has produced in a while.

This fall, Glidden will be back in the role he played during the first five games last year as the team’s No. 1 big-play threat. Over the final six games, he shared the spotlight and the football with running back Daniel Farrow, which slowed the torrid statistical pace he was on at the start of the year.

He still finished with 1,029 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, along with seven more TDs by rush, kick return or interception return. He had to play a lot of cornerback last year, and coach Ty Prestidge would like to cut down on his amount of defensive snaps this season to keep him fresh.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

There is reason to celebrate as Millwood's Josh Turner (11) announced his commitment to Texas on Saturday. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

The No. 1 thing Millwood’s Josh Turner said he felt after committing to Texas on Saturday: “relieved.”

Turner, considered the state’s top recruit, received interest from a who’s who in college football as the Falcons wide receiver and cornerback had 24 offers before making his decision.

He said he’s visited the Texas campus once. He felt real welcomed there, and he didn’t want to wait anymore.

“I sat down with everyone the last couple of days and thought about all the trips I’ve made,” Turner said. “Everybody was kind of waiting for me to make a decision, and I didn’t see a point to waiting until the end of the summer when I knew where I wanted to go.”

Turner also had offers from the majority of the Big 12, including OU, from much of the SEC, including Alabama, and Notre Dame, among others.

He is ranked No. 87 on the ESPNU 150 list of top players nationally and is No. 55 on the Rivals 100 list. He was also named to the Under Armour All-American team.

Turner said it was a tough decision between Texas and Nebraska.

“It was real hard because I loved my trip to Nebraska, but I just feel Texas is the right fit for me.

“The players were great, and the atmosphere was great. I’m excited, but yeah, it was a real hard decision.”

Turner, 6-foot-0 and 175 pounds, plays both offense and defense in high school but has been recruited as a cornerback.

Turner had 648 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. Defensively, he had 83 tackles, six interceptions and two sacks.

He said he hopes he can visit the Texas campus again before the summer is over.

Turner is a four-star recruit, according to Rivals, and becomes the third four-star recruit in the state to commit. Duncan offensive lineman Dylan Dismuke and Southmoore quarterback Kendal Thompson have both committed to Oklahoma. Duncan athlete Dominique Petties, the only other four-star recruit, has not made a decision yet.

***

Interesting if you start to see the dominoes fall for the Falcons now. Not saying the other Millwood stars will head to Texas, but now that the ‘big dog’ has said where he’s going, might see some of the others follow suit.

Between Texas and Nebraska, huh? Just add that to the many reasons why the two schools simply don’t like each other. The move to the Big Ten did not play a major role in Turner’s decision.

In talking to Turner in the past, you noticed a change in the tone of his voice when talking about Texas. But I also noticed it about Nebraska. You could tell those two schools really made an impression on him.

And in terms of the Super 30 list, that makes No. 4 Tyrequek Zimmerman of Lawton as the highest-rated recruit to not have made a commitment yet.

That makes the second year in a row that the top recruit from the state is heading to Texas as Tulsa Central’s Demarco Cobbs (last year’s stud) is also going to play for the Longhorns.

Here is the full list of schools that offered Turner: Miami (Fla.), Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Colorado, Michigan, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, Washington and Wisconsin…whew.

Love is a small kid (for a Big 12 linebacker anyway) from a small school. Can he make the transition to big-time college football?

The answer, for many reasons, seems to be ‘yes.’

Passion, hunger, drive, humility, talent. Love seems to have all of them. I saw him play once last year, that in the Class A semifinals against Hennessey. The Eagles’ defense had been allowing around 60 rushing yards per game, and Love broke free for 187 and two touchdowns in the 24-22 win.

The kid instantly stands out as a star on the football field. But what about his weight?

Let’s not forget to factor this in: Love is a wrestler, too. By keeping his football weight at 195, he doesn’t have to put his body through a brutal transition in December to get down to his wrestling weight of 189. The next weight class up is 215.

And let’s not forget, this is a 17-year-old kid we’re talking about. He has some natural physical development left ahead of him. Besides, at 195, he still plays like he’s 230. Imagine what he’ll play like when he weighs 215.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

There will be a one-day camp for all 2011 and 2012 football recruits Saturday at Tulsa Memorial HS. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and will run until about noon, said OKVarsity.com publisher Justin Mitchell.

The elite showcase camp will feature position drills, one-on-one battles and 7-on-7 drills. Big showings here have proven, in the past, to lead to some big-time college offers.

On a personal note, it will give me a chance to check out even more of this year’s group, and I’m really excited about seeing some of the top juniors for a few hours.

I’ll definitely be back later this weekend with my thoughts on things, and you know I’ll be out there shooting whatever video I can.

Again, Tulsa Memorial HS from 9 a.m. to noon for the top football recruits for the Classes of 2011 and 2012.

Millwood offensive coordinator Kevin Cox gets a little emotional thinking about the fact that Emilio Gatewood won’t be playing for the Falcons this fall after his family moved to Norman North.

And it’s not just that Cox will miss Gatewood’s 8.3 yards per carry.

“I’ll be real honest with you — I love the kid,” Cox said. “I don’t want to say he’s like a son, because I’m not old enough to have any sons his age, but he’s one of those kids I’d do anything for.”

Of course, Gatewood’s value to the Falcons as a running back was pretty strong, too.

“It’s gonna hurt us not having him,” Cox said. “When things got down and we needed a big play or a hard, tough-nosed one-yard run, he wanted the ball. He did everything. We’ve got to find somebody who can do that. The kid’s great.”

Gatewood knows he won’t be the featured back at Norman North, with other upperclassmen entrenched in the offense, starting with senior Raymond Demby. Gatewood has played safety in 7-on-7 with the T-Wolves earlier this month, and a couple of colleges have talked about him being a cornerback at the next level.

With offers from Tulsa and Louisiana Tech already on the table, Gatewood just wants to get on the field and continue to show that he has Division I talent. He’ll get the chance against some stout competition, with Midwest City, Edmond Memorial, Putnam City North and Yukon — all of which went to the playoffs last fall — in the new District 6A-1 with the Timberwolves. 

As for Millwood, Shevin Patton will likely take over as the featured back, with guys like Michael Cole and Josh Turner getting a chance at some carries in addition to their other duties.

“We’re hoping all three of those guys can be what Emilio was by himself,” Cox said.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

A lot of people probably remember Brayle Brown’s older brother, Tucker, from his playoff suspension and subsequent legal battle with the OSSAA a few years back.

Brayle was in seventh grade at the time, so I wondered if it was a difficult situation for a little brother to go through, watching big bro get some negative attention — at times on a national level. But Brayle says he was able to remain disconnected from it.

“I wasn’t really paying attention to it,” Brayle said. “I just did my own thing. It wasn’t really a big deal to me.”

But all of that is behind the family now. Tucker is playing baseball at Central Oklahoma and Brayle is on the verge of a major-college opportunity as a quarterback.

He’ll be in Las Vegas on June 19 for the Elite 11 regional camp in addition to other trips to colleges like Kansas State throughout the summer. He has already been to TCU and North Texas, and he’s receiving recruiting interest from Oklahoma, Tulsa, Kansas, Missouri and others, along with his first offer from Louisiana-Monroe.

The one-day camps are interesting, because it’s a short opportunity to show your talent.

“We run 40s, we do a shuttle run, and we throw and throw and throw and throw,” Brown said. “Sometimes you do a 7-on-7 kind of deal, but it’s only half the field, so it’s more like 4-on-4. It’s neat.”

Billy Brown, his father and head coach, hopes Brayle’s competitiveness shows through to college programs looking for a quarterback.

“He’s a competitor,” Billy said. “He hates to lose more than he likes to win. He’ll compete at anything, and I think you can tell that in the way he goes about playing the game.

“His feet are real good. His arm strength needs to get better and he works on that every day. His mental approach to the game — every practice you’re in and every game you play, you’re gonna get better and better.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Maselera is one of the fastest football players in the state in any class. He’s been clocked at 4.39 in the 40. He’s committed to Oklahoma State as a defensive back, but he can obviously do a lot with the ball in his hands. Last year, he had one interception and he took it back for a touchdown 64 yards. He had three kickoff returns and took one of those back for a touchdown.

He probably could be a star running back. Thing is, Glenpool already has one of the best in Class 4A in Marco Nelson. Nelson, who also can flat out fly, ran for 1,324 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, averaging more than 10 yards per rush.

Wherever he plays, Maselera has the athleticism to do well. That’s why OSU offered him after essentially only seeing him play his sophomore season (he committed just three games into his junior year). But I’d try to get the ball to him. Good thing seem to happen when he has it.

Already committed to Tulsa, Martin doesn’t have to worry about impressing college coaches. However, he feels like the six and a half games he missed last year after breaking his leg means he didn’t meet expectations. Of course, he knows there was nothing he could do about the injury or time missed. And the fact that he came back in time for the playoffs shows his determination and toughness.

Still, he told me that there was hype surrounding him before last season and he wants to prove that it was warranted attention.

I wouldn’t doubt him. He’s already in game-night mode.

As for football, he’s still awaiting his first offer, but he may not have to wait for long. He’s going to go to several college football camps this summer. He’s likely to make enough of an impression somewhere that an offer will come. If not, it will put his name up on the board as a player to watch during the season.

It’s much ado about nothing at this point when it comes to conference realignments with the Big 12, Pac-10, Big Ten, SEC, etc.

Latest word on the street is Texas will make it official Tuesday about joining the Pac-10, and you would assume OU, OSU and Tech will follow its lead. A&M sounds like it might be headed to the SEC.

Then there was a report this morning about the 10 remaining Big 12 schools staying intact after finding a TV deal that appeases everyone. Who knows?

But it’s all speculation at this point. Fun speculation and crazy if you start believing every Tweet you read. And in talking to some of the top recruits (David Glidden, Daniel Davis and Kentrell Brothers), they’re in the same boat as the rest of us.

Glidden of Mustang is an OSU commit and said if OSU goes out west it won’t change a thing for him. In fact, he’s pumped about seeing the west coast. He said he’s been to New Mexico and Colorado back when he was much younger but has never been more west than that.

Sadly, I have him beat. I haven’t been west of Amarillo, Texas.

When Glidden first heard about this, his initial thought was there was no way this could happen. It just didn’t make any sense, but he’s OK with it.

Wanted to get some thoughts from Davis because it would give the Norman North product and Stanford commit a chance to play at home possibly (would depend on the schedule).

Davis admitted it might be good for his friends and family, but he’s pumped about playing at USC and UCLA and places like that. He’s been to OU and OSU his entire life, ready for something different.

When he first about the realignment plans, he thought it was a false write-up. “That’s a pretty big mistake if it’s not true.” He also said the 2011 recruits really shouldn’t be affected too much but future classes sure will be as the recruiting landscape might change.

Brothers, with 14 offers, has been on a cross country tour since his junior year at Guthrie ended. He’s got so many offers from Pac-10 and Big 12 schools that it was interesting to see what someone who hasn’t committed thought about everything.

It’s not changing anything for him, personally, as he is still looking to find the right fit. He understands that a lot of this is about money and TV exposure, but he’s just taking it in stride.

And why not? He hit the west coast this last weekend with visits to Arizona, Arizona State and Washington so he’s already starting to feel right at home.

All three will be featured in future Super 30 profiles as we continue our countdown of the top 30 football recruits for the Class of 2011.

If Memorial star Connor Myers was two inches taller, college scouts would be breaking down his door. Three inches, and they’d be stalking outside his house.

OK, maybe that’s a bit too far, but if Myers was blessed with more height, he would be receiving a lot more looks than what he is getting right now.

That’s not to say that the 6-foot-0 defensive tackle isn’t getting any looks because he is. He has an offer from Air Force and is receiving interest from a lot of northwest-area schools.

Myers is going to be a beast this year, pumped to watch him play. The numbers aren’t going to dazzle you at defensive tackle. You’re in the trenches, and you clog things up so the defensive ends and linebackers make the big plays and get on the highlights.

Even with that being said, Myers had 61 tackles and six sacks for one of the most stout defenses in the state.

Coach Justin Merideth’s eyes get real big when he starts talking about Myers. Merideth knew Myers was good last year, but he knows Myers will anchor the unit in the fall. Well, it’s started since after last season and Myers continues to show his character.

It’s funny to think of him competing in Taekwondo but that was his passion for seven years. I just can’t think of him fitting in one of those outfits with how big and bulky he is. It’s definitely helped his flexibility and footwork, though.

He’s set three powerlifting records one year, five in another and five in yet another. His name adorns the Memorial wall in the football fieldhouse for those marks.

The Bulldogs finished up a camp in Tulsa last week, competing against teams like Enid, Tuttle and Cascia Hall. Myers said he was pleased with the way things went.

Like most recruits, June is a hectic time of going from one camp to the next, and it’s been that way for Myers. Interesting to see what happens next.

We took a break Sunday from our Super 30 recruiting package. With all the all-star games going on and Jenni’s top-notch scholar athlete package, didn’t have room for anything else.

We’re back up on the 30 top football recruits for the Class of 2011 on Monday with No. 25.

To recap, here’s what we’ve seen so far…

No. 30 Brandon Swindall, Millwood: Even with likes of Josh Turner sharing the same field, it’s Swindall who is the Falcons’ No. 1 receiving target. It took a while for Swindall to believe he could do it, but he knows he can now. For Ryan Aber’s story on Swindall, go here.

No. 29 LaRone Richardson, Bishop McGuinness: He’d be rollin’ in offers if he was healthy last year at RB. As is, he looks like himself again and is poised for a great summer and and even better fall. For my story on Richardson, go here.

No. 28 Jabral Johnson, Lawton: One of several recruits who have a vested interest in the whole conference realignment breakdown. Johnson ended the drama early by committing to Arizona in February. For my story on Johnson, go here.

No. 27 Steven Carpenter, Jenks: One of the best WRs in the state but is being hampered by the fact most schools think he is only 170 pounds instead of 190. A solid prospect with great hands. For Justin Harper’s story on Carpenter, go here.

No. 26 Derrick Alexander, Booker T.: It’s a new era for the Hornets under head coach Darrell Hall (formerly of Star Spencer) and Alexander’s mad skills will make sure the defense is not a weakness. For Scott Wright’s story on Alexander, go here.

Hall expects his 6-foot-2, 250-pound athlete to fill a variety of needs for his team, particularly at left tackle and defensive end, though he can play linebacker or defensive tackle if needed.

From my perspective, he was a genuinely fun kid to talk to. Comfortable, honest and intelligent throughout the interview. He was able to laugh at himself a little, talk about his positives as a player, as well as the areas where he knows he needs to get better for college.

He performed well at a camp at Arkansas on Monday and has had could be hearing more from them, as well as Missouri State and Colorado State, on a scholarship offer in the near future. Oklahoma has shown interest, too. His first formal offer so far is from Louisiana-Monroe.

As for this fall, he knows expectations will be high for the Hornets, regardless of the difficulties they faced last year, or the fact that they’ve got a new coach.

“The gold ball is the goal every year,” he said. “It’s got to be if you’re at Booker T. Washington. It’s the expectation. It’s a must.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Lawton Jabral Johnson has committed to Arizona and comes in at No. 28 on the Super 30. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

I’ve seen Lawton linebacker Jabral Johnson play twice. Frankly, that’s more than enough to realize he is a special talent.

What I’ve jotted down in previous games was his speed. He seemed to have some great speed for a linebacker. And he does, but what coach Randy Breeze talks about is his balance of speed and size.

I don’t know if his on-the-field exploits are even the best part of Johnson. He’s just a fun kid to talk to with a bubbly personality.

I wasn’t there in Tucson when the offer was made, but I bet the way he carried himself helped just as much as how hard he can hit a running back.

Johnson ended the drama early by committing to Arizona in February, and now he’s been sittin’ pretty. He loved the way the coaching staff treated him ‘like one of their own even though I wasn’t yet.’

Also, Tucson isn’t the worst place to spend your college years, and the Wildcats have been on the brink of a bust out season under Mike Stoops.

Johnson led Lawton with 109 tackles last year, even more than Sonny Puletasi (who signed with Wyoming). Johnson will be expected to carry more of a load this year, but he seems to be OK with that.

Between him, Carter Grigg, Tyrequek Zimmerman, you can’t block/contain all of them. Sure make for a fun fall for the Wolverines supporters.

LaRone Richardson has regained his form from sophomore year and comes in at No. 29 on the Super 30. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

I remember the first time I saw Bishop McGuinness running back LaRone Richardson. It was in the 2008 Class 4A final against Glenpool, and my eyes got wide open when I learned he was just a sophomore.

‘Two more years with this kid, huh? He’s gonna be a star.’

His junior year would have/should have been the year that put him on the national map, but the injuries took that away from him.

However, if he can keep those legs healthy, he is something special. I saw glimpses of that last week at the Edmond North team camp.

In the final scrimmage of the three-day event, the Irish went up against Deer Creek and Richardson scored both of the team’s touchdowns.

He is so explosive and once he hits a hole, boom, he hits it.

It hurt to be at half speed for most of last year, but it does open the door to any top school to come in and swoop up one of the best talents.

Richardson said some of the schools that really appeal to him are Miami (Fla.) and Texas Tech because of the offensive systems in place at those universities.

It will be very interesting to see how his summer progresses.

For my story on Richardson, go here.

It’s about 100 degrees out here lately yet all we can talk about is football. And we’re still two months away from the first practice and nearly three months out from opening night, but it’s never too early, is it?

Tuesday will begin our series on the Super 30: a look at the top high school football recruits for the Class of 2011.

The new list came out last week so maybe the cat is out of the bag in terms of the drama of where your favorite athlete is.

However, the purpose of this series is to let everyone get to know who these stars of tomorrow are, well, today. Kinda like a ‘before they were stars’ look at some of the best high school football talent in Oklahoma.

It’s going to run in the next month on a near-daily basis, both in print and on NewsOK.

So if you’re looking for your football fix in between laying out by the pool or relaxing in a nice air conditioned house, we’re here to help you out. Hope you enjoy it!