Oklahoma Athletes in Big Roles for OSU, OU, and TU
By Robert Allen
We are just a few weeks away from the start of another football season in Oklahoma. I’ll be busy every week hitting high school games as often as possible with my schedule on the sidelines for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. I have some good news and some bad news. My dad would always throw me that option and I would always say give me the bad news first. I expect this to be a very competitive high school season and I know from being around spring football and checking out camps this summer there is a lot of talent this season. There are some seniors that are gifted and will make their way to the college level, but the bulk of the stars at the high school level across the classes are underclassmen. There are juniors and sophomores, even a few freshmen I know of that will be worth driving around to high school stadiums around the state.
I don’t know if that qualifies as bad news per se. It just means we have a trio of talented classes coming up. In a typical year Oklahoma will produce close to 30 Division I football signees. This season will fall short of that. I love Tulsa NOAH defensive end Danny Okoye and Wagoner’s all-around athlete Whitt Edwards. If Xavier Robinson isn’t a big-time running back, then I think he’ll be a big-time linebacker. Rodney Fields is the best skill athlete Coach Jones at Del City has seen, and he has talented teammates. I love Devon Jordan at Tulsa Union.
There are tons of players coming up. The junior class is loaded, with the recent commitment to OU from Oklahoma City Millwood wide receiver Jaden Nickens, being an example. He is ranked as the fourth best receiver nationally in that class. The Tulsa metro has at least four Division I offensive linemen in the 2025 class. Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, defensive backs, and more in the upcoming classes.
How do I know this? Well, football recruiting is kind of my jam. I’ve been covering the recruiting process and evaluating high school talent for 39 years. I don’t grade with stars. My evaluation comes down to height, weight, speed, football IQ, and the maturity and ability to do what is needed when it is needed. Over the years I know that Texas, Florida, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Georgia all boast being the best state for high school football talent, either overall or per capita. That’s fine as there are a lot of ways to make the math work for your theory.
The good news is for proof that nobody takes a back seat to Oklahoma in producing best of the best college talent you only have to look at the schools in the state. I cover Oklahoma State, so I know on defense the Cowboys have an Oklahoma product as a top playmaker at each level. On the defensive line there is Collin Clay of Putnam City and keep an eye on the emerging defensive ends Desean Brown of Choctaw and Jaleel Johnson of Putnam City North. All-American candidates are Sam linebacker Collin Oliver of Edmond Santa Fe and rover safety Kendal Daniels from Beggs, Oklahoma.
In Norman, Millwood product Marcus Major is at running back with Broken Arrow standout Andrew Raym at center. Two of the Sooners top playmakers at wide receiver are Norman North graduate Drake Stoops and Heritage Hall speedster Gavin Freeman.
At Tulsa big defensive tackle Joseph Anderson is from Anadarko, Oklahoma while just outside of him is end Owen Ostroski, a Tulsa legacy as his father starred at Tulsa and in the NFL. Ostroski is from down the street at Holland Hall. Tight end Ethan Hall has held that spot down for several seasons coming from powerhouse Bixby.
Oklahoma high school football helps fuel the college Saturdays each fall and this one is no different. Enjoy this season and just remember the best is yet to come.
