It’s Decision Time for Taylor Tatum
The Sooner Scoop – July 21, 2023
Attention Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an urgent and breaking news story.
CANNONBALL!
Will it be the Sooners or USC for the Nation’s No. 1 Running Back
It’s finally here – Friday, July 21 – and Oklahoma is set to know it’s fate with the nation’s top back, according to the On3 Industry rankings, Taylor Tatum.
After offering Tatum last summer the Sooners, led by Demarco Murray, have put in loads of work, including a point in time in the spring when, at least outwardly, they seemed an afterthought in his recruitment. When we saw Tatum at the Under Armour camp in Dallas on March 12, we caught up with him but it was largely a ‘check-in’ interview.
But even when we thought Oklahoma was slipping back then Tatum was adamant about his relationship with Murray being one of his closest.
“Me and coach Murray talk every day, he is definitely one of my parents’ favorites coaches. For me, being able to relate to him, he played at OU, and the NFL,” Tatum said at the time. “And he’s a great family guy which my parents like.
“I don’t think OU has slipped (in my recruitment).”
As time has gone on the story has repeated itself a few times with the Sooners seeming to fall behind but never going away.
Then in June the Sooners hit their official visit for the ChampUBBQ visit out of the park. And from then on momentum has seemed to stay on Oklahoma’s side.
Shortly after that visit he cut his list to just the Trojans and Oklahoma and while no one ever counts much in recruiting as a certainty there’s also no denying that the Sooners seem the favorites.
As we wait for his 11 a.m. announcement on Longview Gameday’s Youtube, Scoop still feels good about Oklahoma’s chances at a commitment.
Can the Sooners Really Make a Run at McKinley?
For months Oklahoma has been in the chase for five-star defensive tackle Dom McKinley of Lafayette (La.) Acadiana. For that same amount of time Oklahoma felt like a true contender but could they really beat LSU in Louisiana? Could it actually be?
2024 five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley (On3/Sam Spiegelman)
For months, Scoop didn’t allow himself to think that was realistic. In the modern era of recruiting you can truly track to two players who the Sooners went into Louisiana and won a recruiting battle for. Those two? Rufus Alexander, a current Oklahoma staff member, and Nic Harris. The two signed in 2002 and 2005, respectively to put some perspective on the timeline at hand. It’s also worth noting that while both were four-stars and highly recruited, neither were a five-star defensive lineman.
But now, more and more, you hear that the Sooners are making a move.
“They are right there, I think it’s honestly Oklahoma and Texas A&M,” one source said.
Speaking to other sources there’s a lot of Texas talk and of course LSU can never be overlooked. That said, there’s no denying that Todd Bates and Oklahoma’s staff has impressed the McKinley family so far.
Still though, this figures to be a wild recruitment to follow as there doesn’t seem to be ‘the uncle’ or anyone of the like. The family is very tight knit and will keep their own confidences.
We’ll see where it goes but more than ever Oklahoma is a legitimate contender for the five-star defensive tackle.
OU Sets up New OL Official Visit
While Sooners defensive line talk seems as prevalent as any time in decades, the position that has many Oklahoma fans fretting is along the offensive line. One player that the staff recently offered in search of finding players to add alongside Isaiah Autry is Daniel Akinkunmi from the NFL Academy in London.
Oklahoma went from uninvolved in Akinkunmi’s recruitment to having his first official visit set to Norman.
“I’ve set my official for September 1,” Akinkunmi said. “We’re booking all the flights next week.”
Through his conversations he’s been talking plenty with the Oklahoma staff, notably Bill Bedenbaugh and Brent Venables.
“We’ve been talking a lot I just got off a zoom call with coach B, my head coach, my head of football, their academic staff, leaders of SOUL mission and coach V,” he explained.
The three-star prospect has talked about visits with Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, and Marshall amongst others but says the Sooners are the first to set up his official.
Another Decision Coming for OU Offer
Staying on the offensive line, it was announced on Wednesday via 247sports’s Greg Biggins, that Eugene Brooks would make his announcement next week. In fact Tuesday, July 25 will be when he makes his choice between the Sooners and Texas.
In speaking to sources there’s nothing to change our confidence from a few weeks ago – Oklahoma seems like a heavy favorite here following his June 9 official visit and Texas seeming to have their focus on some other players.
Prediction Going in for Sooners OL Offer
Well, a prediction we haven’t made yet that we’re ready to now is, like Akinkunmi, another recent offensive line offer – Josh Aisosa. If you haven’t been following the Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe offensive lineman he’s been a name that impressed many this spring and more offers could be coming.
Nevertheless, when you consider he’ll be in Norman for the Party at the Palace and then commit roughly two weeks later? Kind of something that feels like the Sooners are in good shape with the in-state product.
Make it Two OU Predictions
Sticking with in-state prospects we’re ready to make a prediction for? How about Jenks, Okla. running back Kaydin Jones.
After shining for Broken Arrow as a freshman Jones has made the move to the South Tulsa powerhouse where his father starred. And much like his father, Scoop is betting he ends up making the same trip down I-44 toward Norman.
Jones isn’t yet ready to make any kind of call on that, he admits the Sooners will always have a big role in his recruitment.
“Right now, especially, I’m keeping my options open but there’s always going to be a front runner,” Jones said of separating his personal feelings for Oklahoma from his recruiting decisions. “Now it’s about keeping in touch with coaches and building relationships that actually makes that place home.”
That, along with several other conversations, have me putting in my first class of 2026 prediction.
Let’s Just Keep the Party Going
Another player that grew up in an Oklahoma household that the Sooners have a lot of room to feel good about is Austin (Texas) Lake Travis 2025 defensive lineman Gus Cordova. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound prospect made no attempt to hide how important Oklahoma is to his recruitment.
He’s expected in Norman next week for the Sooners Under the Sun on Wednesday and some have speculated about a decision to come. Talking to Cordova and a few others that doesn’t seem likely.
But that isn’t to say that a decision won’t come in fairly short order and as such we’ll put in a prediction.
Nationally Elite OL Big on Oklahoma
It’s extremely early for Nixa, Mo. offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell but the Sooners have made a strong early impression. He hit Oklahoma last month and his first trip to Norman couldn’t have gone much better.
“(Oklahoma is) my favorite visit I’ve taken so far. They are definitely a very solid school- I like their staff a lot,” Cantwell recalled. “They seem to have a good system in place, and they have been recruiting quite well.”
We’ll have more with Cantwell next week but Oklahoma has done well to put their foot forward with a young player who already claims a massive offer list.
Another Elite OL High on the Sooners
And finally, a prospect who will be back on campus next week is Lewisville, Texas offensive tackle Michael Fasusi. The nation’s No. 33 overall player has been big on the Sooners for a while with a few even thinking Oklahoma has taken a big lead.
When talking to one source about the possibility of some predictions coming in for Fasusi to Oklahoma the answer was simple but promising for the Sooners.
“That’s definitely what I see,” the source said.
Now, it’s early and no prediction is coming in from anyone on the Scoop staff but Oklahoma clearly has impressed him so far.
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