Red River Recruiting: A Mid-year Analysis

In the midst of a slightly calmer stretch of the recruiting calendar, I figured I would take a look at the recruiting rankings to compare recruiting classes as we hit the mid-year point. And what’s better than getting some conversation going amongst some of the heated rivalries of college football?

First up is the Red River rivalry of Texas and Oklahoma. The Longhorns are currentlly ranked as the No. 22 class with 15 commits in hand. The Sooners are the No. 7 class with 22 commits in hand.

This analysis will be from a rankings point of view for simplicity of arguing winners at each position. Quantity is important, but quality is the ultimate factor.

Here is a position by position breakdown of which school takes the cake.

The quarterbacks committed for each program are two of the longest tenured pledges in the country. Texas’ KJ Lacey has been committed since June 2023 while Oklahoma’s Kevin Sperry has been locked in even three months longer than that.

Both programs have a claim at a blue-chip prospect in this cycle, Lacey just happens to be higher in the ranks by a significant margin at No. 25 overall compared to Sperry’s No. 165 overall. Lacey has been wildly productive in his career with back to back 3,000 yard, 40 touchdown campaigns.

Running back is a position both schools have reason to feel good about. Texas gets the nod as they have two four-star backs in the class while Oklahoma has one.

The Longhorns duo of Rickey Stewart Jr. and James Simon have combined for nearly 9,000 rushing yards in their careers to this point. While Oklahoma’s Tory Blaylock has not logged near as much production or usage, which could be viewed as a plus, he is by far the biggest speed component of the trio. Blaylock has clocked in within the 10.5’s in the 100 meter on the track.

Wideout might be the easiest position to determine a winner of in this exercise. Oklahoma has five wide receivers committed, four of which are four-star prospects while Texas does not yet have a wide receiver in the class. However, the Longhorns do have some top notch wideouts in their sights in the likes of Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench.

The Sooners have Cortez Mills, Marcus Harris, Elijah Thomas, Gracen Harris, and Emmanuel Choice in the fold. Mills, Harris, and Thomas are all in the Rivals250.

Similar to the running back position, neither team is sweating this position as they both have quality. Texas just has more of it. Oklahoma has one four-star in their class while Texas has two, headlined by Rivals250 prospect Nick Townsend. Townsend is a jumbo receiver with legit speed for his size who will pose as a major threat with the ball in his hands. Alongside him will be Emaree Winston, who is more of a traditional style who will have a bit more blocking in his game.

Oklahoma has Trynae Washington heading their way, who also falls in the boat a of a receiving tight end at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and big production in his career.

Texas has Oklahoma beat in the numbers with four commits to three, but Oklahoma has two four-stars amongst their group, while Texas has none.

Oklahoma’s haul consists of four-stars Ryan Fodje and Darius Afalava and three-star Owen Hollenbeck, who is on the doorstep of a four-star ranking.

Texas has Jackson Christian, Jordan Coleman, Devin Coleman, and John Mills. The group of four is each at least 6-foot-5, 310 pounds.

The Sooners get the nod pretty easily on this one as they have both the quantity and the quality. Five commits total, Oklahoma has two four-star defensive ends in Alex Shieldnight and CJ Nickson along three interior prospects in four-star Floyd Boucard, four-star Trent Wilson and Ka’Mori Moore.

Texas has just two commits, but they are two high quality prospects in four-star defensive ends Lance Jackson and Smith Orogbo.

Texas has a pair of four-star backers in the fold compared to Oklahoma’s lone three-star linebacker commit. The Longhorns have the 6-foot-2, 230 pound Elijah Barnes who fits in at inside linebacker along with 6-foot-2, 195 and ultra athletic four-star Jonathan Cunningham, who will play outside linebacker.

Oklahoma has a single commit at the position in three-star outside linebacker Marcus James.

Come signing day, Oklahoma will have a claim at one of the top defensive back classes in the country. The Sooners have five commits in the fold, all of which are four-star prospects. The headliner is safety Omarion Robinson, who is set see a big rise in the next rankings update along with Maliek Hawkins, Courtland Guillory, Trystan Haynes, and Marcus Wimberly.

Texas has just two commits in four-star Kade Phillips and three-star Caleb Chester.