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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
10 To Watch
Central Oklahoma, OK
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The 10 most-recruited players in the state – ones you’ll have to see, too.
1. Gabe Lynn, Jenks, defensive back, 6-0, 185
College choice:Has interest from Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Colorado, LSU, Miami (Fl.), Nebraska and USC.
News to know: Lynn is the highest-ranked player in the state, according to Rivals and one of the most highly recruited players in the country. He is rated the 25th best player in the country by Rivals. He is fast, can hit and moves to the ball well. Lynn is a shut-down cornerback.
2. David Oku, Carl Albert, running back, 5-10, 190
College choice: Oku has interest from Florida State, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State and Tennessee. However, Oku said he is not going to Oklahoma.
News to know:The speedy and tough runner is ranked No. 82 by Rivals. He is possibly the best running back in the state. He rushed for 1,628 yards and 20 touchdowns a year ago to lead the Titans to the Class 5A semifinals.
Quote: “He is special because of his leg strength and vision. He’s got great acceleration. He can glide and move. But when he hits that corner, he hits it hard and is gone. He squats 540 (pounds). That’s unbelievable.” – Carl Albert coach Gary Rose.
3. Ronnell Lewis, Dewar, linebacker,6-3, 220
College choice: Orally committed to Oklahoma.
News to know:He may play eight-man football, but he is a stud on any field. Lewis is ranked No. 99 by Rivals and was recently highlighted on espn.com. He plays safety for Dewar, but is projected as a linebacker in college. He is known for his defense, where he collected 11 interceptions and more than 100 tackles last year, but as a fullback he rushed for 2,300 yards and 40 touchdowns.
4. Brandon Webb, Owasso,offensive line, 6-4, 320
College choice: Orally committed to Oklahoma State.
News to know: Webb did not follow in his father's footsteps in his college choice. Webb, whose father Terry was a former All-American at Oklahoma, is ranked No. 126 by Rivals.The best offensive lineman in the state is not just big and strong, he is quick as well.
Quote: “When I coached him as a sophomore, you could tell Brandon would be a special player. He’s got great hips and is a good athlete. His quick feet and hips make him a player you know is going to do well at the next level.” – Union coach Kirk Fridrich, who coached Webb at Owasso two years ago.
5. Jeremy Smith, Tulsa Union, running back, 5-10, 195
College choice: Orally committed to Oklahoma State.
News to know: Smith is ranked No. 234 by Rivals in its top 250 in the country for 2009 recruits. Smith rushed for 1,748 yards and 20 touchdowns last year. He is tough to bring down and is deceptively fast as well.
Quote: “The thing is, he’s got great size. He’s a big, strong kid. He’s got the speed to close runs as well. He’s got the quickness through the holes and the strength to break tackles.” – Union coach Kirk Fridrich
6. Gabe Ikard, Bishop McGuinness, tight end/defensive end, 6-4, 240
College choice:Ikard has his college choice down to five programs – Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Stanford. Ikard said he will most likely make his choice midway through the football season.
News to know:Ikard is a talented athlete who helped McGuinness win the past two Class 4A state championships while going 28-0. He is one of the best tight ends, defensive ends and punters in the state. Ikard is ranked the 12th best tight end in the country by Scouts.com.
Quote: “I’ve been concentrating on getting stronger. That’s going to help me heading into the year. I am really looking forward to it for our team and for me individually. I think we both are going to have a really good year.” – Ikard.
7. Beau Blankenship, Norman North, running back, 5-8, 210
College choice: Blankenship has drawn interest from Miami (Fl.), Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, USC, Texas A&M and Iowa State.
News to know:The small, but tough runner, led Class 6A in rushing a year ago with 2,200 yards and 26 touchdowns. Blankenship is surprisingly fast and hard to bring down. He has helped build Norman North into a 6A power the past few seasons.
Quote: “The No. 1 thing that makes him special is his character. He is fun to be around. There is not a bad thing to say about him. The second thing is he is the best back in the state. I wouldn’t take anybody else. He is strong, tough, fast and quick. He gets better as the game goes on. He wears the defense down.” – Norman North coach Lance Manning
8. Terrell Williams, Tulsa Union, athlete, 6-2, 210
College choice: Williams has interest from Nebraska, Kansas State, Oregon State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tulsa and Stanford.
News to know: Williams plays all over the place on offense. Williams can play running back, wide receiver and quarterback. His versatility is what makes him so special. He transferred this year from Tulsa Edison to Tulsa Union.
Quote: “He’s a great athlete with good size. He is versatile with great athletic ability. We are excited about having him this year.” Union coach Kirk Fridrich
9. Daytawion Lowe, Carl Albert, defensive back, 6-1, 180
College choice: Lowe has gotten interest from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Arkansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Texas Tech.
News to know: He is a shut-down corner and one of the fastest players in the state. He can run and hit. He had 116 tackles, four sacks and three interceptions a year ago. Lowe is ranked the No. 16th best safety in the country by Scout.com.
Quote: “The first thing you notice is how physical he is. He likes to hit people. He is really, really fast. Being in track really helped him. He breaks on the ball well. He loves to play and loves to hit.” – Carl Albert coach Gary Rose.
10. Pearlie Graves, Tulsa East Central,defensive line, 6-3, 260
College choice: Graves has interest from Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Purdue.
News to know: Graves is possibly the best defensive lineman in the state. He demands double teams. Graves collected 65 tackles and five sacks a year ago. East Central is known for producing standout defensive linemen and Graves is another one.
Others to watch: RB/DB Tim Flanders, Midwest City; OL Brian DeShane, Tulsa Union; TE Greg Brown, Bixby; DE Kenneth Garrett, Crooked Oak; LB Shawn Jackson, Tulsa McLain; RB Josh Booker, Putnam City North; Athlete Brett Davis, Shawnee; DL Nathan Badger, Norman North; DB David Gordon, Tulsa East Central.
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