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The Sooners are doing well in the Lone Star State after some quiet years.
Oklahoma is off to a very hot recruiting start this season, with the No. 2 class in the country in mid-May. Ten of the Sooners' 12 commitments are rated four stars or better. Yet another member, Jalen Reagor, a four-star receiver out of Texas just got invited to The Opening, Nike's elite camp in Portland.
Going by the 247Sports Composite, Oklahoma has landed just 33 blue-chip (four- or five-star) prospects in the last four recruiting classes (seven, eight, 10 and eight). It already has as many elite commitments in this 2017 class with eight months to go until National Signing Day as it has had, total, in any recent year. This class has a chance to be the best Bob Stoops has signed this decade.
Part of the success is undoubtedly due to the on-field success of the 2015 season. Transfer QB Baker Mayfield came on and carried the Sooners to the Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance. That Clemson blew out Oklahoma in a national semifinal doesn't appear to be making much of a difference in recruiting.
The perception around Oklahoma's program seems to be swinging with recruits.
The Sooners' recent success in Texas also has something to do with the struggles of Texas and Texas A&M -- two rivals in one of the most fertile recruiting states in the United States. I wrote seven weeks ago about how many of the state's elite prospects are putting the Longhorns and Aggies on hold to see how their seasons turn out -- and if their coaching staffs get fired.
A beneficiary of this is Oklahoma, where Stoops can sell coaching staff stability because he's been in Norman for almost two decades.
This is a big change from just a few years ago, when elite Texas recruits weren't likely to pick Oklahoma over the Aggies after Johnny Manziel smoked the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners now hold commitments from five Texas four- and five-stars. Over the last four classes, they've averaged half that number.
And Oklahoma is looking to add to its Texan haul, targeting elite players like defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, of Houston and guard Chuck Filiaga, of Aledo.
Quickly
Missouri receiver commitment DaRon Davis took home MVP honors at the Rivals Kansas City Camp.
South Carolina is trying to flip a Virginia Tech commitment and is bringing in an elite 2018 QB for a visit. I'd give the Gamecocks very little shot to sign 2018 dual threat Emory Jones, as when I spoke with him in Atlanta earlier this spring he did not mention the Gamecocks. But I will note now high Will Muschamp is shooting with South Carolina. I just hope he is maintaining some good backup plans, because there is no prize for second place in recruiting.
Washington landed a solid receiver prospect in Ty Jones.
Arizona is in the top three for a four-star linebacker. He spoke with our Arizona site, AZ Desert Swarm.
LSU site And The Valley Shook takes a look at the stars of the 2014 class who left Louisiana and how their careers are in various states of chaos. Maybe LSU dodged a bullet with some of these players?
