2021 CB Darren Barkins Plans Sooners Visit: "I’m Planning To Get Out There To Oklahoma"

Alex Grinch, Roy Manning, Brian Odom and the rest of Oklahoma’s defensive staff have been anything but sedentary throughout the NCAA’s shutdown period.

Last week, the Speed D recruitment tour made a stop in Chula Vista, California, where 2021 three-star cornerback Darren Barkins resides.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

“I was born and raised down here in San Diego, California,” Barkins said. “I had a lot of inspiration from my dad. He grew up playing a lot of different sports, and put me in a lot of sports just like him. But for me, football is the one that stood out to me. So he just worked with me, developed me, him and my mom together. So they were the ones that believed in me a lot.”

Although he’s being recruited as a defensive back, Barkins’ tape also reveals that he’s an explosive weapon on offense. In fact, the 6-foot, 170-pound playmaker says it wasn’t until high school that he took up the cornerback position.

“I started as an offensive player growing up,” said Barkins. “I played running back and I switched over to receiver. But my sophomore year, I switched over to corner, and after that season, during the offseason, I worked a lot. I made myself develop as a corner and found a passion in it, and it kind of just overtook the offensive side.”

Barkins has made an effort to hone his new craft over the past two years, and he’s continually refining his technique and play style.

“I definitely like playing one-on-one man,” he said. “I do a lot of off man; I’m working more with the press. I never shy away from that.”

That mentality brought Grinch and the OU staff courting, and the offer from the Sooners marked Barkins’ first from a Big 12 program. In the past three weeks, he’s also accumulated five offers from Pac-12 schools and three from Mountain West programs.

“These past two weeks, I’ve picked up a lot of offers, so as the days go on, I try to learn more about each and every program,” Barkins said. “As time goes on, I’ll try to cut things down.”

As Barkins trims down his list of potential schools, he’s certainly not looking past the allure of the crimson and cream. Barkins said that he used to believe his ceiling was Group of 5 football, but that the surge of Power 5 offers he’s received has boosted his confidence significantly.

“Having Oklahoma offer me, I know how the program is,” Barkins said. “They produce a lot of players, and having the opportunity to be a part of that is big to me. I’m planning to get out there to Oklahoma and see everything for myself.”

Though Oklahoma is farther from home than any other Power 5 school that’s offered him, Barkins says that his growth as a football player is primary, and he’ll go where he needs to go in order to position himself for an NFL career.

“I want to be in a program that can definitely develop me to the next level,” he said. “Wherever school is best for me, I feel like that’s where I need to be.”

To get the latest OU posts as they happen, join the SI Sooners Community by clicking “Follow” at the top right corner of the page (mobile users can click the notifications bell icon), and follow SI Sooners on Twitter @All_Sooners.