ESPN's Top 50 Newcomers List Populated With Strong Oklahoma Flavor
No one said Lincoln Riley couldn’t recruit.
Oklahoma is well-represented on an ESPN list this week ranking the top 2022 newcomers in college football.
Sooners, former Sooners and almost-Sooners populate the list — 10 in all, or 20 percent.
And, as ranked by ESPN, those 10 newcomers all appear in the top 38.
Here’s a breakdown:
Sooners
No. 4, QB Dillon Gabriel
Oklahoma’s starting quarterback for this season comes from UCF via the transfer portal and is actually one of only two players on this list that Riley didn’t recruit to OU.
What ESPN says: “Gabriel played for offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby at UCF, and now Lebby is the coordinator at Oklahoma. The two are reuniting at a perfect time after the Sooners lost quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler. In 2019 and 2020, Gabriel threw for a combined 7,223 yards and 61 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He suffered an injury that cut his 2021 season short and now he has an opportunity to lead Oklahoma.”
Former Sooners
No. 1, QB Caleb Willliams
Williams is the prize of this year’s transfer portal, and is one of a handful of players on the list that Riley recruited twice.
What ESPN says: “Williams was a star as a true freshman at Oklahoma under coach Lincoln Riley. He supplanted then-starter Spencer Rattler and finished the season with 1,912 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He also had 442 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The former top-20 prospect followed Riley to USC and has a chance to not only improve on what he did as a freshman, but also elevate the Trojans' offense expeditiously.”
No. 10, QB Spencer Rattler
Rattler entered the transfer portal last year after the season-ending loss at Oklahoma State and after Riley bolted for USC. He was leaving regardless of Riley’s decision, and he found a good fit under Shane Beamer at South Carolina.
What ESPN says: “South Carolina had some bad luck at quarterback with injuries last season — so much so that the team was playing grad assistant Zeb Noland at quarterback. Rattler threw for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions with 160 rushing yards and six touchdowns in his first full season starting in 2020. He had Heisman hype going into 2021, but was replaced by Caleb Williams and finished the season with 1,483 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions on 187 attempts. He is coming into a situation at South Carolina where he can start over, win the starting job and try to regain what he had in 2020.”
No. 11, Mario Williams
Williams spent only one season in Norman after a high school All-America career in Florida. His contributions were good as a true freshman Sooner, though it seemed more was always possible with the former 5-star recruit.
What ESPN says: “As a freshman last season, Williams had 380 yards and four touchdowns on 35 receptions. He was ranked No. 17 overall in the 2021 class and was the No. 1 receiver. He already has chemistry with Caleb Williams and understands Riley's playbook, so he should contribute early on.”
Almost Sooners
No. 3, QB Jaxson Dart
Almost two weeks after Gabriel committed to OU on Jan. 3, Dart was also strongly considering transferring to the Sooners after his freshman year at USC, even taking a campus visit on Jan. 15 with former Trojans tight end Michael Trigg. Dart eventually committee to Ole Miss.
What ESPN says: “Ole Miss needed a quarterback since last season's starter, Matt Corral, is now in the NFL. Dart broke state high school records in Utah as a recruit, throwing for 4,691 yards with 67 touchdowns his senior season. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and signed with USC. He threw for 1,353 yards and nine touchdowns last season on 189 attempts.”
No. 15, QB Casey Thompson
Riley recruited Thompson out of high school and nearly landed him out of Newcastle, OK, before Thompson went to Texas. In the transfer portal last winter, Thompson again briefly considered OU before committing to Nebraska on Jan. 7.
What ESPN says: “Thompson was the Texas starter last season and threw for 2,113 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Nebraska starter Adrian Martinez transferred to Kansas State, which left a hole open for Thompson and Florida State transfer Chubba Purdy. Nebraska was ranked 27th in pass yards per game last season, but ranked 97th in interceptions per attempt, 96th in sacks per attempt and 71st in total interceptions.”
No. 23, RB Raleek Brown
Brown is one of the California 5-star prospects who committed to Oklahoma — but then made it clear he committed to Riley as he flipped his pledge from OU to USC.
What ESPN says: “Brown had been committed to Oklahoma, but flipped to USC after Riley took over as coach. He was the No. 5 running back in the class and has a chance to help out in multiple ways this season. He can play running back, help in the return game and be a slot receiver for USC, so his versatility should allow him to see the field very early.”
No. 32, WR Luther Burden
Burden is another 2023 freshman who originally committed to Riley and the Sooners out of high school in St. Louis. At one point, the Sooners had three 5-star wideouts committed — for the second time in four years. The first time, 2019, only Theo Wease finished his career with the Sooners. This time, none of the three even got to Norman.
What ESPN says: “Burden was a five-star receiver in the 2022 class out of East St. Louis, Illinois. He's a 6-1, 195-pound prospect who has an opportunity to instantly help an offense that ranked No. 66 in pass yards per game and lost its starting quarterback. Missouri is returning a few of its receivers from last season, but Burden has the talent to compete with anyone currently on the roster.”
No. 37, WR Talyn Shettron
Shettron committed to OU out of Edmond Santa Fe, but flipped to Oklahoma State when the Cowboys offered his younger brother Tabry. He enrolled early and has impressed OSU coaches so far this offseason.
What ESPN says: “Shettron initially committed to Oklahoma out of high school, but then decommitted and picked Oklahoma State. He will have an experienced quarterback throwing to him in Spencer Sanders and is also coming in when the team is looking to replace production from leading receiver Tay Martin. There are other receivers in front of him, but with Oklahoma State's offense, he should have plenty of opportunity.”
No. 38, WR Jordan Hudson
Hudson, an ESPN 5-star prospect from Garland, TX, committed to OU early, but then decommitted last June and eventually flipped to SMU, where he became the Mustangs’ highest-ranked recruit since at least 2006.
What ESPN says: “Hudson will fit in to new coach Sonny Dyke's offense. A 6-1, 190-pound receiver from Garland, Texas, Hudson was the Horned Frogs' highest-ranked recruit this cycle. They return quite a bit at receiver, but Hudson has size and speed that should get him looks early on.”
