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Oklahoma Draws Long List of June Recruiting Visitors

June is slated to be a massive month for the Sooners on the recruiting trail as Brent Venables and company host a plethora of OU targets in the next few weeks.

The ChampU BBQ has been a staple in the recruiting efforts of the Oklahoma Sooners for years now. From Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley and now Brent Venables, June has always been a major turning point for OU recruiting due to this massive summer recruiting event. 

Every year, the ChampU BBQ hosts a multitude of Oklahoma offers and commits, with a few players usually deciding to pledge to the Sooners while on the trip. This year, OU has once again stacked the barbeque with high-profile targets that fans would be thrilled to see on campus. 

David Stone, a 5-star defensive lineman and Oklahoma City native, is set to take an official visit to Norman on June 16, the first day of the ChampU BBQ. Stone told On3 that after his final round of visits this summer, he would have a better idea of what the future holds. 

Originally from Del City, Stone attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, where he has blossomed into the nation's No. 2 defensive lineman and No. 6 overall player, per 247Sports. If Oklahoma impresses Stone at the barbecue, OU fans should feel good about their chances to land the big-time 2024 defensive lineman. 

Another talented player in the trenches who has confirmed his official visit to Norman for the ChampU BBQ is 2024 Oak Ridge (TX) DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. Jonah-Ajonye is listed at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, also rated as a top-10 defensive lineman in the 2024 class. 

The ability of Brent Venables, Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis to pull in two high-profile d-linemen to the same recruiting event illustrates how successful the group has been on the recruiting trail. This comes just one cycle after the Sooners landed 5-star pass rusher P.J. Adebawore.

As of May 28, the 247Sports Crystal Ball projects Jonah-Ajonye to commit to Oklahoma. The Conroe, TX, native will also take official visits to Georgia, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech in June. 

Easton Baker, a 3-star 2024 linebacker from Stansbury (UT), said on Twitter that he will attend the ChampU BBQ after being offered by Oklahoma last week. Baker was committed to BYU until he backed off of his pledge at the beginning of May, clearing the way for Venables and company to make a run at the hard-hitting linebacker.

Baker is slated to announce his commitment on July 1, with OU being his projected landing spot according to OU Insider's Parker Thune.

The No. 1 RB in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports, is Taylor Tatum of Longview (TX), who will also take an official visit to Norman for the ChampU BBQ. Tatum is a consensus 4-star recruit and is seemingly deciding between USC, OU and Michigan. 

Duncanville (TX) 2024 RB Caden Durham will also be on campus for the ChampU BBQ, slotting his official visit to Norman on June 16. Durham, a top 100 player in his class according to On3's recruiting database, will visit Michigan State on June 9.

Listed at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, the skilled pass-catching running back has earned a top-50 national ranking from On3 and 247Sports.  

La Salle Academy (RI) 2024 defensive back Justin Denson and Union (OK) 2024 DB Devon Jordan have both confirmed that they will be in Norman for the ChampU BBQ as well. Consensus 3-star prospects, both Denson and Jordan boast impressive offer lists that include Alabama and multiple other SEC schools. 

With each player being listed at 6-foot-1 or taller, Denson and Jordan would be big pickups for Jay Valai and Brandon Hall

Additionally, a trio of OU commits will be at the barbecue to help recruit some of the other talented prospects on campus. Frisco Emerson (TX) 2024 QB Michael Hawkins Jr., Franklinton (LA) 2024 WR K.J. Daniels and Hightower (TX) 2024 WR Zion Kearney will all be in Norman for the ChampU BBQ. 

Having prospects who are already pledged to OU at the event helps take much of the pressure off the Sooner coaches, who will be doing their best to showcase the program to a large number of talented recruits. With Hawkins, Daniels and Kearney in attendance, the Oklahoma will have at least three more advocates on the ground to try to convince their peers that Norman is the place for them.

Aside from the ChampU BBQ, the Sooners will host 2025 Sherman (TX) linebacker Kane Bowen on June 8, the rising junior told All Sooners at the C4 Sports Performance Pro Day on May 20. Bowen is listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, and currently holds offers from Texas and Sam Houston State.