Oklahoma Recruiting: Sooners Raid Junior College Ranks for Top Talent

National signing day is always full of interesting storylines, fueled by immature, indecisive 18-year-old kids making the most important decision of their young lives.

"Top receiver spurns school in favor of rival."

"Storied program continues slide with poor recruiting class"

"5-star stud uses puppy to reveal Georgia decision, dog urinates on letter of intent"

Okay, that last one hasn't happened yet but I can't wait until it does.

An interesting trend revealed itself this year as the Oklahoma Sooners signed six junior college recruits in their 2012 class, four of whom ranked in the Rivals.com Junior College Top 50.

Coming in at No. 7 on the list is 6'5", 310-pound Will Latu, an offensive lineman out of Santa Clarita, CA. Senior offensive tackle Donald Stephenson graduated and left a massive hole at the important position.

Lane Johnson will likely start on one end of the line, but the more experienced Latu will battle redshirt sophomores Tyrus Thompson and Daryl Williams for the other tackle spot—and likely get it.

Moving down the list to No. 12, we come to the surprise signing of the class, wideout Courtney Gardner. Oklahoma was considered a long shot to sign Gardner considering OU had already signed four talented receivers in the class.

Gardner, however, might be the most athletic of the group, moving his 6'3", 215-pound frame 40 yards in only 4.4 seconds. After racking up 1,099 yards and 13 touchdowns last season at Sierra Community College in Roseville, CA, he is more than ready to make an impact next season.

At No. 21 on the list is possibly the most valuable recruit in the class, defensive back Kasseim Everett, out of Pierce C.C. in Woodland Hills, CA. He has the size, speed and ability to impact the team next season and help a defensive backfield that got picked apart last year.

The final OU commit in the Rivals.com Junior College Top 50 is defensive end Chaz Nelson from Garden City Community College in Kansas. Nelson is quite an athlete at 6'3" and 240 pounds, and runs a 4.65-second 40-yard dash.

Chaz will be expected to contribute in a rotation of defensive ends—including seniors David King and R.J. Washington—that will try to replace Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander and likely NFL first-rounder Ronnell Lewis.

The other two JUCO transfers did not make the prestigious list, but that does not mean they aren't vital components in the 2012 class.

Brannon "Moose" Green will help fill the massive void at tight end. He is a vicious blocker with a competitive edge that head coach Bob Stoops wishes every player possessed.

When he arrives in Norman he will be the most experienced tight end on the roster, joining three other freshman from the 2012 class and the only carryover from last year, sophomore John-Philip Hughes.

The sixth and final JUCO transfer of the 2012 class is running back Damien Williams, out of Arizona Western Junior College. I'm not sure how he slipped under the radar of the rating sites, because Williams is by far the most decorated and accomplished member of the entire class.

His 1,931 yards and 26 touchdowns last season earned him first-team NJCAA All-American honors, while also being named ACCAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. After losing three talented backs to transfer last season, Williams will have ample opportunity to get carries next season.

A program will occasionally look to sign JUCO transfers when they need an instant infusion of talent at certain positions. Next season, the Sooners would have been both young and thin at key positions, so the coaching staff made the right move by looking to the JUCO ranks to bring in recruits this year.

Some say a class heavy on JUCO recruits can mess up the flow of graduating classes, causing heavy depletion in two years when their eligibility expires alongside the class two years before them. The benefit, in this case, outweighs the cost, though.

Keep an eye out for all six of these recruits to get their names called early and often in the 2012 season.