Oklahoma Football: Checking in with the 2013 Recruiting Class

The Sooners currently have three commitments from the class of 2013.

The most recent commit, running back Greg Bryant, was a highly recruited prospect out of out of Delray Beach, FL. Bryant stated that Oklahoma's running back coach Cale Gundy was a major influence in his decision to join the Sooners. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound standout running back was not heavily recruited by the Sooners outside of an offer letter made last October, but once he stepped foot on campus the decision become very clear, and he knew where he wanted to be.

Another top running back recruit, Keith Ford (Cypress, TX), has also committed to the Sooners.

Ford, much like Greg Bryant, was heavily recruited by running backs coach Cale Gundy, and ultimately, the bond he formed with coach Gundy led to his commitment. Ford is one of the top running backs coming out of the state of Texas and a 4-star recruit according to Rivals.com.

Defensive end Matt Dimon out of Katy, Texas rounds out the current list of Sooner commits for the class of 2013.

At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Dimon knew Oklahoma was the place for him after attending a junior day in March. Seeing the campus and taking in all the tradition around him left a lasting impression on the young defensive lineman.

There are currently still a number of in-state recruits as well as national recruits on the Sooners radar.

With Max Browne—the only quarterback with an offer from Oklahoma in the class of 2013—committing to USC earlier in the week, the doors are back open for other potential recruits at quarterback.

The most likely candidates to get an offer now are Brayden Scott (Tahlequah, OK) and Cody Thomas (Colleyville, TX).

Scott has vowed to stay patient with the Sooners in their recruitment process and has made no secret of his desire to sign with the Sooners.

Thomas—a 6-foot-5, 220-pound quarterback—is another top target for the Sooners with Browne off the table. He recently made an unofficial visit to Norman, but Browne had yet to make up his mind at that point, so no offer was made to Thomas. He is a much bigger prospect than Scott, but is also a highly touted baseball prospect, so there is a chance he could enter the MLB draft and forgo college altogether.

Derrick Green, a top running back recruit out of Richmond, VA, has stated that he still plans on making a visit to Norman in April despite the Sooners already signing two other running backs for the class of 2013. He has multiple scholarship offers on the table and knows he will have to compete for playing time regardless of the school he chooses.

Defensive end D.J. Ward (Lawton, OK) and linebacker Chans Cox (Pinetop, AZ) are both top defensive recruits on the Sooners' short list. Per Bob Przybylo: "Both have expressed big-time interest in the Sooners and OU has made them a priority."

Defensive tackle Justin Manning (Dallas, TX)—the younger brother of former defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger—has not been pleased with how Oklahoma has recruited him. 

“If Oklahoma wouldn't have waited so long I probably would have committed on the spot,” Manning stated.

While the Sooners have to still be considered one of Manning's top choices, it is no longer a forgone conclusion he will sign with Oklahoma just because his older brother played there.

It will be interesting to see if any more big name recruits sign with the Sooners in the coming months or if they decide to wait out the process until signing day next year.