Oklahoma Football Recruiting 2012: Sooners Top Targets and Commitments

Oklahoma is set for a special year in 2011. The Sooners have the pieces in place to perhaps come out of the gates as the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the country.

Off the field, the Sooners are also a very big force on the recruiting trail and are throwing their weight around once again in 2012 recruiting. They are in the hunt for some top prospects and already have several talented commitments.

Let's take a look at some of their top remaining targets and top current commits.

2012 Oklahoma Sooner Recruiting Capsule

The Sooners have a solid class in the fold already with eight commitments slated to sign with OU next February. They have three 4-star prospects out of the eight, and the top player in the class so far is 4-star WR Durron Neal.

Neal, who pledged to OU only within the past day or so, is joined by fellow 4-star recruits RB Alex Ross and WR Sterling Shepard. 

Six players are on the offensive side of the ball, including the top three of the class overall, and the two defensive players are 5'11" CB De'Vante Harris and 6'1" 190 pound OLB Eric Striker.

Top Target: Gunner Kiel, QB

Who else did you expect? Rumors are swirling in regards to Kiel and Oklahoma, as some say the Sooners are the favorites over Michigan, Alabama and Indiana. Looks like Notre Dame may be out of it.

Kiel is the top QB prospect in the country, as the 6'4", 220 pound signal caller grades out well in just about every significant category. He doesn't have rifle for an arm, but it's strong enough, and on film, Kiel shows excellent field vision.

There is talk he could make a decision as early as this Sunday.

Top Commitment: Durron Neal, WR

Neal is a 6'0", 185 pound WR out of Missouri. He has a great skill set that combines quickness, play speed, ball skills and solid hands.

Neal can beat press with quickness, eat cushion quickly, get suddenly out of his break and has a QB friendly strike zone. I think he will be an excellent fit in the OU offense and could even factor as a return man as well.

He took an unofficial visit to Norman this week and spoke with Co-Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell, who told Neal he had the look in his eyes to commit. Agreeing with the elite level offensive play caller, Neal waltzed into Bob Stoops' office and pledged his devout commitment to Oklahoma yesterday.

Does Oklahoma Lead for Avery Young?

5-star OT Avery Young is one of the very best overall talents in the country. Standing 6'5", 270 pounds, Young is very good athlete, can slide, mirror and recover vs. speedy rushers, but also flashes some strength to sit and anchor vs. a bull rush.

His recruitment has been very interesting, as many schools have extended offers to the OT out of Florida, such as the Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Yet Young always mentions Oklahoma and has stated the Sooners will surely get an official visit from him in the fall. He's also stated he has liked OU since he was a kid and admires the way their offensive line plays. 

Key Commitment: Alex Ross, RB

Jenks High School in Oklahoma is a national powerhouse and produces prospects every year. Their latest prize is 6'1", 205 pound RB Alex Ross, a 4-star recruit.

Ross is a physical RB that combines size with strength, solid quickness and above average speed. He displays solid vision, decision making, instincts and flashes a burst to and through holes. He's strong with the ball and shows some tackle breaking ability as well.

He chose OU over Texas A&M and said the chance to win championships along with following in the lines of Adrian Peterson, Quentin Griffin and DeMarco Murray is an honor. Look for Ross and 2011 signee Brandon Williams to make an excellent tandem in the Sooner backfield.

Key Target: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

Green-Beckham is the top recruit in the country on my board and has been the top player in Missouri for the past two seasons. 

6'6", 220 pounds with 4.43 speed, he's a monster WR prospect that is a cross between Calvin Johnson and Plaxico Burress. Others have even tossed names like Andre Johnson and A.J. Green in the mix as well.

DGB has been in Norman recently as last week, unofficially visiting the Sooner program as well as perhaps taking part in the Sooner football camp. He has a plethora of schools after him, such as well, everyone.

He still seems wide open, but Oklahoma is one of the schools I think will be among the last standing for his services.

Sooners View Ty as a Darling

One of my underrated players for the 2012 recruiting class is Ty Darlington, an OL prospect from Florida. 6'3", 275 pounds, Darlington plays OT for his high school team but is viewed as a future OG/OC in college.

He combines quick feet, toughness, balance, position quickness, pull/trap/second level ability and intelligence with great technique. He has a many offers from around the country, but it looks like Oklahoma is the favorite.

Darlington says OU is recruiting him the hardest and loves the overall consistency of the program. Auburn, Miami and Iowa are also rumored to be thick in the hunt.