What we learned from Sooners camp
Five things we learned this weekend:
The Sooners already have three offers out in the class of 2014, with campers Parker and Clark joining Devon Thomas (Broken Arrow, Okla./Broken Arrow), who did not attend the camp, as local standouts with OU offers.
Parker, a cornerback, was one of the most impressive players at the camp and was very consistent. He stood out and competed in every session during the three-day camp.
Clark, a defensive end, participated in one session, but that was more than enough, as the Sooners offered during his short stint on the field. He’s big, explosive and athletic — there aren’t many prospects in the nation like Clark.
Add quarterbacks Coleman Key (Broken Arrow, Okla./Broken Arrow) and Justice Hansen (Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe) into the mix, and you begin to get a sense just how deep the 2014 class could be.
There were plenty of receivers and defensive backs to be found at the camp, but offensive linemen, defensive tackles and linebackers were few and far between. There were some standouts at those positions but not the top talent, competing against each other, that could be found at receiver and defensive back.
There were several hyped players on the intramural fields but none performed better than unknown 2014 receiver Nick Alexander (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster).
Alexander went from “Who is that guy?” to being called “The truth” by camp coaches. A big, fluid receiver, Alexander looked good in drills and held his own in one-on-ones. He’s a prospect to keep an eye on over the next few months. (Editor’s note: Alexander was offered by the Sooners on Monday, his first official offer.)
When you see Dakota Austin, he doesn’t make you do a double take. Then you see him on the field.
An undersized 2013 cornerback, Austin competed like an elite prospect and showed incredible feet, quickness and competitiveness. In one-on-one battles with top prospects including K.D. Cannon (Mount Pleasant, Texas/Mount Pleasant), Austin’s confidence and willingness to be physical was on display. Listed at 5-foot-10, 149 pounds, Austin looks bigger than that and plays bigger than that.
And Mike Stoops noticed. The Sooners defensive coordinator and secondary coach kept a close eye on Austin and praised his efforts throughout his time in Norman.
In addition to Deondre Clark, there were several talented defensive ends for OU defensive ends coach Bobby Jack Wright to work with.
Sekou Clark (Denton, Texas/Ryan) competed for all three days and really appreciated the opportunity to learn from Wright. Clark is a lanky prospect who can put on added bulk but has good athleticism and explosiveness. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him emerge as an elite talent.
Tramal Ivy (Muskogee, Okla./Muskogee) quietly had a solid showing. He has a long way to go, but his raw athleticism and quickness was on display. Ivy could project to be a quality defensive end at the BCS level.
The overall depth at the position was second to none, particularly during Sunday’s second session.