Oklahoma’s top rookies start hopping after Lincoln Riley leaves for USC

When a college football head coach changes teams, it can often lead to a change among rookies. Oklahoma watched the game unfold before its eyes.

Following reports that Lincoln Riley had joined USC, ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren reported that the 2022 run back Raleek Brown has retired from the Sooners. Brown, a native of Santa Ana, California, seems like a sure bet to follow Riley to the Trojan.

However, he is not the first to defect from Oklahoma. That goes to 2023 five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss, who announced a shutdown from Oklahoma on Sunday. He hasn’t officially announced where he’s going.

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Late Sunday, 2023 four-star rerun Treyaun Webb, from Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, also announced that he would be disintegrating from Oklahoma.

Webb was ranked number 5 running again in his class, and number 96 overall, over 247 General sports rankings.

According to the 247Sports General Ranking, Brown is the No. 34 prospect, No. 2 finish and No. 2 of California in the 2022. Although the recruitment website has reported that Mater Dei will return to Oklahoma on February 5, 2021, the projections Its Crystal Ball predictions now say 88.2 percent of experts expect him to land at USC.

And Brown’s tweet following the Riley news seems to suggest such a move could be in the cards.

The Inniss is rated as the #1 wide receiver in the class of 2023 and ranked in the 9th national prospect list overall, according to 247Sports General Rankings. The American Heritage High product is also Florida’s No. 2 player.

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This may not be the end of the recruiting damage inflicted on the Sooners. 247 Sports currently ranked Oklahoma’s 2023 admissions class is number 1 nationally. Its top prospect, however, is midfielder Malachi Nelson, the No. 2 in the country, a native of Los Alamitos, California. Two of his teammates, five-star athlete Makai Lemon and four-star recipient DeAndre Moore Jr., are also current Oklahomans.

There’s still no sign that these rookies will turn the tables – often this number is much higher than a head coach wooing an athlete into the program – but all eyes are sure to fall. cornered that trio when they might decide to make the 30-minute drive northwest to watch the head coach lead their recruitment.

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And there may be Oklahoma rookies from other parts of the country being sold on the Sooners because Riley may decide to explore other options.

Not everyone is panicking in Norman, Oklahoma. Defender Caleb Williams said he’s happy for Riley and his family, and ended his tweet with “#sooner” amid speculation he could also follow Riley to Los Angeles.

Williams is a five-star pledge in the 2021 division, which, according to 247Sports Composite Ratings, lists him as the No 7 player in the country and No 2 QB in his class. Williams took over at center back for Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler ahead of the season, and completed 62.5% of his passes in 1,670 yards, 18 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, while dashed 72 times in 408 yards and six touches of the ball.