Sooners Picking up Momentum on Recruiting Trail Add RB Abdul Adams and OT Ben Powers
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
The Oklahoma Sooners have been quiet on the recruiting trail with just 11 verbal commitments entering the month of November. All signs point to a ramping up process about to take off with two commitments in three days to close out the month. On Saturday, OU secured a commitment from North Carolina running back Abdul Adams and on Monday added big Kansas offensive tackle Bennett Powers.
On paper, the commitment of Adams is a big recruiting win for Oklahoma flipping the one-time Michigan State pledge. In mid-November Adams decommitted from the Spartans, around the same time two other commits decommitted from MSU, with more offers rolling in for the Hillside High School standout. OU hosted Adams the weekend of Nov. 21.
The Sooners strong tradition of producing NFL running backs and the known fact that they are taking just one tailback in the 2016 recruiting class helped Oklahoma land the prized recruit over some 30 offers. Other teams reportedly extending offers included Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Notre Dame, Pitt, Tennessee, Alabama, Boston College, Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia.
Adams helped the Hornets to a 10-3 record averaging over 120 yards per game during the regular season. Hillside made it to the third round of the North Carolina High School Playoffs before falling to New Hanover. Hillside added Adams after he played for Wilson High School in the Washington D.C. area in 2014.
Oklahoma capitalized on Adams commitment on Saturday and their Big 12 Conference winning game against Oklahoma State to help land big Ben Powers. Powers, listed at 6’8”, 330 pounds, has seen his recruitment skyrocket out of nowhere playing for Butler County Community College first landing an offer from Kansas State on Nov. 11 followed by TCU, Texas Tech, and then Oklahoma on Nov. 20. Two days later Bennett is the newest member of the Sooners recruiting class.
Bennett slipped out of the high school ranks playing for Witchita’s Kapun Mt. Carmel. Bennett is the third offensive lineman added to the Sooners recruiting class.
Oklahoma Sooners 2016 Verbal Commitment List
ATH Adrian Hardy, 6’3”, 185 lbs, Dekaney HS, Houston, TX
DB Maurice Chandler, 6’1”, 190 lbs, NEO A&M C.C., Miami, OK
CB Parrish Cobb, 5’11”, 175 lbs, La Vega HS, Waco, TX
FS Chanse Sylvie, 6’0”, 185 lbs, Calvary Baptist HS, Shreveport, LA
LB Pernell Jefferson, 6’2”, 236 lbs, Warren Easton Senior, New Orleans, LA
LB Jon-Michael Terry, 6’2”, 225 lbs, Victory Christian HS, Tulsa, OK
LB Bryce Youngquist, 6’2”, 210 lbs, Los Osos HS, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
OT Ashton Julious, 6’8”, 330 lbs, Lackawanna C.C., Scranton, PA
OT Bennett Powers, 6’5”, 315 lbs, Butler C.C., El Dorado, KS
OT Logan Roberson, 6’5”, 318 lbs, Harrah HS, Harrah, OK
QB Austin Kendall, 6’2”, 210 lbs, Cuthbertson HS, Waxhaw, NC
RB Abdul Adams, 5’11”, 200 lbs, Hillside HS, Durham, NC
WR Ryan Parker, 6’2”, 175 lbs, Tyler C.C., Tyler, TX
Photo credit: washingtonpost.com; No. 7 Abdul Adams playing for Wilson High School.