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    Taylor Tatum

    Nation's No. 1 RB Target Announces Commitment Date, Final Two

    Taylor Tatum is down to two schools and will announce his choice later in July.

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    Oklahoma Sooners
    Oklahoma Sooners

    The nation's top running back has narrowed down his choices.

    Taylor Tatum, the No. 1-ranked running back in the class of 2024, told On3's Hayes Fawcett on Monday that he's down to two schools and revealed the date on which he will announce his choice.

    Tatum will choose between USC and Oklahoma, and he'll announce his decision on July 21.

    The 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior at Longview, TX, told On3 he liked a lot about each school.

    "I really enjoyed Cali and coach (Lincoln) Riley’s offense is hard to deny," he told Fawcett. "Coach Riley also had a plan for me as soon as I get on campus and I think I can be the next Reggie (Bush).

    Oklahoma, he said, "feels just like home and I fit right into coach (Jeff) Lebby’s offense. Coach (DeMarco) Murray knows all the ins and outs of every level of football and it’s hard to deny getting coached by someone who has been in your exact shoes.”

    The Sooners already have one running back verbally committed in the 2024 class in Carl Albert's Xavier Robinson, but are considered favorites to also land both Tatum and Caden Durham of Duncanville, TX.

    If OU was able to bring in all three ball carriers, it would be only the fourth time in the last 22 years the Sooners have signed three running backs in one class. 

    Tatum was in Norman for the ChampU BBQ, and was reportedly very impressed by what he saw. Before his official visit to Oklahoma, the 5-star running back was seen as a USC lean, but after talking with both Venables and OU baseball coach Skip Johnson, Tatum seems to favor the Sooners.

    The Longview product is a talented recruit on the diamond as well, and hopes to play both baseball and football in college. With the success Oklahoma has had producing dual-sport athletes in recent years, it makes sense that Johnson and Venables were able to together a remarkable pitch to Tatum. 

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