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Oklahoma Lands Commitment from 4-Star LB Lewis Carter

Carter is the Sooners' 16th verbal from the 2023 class, raising OU's national team ranking into the top 10.

John E. Hoover

While all eyes were on one Tampa linebacker, another announced his college decision.

Lewis Carter, a 4-star prospect in the 2023 class from Tampa Catholic High School, verbally committed to Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon.

Much of the nation was tuned into the earlier announcement of Troy Bowles, the No. 1 linebacker in the country at Tampa Jesuit. Bowles, son of Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, picked Georgia over OU and Ohio State.

Meanwhile, Carter was locked in on the Sooners after taking official visits this summer to North Carolina (May 20), Clemson (June 3), OU (June 10) and Auburn (June 17). He also had offers from Arizona State, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and others.

Carter told 247 Sports why he chose Oklahoma.

"It's really the people, the place and the environment that I felt there," Carter said. "Really, the last couple of days they have been calling and getting in touch a lot with my parents. Me as well. Some of the other coaching staffs, I haven't really  had much of a connection or communicated like I have with the staff at Oklahoma." 

He said Brent Venables offered him while he was still at Clemson, and then did so soon after getting the job at OU.

"I feel like his mindset and vision didn't change for me," Carter said.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Carter played both ways last year at Tampa Catholic, compiling 66 tackles on defense and 394 yards rushing and five touchdowns on offense. He's a forceful, punishing and sure-handed tackler who flies to the football and finishes contact.

According to the 247 Sports Composite, Carter is the No. 12 linebacker in the nation and the No. 36 prospect in the Sunshine State and comes in at No. 177 nationally overall.

The Under Armour All-American’s commitment gives Oklahoma 16 verbals in the 2023 class and raises the Sooners’ national team ranking from No. 11 to No. 10, according to 247 Sports.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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