Three Oklahoma Commits Feature in Preseason SI99
The preseason SI99 for the 2023 recruiting class is here.
Every season, SI All-American ranks the top 99 high school prospects in the country, and once again there is plenty of Oklahoma flavor.
Brent Venables’ Sooners heated up on the recruiting trail this July, and Oklahoma is now positioned to chase an elite class in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Three current OU commits feature in the preseason SI99.
Offensive tackle Cayden Green is the highest ranked Oklahoma commit, checking in at No. 82 in the rankings.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman is the centerpiece of Bill Bedenbaugh’s group in the class which currently has four verbal commitments.
Venables’ defense is represented in the SI99 as well in the form of edge rusher Colton Vasek.
The Austin product is rated as the No. 85-overall prospect in the class, and he was a massive recruiting win for first year defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis.
Quarterback Jackson Arnold was OU’s third commit to appear on the SI99, as the Elite 11 Finals Most Outstanding Player was ranked at No. 99.
A consistent riser throughout the spring and summer recruiting camp circuit, Arnold is embracing his role as the face of the class to try and help recruit more prospects into OU’s 2023 class.
Current wide receiver commit Jaquaize Pettaway narrowly missed the cut in the preseason SI99, as the burner was listed as an “on the bubble” candidate for the rankings.
Oklahoma is far from done adding to this class, and a few of the program’s targets also were ranked in the SI99.
Peyton Bowen, a talented safety in his own right and one of Arnold’s high school teammates, was ranked the No. 34-overall player in the class. Though he is a Notre Dame commit, Bowen has made a few trips to Norman to visit campus, including the massive “Party at the Palace” event at the start of August.
Defensive lineman David Hicks was another attendee that weekend, and Hicks appeared as the No. 56-overall player on the SI99.
Defensive end target Tausili Akana also narrowly missed the preseason SI99, as he was also listed on the bubble alongside Pettaway.
Four former OU commits also made the cut.
Quarterback Malachi Nelson (No. 8) and wide receivers Brandon Inniss (11), Makai Lemon (70) and Ashton Cozart (93) all found themselves inside the preseason SI99.
Nelson, Inniss and Lemon all decommitted from the Sooners shortly after the coaching changes last December, and Oklahoma quickly moved to replace them in the 2023 class.
One Oklahoma high school product also made the list in Michigan State commit Bai Jobe, who was ranked at No. 54.
The SI99 ranks recruits based solely on their collegiate potential, and the rankings will update in the final SI99 ahead of National Signing Day this winter.
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