Oklahoma Sooners

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff finally was able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Tulsa (Okla.) East Central cornerback Stanvon Taylor drew unparalleled praise from the Oklahoma coaching staff on signing day, as they raved about the versatility and upside of the No. 199-ranked recruit in the ESPN300.

"People were talking about how Stanvon could be a receiver, but you love it when a corner has receiver-type ball skills to go after the ball," head coach Bob Stoops said. "He reminds us very much of Aaron Colvin, just the athlete that he is. We believe he is special. We are excited about Stanvon at corner. He is a great athlete and will play for us early.”

The Sooners would be giddy if Taylor matches Colvin's career path. Colvin starred at Owasso (Okla.) High School before playing cornerback early in his true freshman year in 2010 and leading the Sooners in tackles as a sophomore safety in 2011. Colvin returned to cornerback and earned All-Big 12 honors as a junior and decided to return for his senior season earlier this year.

Taylor has the versatility and ball skills to remind people of Colvin, and his talents could be needed immediately as the Sooners look to replace three starters in their secondary.

"We’re projecting him to come in and solidify our depth at the position," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. "I can’t say enough about this guy. He’s going to play corner for us and I think he has a chance to be a special player, an Aaron Colvin-type player, they’re very similar in their styles and versatility as players. He has all the qualities you want to be a superstar, [he's] your prototypical cover corner."

There were questions about what position Taylor would play at OU but both Bob and Mike Stoops made it very clear they expect Taylor to line up on the defensive side of the ball. Yet that didn't keep OU's offensive coaches from noticing the talent he brings to the program.

“A lot of people in our profession say he might be the best in our class when it’s all said and done,” running backs coach Cale Gundy said.

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Oklahoma is looking to get tougher, more physical along its offensive front. Guard Dionte Savage (Flint, Mich./Arizona Western) should help the Sooners reach that goal. At 6-foot-5, 340 pounds, Savage brings unique size to OU's interior line.

"This guy has size on top of size," co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. "What a physical presence he brings. When you say full-grown man when he walks in a room, this kid is a full-grown man. We had a lot of injuries last year and it was tough at the end getting healthy bodies out there. This guy is a big strong guy who can help us with our running game and depth."

After ending the 2012 season with very limited bodies at guard, Savage joins returning starters Adam Shead and Bronson Irwin along with Tyler Evans and Nila Kasitati, who are returning from injuries. Savage brings a better body than any of the Sooners returnees.

"He is a specimen," running backs coach Cale Gundy said. "He’s someone we expect can come in and give us some help, possibly be one of our starting guards.”

The Sooners were impressed by Savage's dedication, as the former 400-pounder lost more than 60 pounds to get into better shape for his second season at Arizona Western.

"Dionte Savage is a big, strong, physical guy," head coach Bob Stoops said. "A huge weightlifter and a powerful, strong guy. He’s got great ability to move and great strength, so I believe he is going to help us be more physical in there. Just really powerful, an excellent young man. Loved having him on campus, he loves to work. He’s going to help us be more physical."

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Oklahoma hopes it landed an offensive tackle with terrific long-term upside in Christian Daimler (Houston/Stratford). A 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, Diamler is a lanky tackle with room to grow physically and mentally. The Sooners coaching staff repeatedly compared him to a departing starter on signing day.

"We [signed] an excellent athlete in Christian Daimler," head coach Bob Stoops said. "He’s a guy that reminds us a lot of Lane Johnson. Last check he’s taller than 6-6, almost 6-7, 285 or 90 pounds and is a good athlete."

The Sooners raved about Johnson's athleticism during his time in Norman, Okla. Now he's a potential first-round pick. OU hopes the same happens with Daimler, who is showing traits of unique athleticism at his size.

"He bends well, he uses his hands well and he stays on his feet," running backs coach Cale Gundy said.

One attribute that really stood out about Daimler is his ability to be athletic and keep his feet throughout a play, allowing him to make a bigger overall impact on plays. It wasn't unusual to see Johnson running down the field to get in position to make a downfield block. Diamler has shown similar traits.

"This is one of the guys we were able to spend time with at the satelitte camp in Houston," co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. "[He has] incredible length. When we watch offensive linemen it’s important to see guys with athletic ability who play hard, are hard-nosed but also can keep their feet. It’s difficult to find big people who can stay alive, keep their feet and stay on people and also play with the aggressiveness and toughness. You want to see a guy who dominates the line of scrimmage and pushes people around."

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

With Lane Johnson moving on to the NFL, the Sooners needed to bring in some immediate competition at the tackle position. Junior college signee Josiah St. John (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley Community College) fits the bill perfectly. At 6-foot-7, 300 pounds, St. John brings size and athleticism to the Sooners offensive line.

"We were looking for an older mature guy who can play tackle and help us at that position," co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. "That was an area of need with Lane Johnson leaving the program. He gives us maturity, gives us length and incredible depth at the position."

Tyrus Thompson, who saw extensive time at right tackle and spot duty at left tackle in 2012, could have stepped right in at left tackle with Daryl Williams at right tackle, but St. John will provide quality competition for both players, making nobody's starting spot secure under new offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

"Josiah St. John is a big tackle, all of 6-foot-6, 305 or so pounds and is an excellent athlete at that position," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said.

The Sooners fully expect St. John earn playing time this fall, with Stoops saying the Sooners don't bring in junior college players unless they anticipate immediate impact. Across the board, OU's offensive staff seems to believe St. John, the No. 6 player in the ESPNJC 100, could become a key contributor in 2013.

"Josiah St. John is somebody we expect can come in and help us immediately," running backs coach Cale Gundy said.

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Oklahoma offered Dannon Cavil (San Antonio/Madison) late in the recruiting process but it was just in time to land the receiver and get him on campus for spring football. The late addition could be the most physically impressive of the Sooners receivers signees at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds.

“He’s a great player who is already in our program," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "He’s a really mature kid, he approaches things the right way, he’s bright, he’s disciplined, focused, he wants to be a great player. Trevor Knight has talked about how far along he is for a guy coming in mid-year. We feel like we got a steal with him.”

As an early enrollee, Cavil is already working out with the Sooners and participated in testing in various drills and events, impressing the coaching staff.

“We already put our players through testing and he was probably in the top three of our receivers," running backs coach Cale Gundy said. "And here he is supposed to still be in high school. Great 40-yard dash, explosive in the broad and long jump.”

An hamstring injury hampered Cavil during his junior season, resulting in limited game film for the Sooners coaches to evaluate. After a strong -- and healthy -- senior season, Norvell evaluated Cavil and was confident he could help the Sooners.

"He did not play as a junior, didn’t have the film," Norvell said. "We’ve been trying to add size to our receivers. He’s a tremendous athlete for a big kid. How athletic he is and smooth he is is very rare for a kid his size. He’s a guy we absolutely love."

Departing senior Justin Brown showed the Sooners the value of a big physical receiver on the outside who can use his body and ball skills to create plays on third downs and in the red zone. Cavil fits that mold and could be even faster than Brown providing a better deep threat along with his unique size.

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Receiver Austin Bennett (Manvel, Texas/Manvel) signed with the Sooners despite late interest from Texas. His athletic traits fit right in line with the physical skills of recent Sooners slot receivers.

"Austin has a lot of the same qualities Jalen Saunders has," said receivers coach Jay Norvell, Bennett's primary recruiter. "We got to spend a lot of time with Austin at one of our satellite camps in Houston and that was a big benefit for us because we got a chance to work with him. You can look them in the eyes, tell them to do things and see how they react. I was so impressed with him. He has great agility in space. He has the ability to take direction then put it into play physically which is a real strength for a receiver. He has great characteristics, great mental toughness.”

The opportunity to evaluate prospects during those satellite camps can be invaluable. Norvell can see how a player responds to competition and how quickly they can apply coaching tips given to them during those camps. It's a way for recruits to separate themselves from other players of similar skills. And Bennett was one of those players who did exactly that last spring.

“Austin is such a good athlete he could play on both sides of the ball," running backs coach Cale Gundy said. "Obviously he’s not going to, he’s going to be on our side, but when you’re talking about a guy who could flip over and play corner, obviously he’s very talented. He’ll be a slot guy an extremely talented young man, a Jalen Saunders, Ryan Broyles-type.”

Broyles and Saunders make plays largely thanks to their quickness and open field ability and the Sooners think Bennett has the same traits. Even though Bennett only caught 42 passes for 676 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, the Sooners are confident he can be a productive slot receiver in OU's system.

“Austin played in a great program," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "We feel like he’s an electric player, he was at our camp in Houston and competed at a high level. He has the ability to make plays, great ability to make guys miss in space. His dad’s a coach, we love a lot of his makeup.”

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Running back Keith Ford (Cypress, Texas/Cypress Ranch) was the headliner of the class, ranking No. 27 in the ESPN 150 as the third-ranked running back in the nation. The UnderArmour All-American was unyielding in his commitment to the Sooners and earned high praise on signing day.

“He’s extremely strong and physical; he doesn’t look like an 18-year old kid," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "He’s a highly competitive player, he’s an inside runner who has the ability to hit home runs, he’s a guy that catches the ball out of the backfield really well, too. He’s a multidimensional back, a guy that’s only going to get better."

Even though Ford was highly productive in high school, the Sooners believe he still has upside and ways to improve. Like any high school running back, pass protection and toughness between the tackles should top the list of areas to improve for Ford. Yet that doesn't mean he's not ready to help right away.

"Because of the way he’s prepared his body to be a great player, he can come in and compete for a spot right away," Heupel said. "He feels confident in the opportunity that is here and the tradition at running back.”

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