Oklahoma Sooners

For a recruit from the Los Angeles area, Norman, Okla., won’t often feel like a home away from home. But it is for ESPN Watch List wide receiver Dallis Todd (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada).

Todd created quite a stir a couple of weeks ago when he said he might commit to Oklahoma on his unofficial visit if everything went well.

It did, and Todd lived up to his word. A source confirmed on Monday afternoon that Todd committed to the Sooners following a great trip over the weekend.

Todd, who is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, has aunts and uncles in the Oklahoma City area and he said being able to be close to his family was going to be important.

OU still had to deliver on the visit, and the Sooners did that in spades. Todd spent the majority of his time with OU wide receivers coach Jay Norvell. When he wasn’t with Norvell, he was with fellow OU commit ESPN Watch List quarterback Justice Hansen (Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe).

The bond between Todd and Hansen was so tight that Todd came along for Hansen’s surprise dinner on Saturday night to celebrate his commitment.

Todd said Saturday night he was feeling great about the Sooners, but he wasn’t going to commit without talking to his parents. He flew by himself to OU and wanted to talk to his parents face-to-face. Once that was done, he said his first call would be to Norvell to let him know he was joining Hansen in pledging to the Sooners.

Despite how much Todd expressed his interest in OU, it was still questionable if he would follow through on his commitment. With so many schools interested and one top offer after another coming his way -- Todd's offers include Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma State -- nobody would have blamed him had he decided to wait.

Instead OU once again has a big-time receiver recruit in the fold. Two weeks ago ESPN Watch List wide receiver Armanti Foreman (Texas City, Texas/Texas City) decommitted from OU. It never takes long for Norvell to find an answer.

Todd is OU’s fourth commit of the 2014 class and continues OU’s string of being able to land quality recruits from California.

NORMAN, Okla. – Other than Oklahoma’s quarterback derby, the most hotly contested battle for playing time on the offense this spring resides at wide receiver.

Gone are Kenny Stills and Justin Brown – or 155 receptions, 1,838 yards and 16 touchdowns – creating a huge void several players are vying to fill.

Returning starters Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard are certainties to be in the rotation. But after them it’s, well, wide open.

“There’s been a lot of competition at the receiver position,” said receivers coach Jay Norvell. “Several guys are doing a lot of good things. We’re just trying to find guys who can be accountable and trustworthy -- who can be dependable day in and day out.”

Those fighting for a starting role, or at a spot in the rotation, include seniors Jaz Reynolds and Lacoltan Bester, sophomores Trey Metoyer and Durron Neal and freshmen Derrick Woods and Dannon Cavil. While none so far has assured himself of playing time, these next two weeks of spring ball will go a long way in determining who plays -- and who doesn’t -- next season.

“We have a lot of guys that are in that range right now in that they show flashes, but haven’t been able to show that consistency to line up in that first unit,” Norvell said. “But that is what spring practice is all about, though, and we’ve had guys show up every day and compete and execute. The guys that do that at the end of spring usually win those spots for the fall.”

Going into the spring, Bester, who transferred in from junior college last year, seemed like the least likely emerge out of the competition. After playing sporadically early, Bester fell completely out of rotation as younger players passed him on the depth chart; he finished with only three catches all season.

Bester, however, has brought a new attitude to spring ball, which has helped him make the plays in practice he didn’t last year.

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NORMAN, Okla. -- After a freshman season that did not go as planned, Oklahoma receiver Durron Neal appears poised to make an impact during his second year on campus. With Kenny Stills and Justin Brown moving on to the NFL, Neal is in the middle of a competition to replace the Sooners' starting outside receiver duo.

“I’m very excited,” Neal said. “I’m up to the challenge. It’s one of the reasons I came here. My coaches believe in me, my teammates believe in me and I’m ready to step up and not let them down.”

At one point last summer it appeared the Sooners would lean on Neal to make an immediate impact as a freshman. Then Brown joined the program in August after transferring from Penn State and Jalen Saunders became eligible after four games of the 2012 season following his transfer from Fresno State, allowing Stills to move back outside after spending the first month of the season at slot receiver.

Suddenly OU had two veteran receivers on the outside and Neal was left to watch and learn despite playing himself out of a redshirt season with a strong preseason camp. Neal and the Sooners are hoping his learning experience will pay off during his sophomore season.

“Every day last year I took in all I could,” Neal said. “I came in and was ready to learn. I knew I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew. Coming in, I really used Kenny as a resource because I knew that’s who I’d be backing up.”

Even though he saw limited action, Neal flashed some playmaking ability.

“When Durron was in games he did a great job,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “He's a big play type guy, and strong.”

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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.

The Sooners are confident they landed a diamond in the rough with K.J. Young (Perris, Calif./Citrus Hill). The receiver signee didn't see his recruiting pick up until the final weeks of the process but was a hot commodity in January.

“K.J. is a guy that everybody kept finding out about a little bit late," OU head coach Bob Stoops said while noting at Oregon and Nebraska were among the schools pursuing Young in January. "He has good size, and an amazing athlete. Everyone started to realize what a great athlete he is. He makes all kind of plays and is a strong kid. A good player who can do a lot of things.”

At 6-foot, 183 pounds, Young appears to have the skills and versatility to play the slot or outside receiver for the Sooners. He flew under the radar until linebackers coach Tim Kish unearthed him for the Sooners after his stellar senior season.

"He really blew up during the course of his senior year," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "He’s a great athlete, explosive and he uses his hands well.”

Once he got a glimpse at his game film, offering Young wasn't a hard decision for receivers coach Jay Norvell. It's easy to see with Young, he has terrific ball skills, open field ability and appears to have a innate ability to make plays.

"It doesn't really matter when you find a guy, when you see the film, the film doesn't lie," Norvell said. "He's a very versatile guy, he has great hands, great body control."

Norvell compared Young to former Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison as a 6-footer with long arms and big hands, allowing him to play bigger and longer than his height. He said it's a unique trait which always intrigues him when he sees it in a receiver.

"There's no doubt he'll fit in perfectly in our offense," Norvell said. "He does a lot of things very well and it's hard to deny a kid like that from coming to your program when he can help your team in so many ways."