We’ve arrived at the time of the year when the candidates for the 2021 national individual awards are revealed and Oklahoma football will be well represented. One of the chief reasons the Sooners are expected to be a prime national championship contenders this season is because of a defense that has gone from one of […]
Currently, the 6’3 Nelson is rated as the No. 1 player from the Golden State in 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings of the 2023 recruiting class, as well as the No. 2 QB in the nation and No. 5 overall prospect. His pledge on Sunday, along with RB Treyaun Webb’s commitment on Saturday, momentarily gives Oklahoma the second-highest rated class with still another year and a half remaining before National Signing Day.
From watching his film highlights, there’s no question that the kid has the kind of supreme arm talent that Lincoln Riley has been known to do wonders with. If that’s not enough, he’s also well-versed in the art of throwing the horns down. Welcome to the Sooners, Malachi. Boomer!
Malachi Nelson is starting early with the Horns Down!
Now onto this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! Awards Watch List season is here, OU hoops hero Austin Reaves is set to meet with the Sixers this week, Coco is a no-go for the Olympic Games and more!
OU Links
On Monday, redshirt sophomore QB Spencer Rattler and true sophomore WR Marvin Mims were each named to the 2021 Maxwell Award Watch List. This annual individual honor goes to the nation’s best all-around collegiate player as per the Maxwell Football Club.
In related news, senior DE Isaiah Thomas and junior EDGE Nik Bonitto have each been named to the 2021 Bednarik Award Watch List. This honor is annually given to the top defensive player in the nation.
With the 2021 NBA Draft set to go down on July 29, former Oklahoma men’s basketball star Austin Reaves reportedly plans on visiting with the Philadelphia 76ers this Wednesday.
Heartland College Sports’ Ray Dozier recently wrote about OU’s current streak of six consecutive Big 12 Championships and where that ranks among the program’s history of conference title runs.
American tennis star Coco Gauff will unfortunately miss the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after she recently tested positive for COVID-19.
Speaking of COVID-19, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey opened media days with an announcement that conference game forfeits are in play for the 2021 season rather than postponements if a team is unable to compete due to a COVID-depleted roster in a given week.
A vehicle belonging to Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo was recently stolen, along with all of his personal items inside the vehicle at the time of the theft. The NFL pro has since taken to social media, asking for the return of his football cleats if nothing else.
Nowhere are the popular “Hook’em” and “Horns Down” gestures more prevalent than at the annual Red River rivalry game in Dallas every October. For several years now, Big 12 officials have warned that they are cracking down on the Horns Down hand gesture when used on the field to taunt Longhorn players. But the verbal […]
This past weekend turned out to be a huge recruiting bonanza for the Oklahoma football program, adding top prospects for both 2022 and 2023. The perfect ending came on Sunday, when the Sooners landed their third five-star quarterback commit in the last three recruiting cycles. He was one of four recruiting commitments the Sooners received […]
Joe Jon Finley secures his first Sooner commitment.
Joe Jon Finley has secured his first commitment as an official member of the Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff as Kaden Helms, a flex tight-end from Bellevue, Nebraska, has announced his intention to continue his athletic and academic career in Norman. The athletic pass catcher has chosen OU over programs such as North Carolina, Auburn, Arizona State and Miami.
At Bellevue (Neb.) West High School, Helms plays a “tweener” role between being a receiver and a tight end. With that in mind, if I had to compare him to a previous Sooner I would say he seems like a taller Grant Calcaterra. Built with a 6’5, 222lbs frame, Helms often flips between playing on the inside and outside because of his athleticism. At this point of his progression, he’s still very much a finesse pass catcher with the tools to become a great blocker, but the amount of upside in his game within a Lincoln Riley offense is fun to imagine. I imagine that Helms likes to try to model his game after George Kittle, a former Norman resident (and Pro Bowl TE), who signed with Iowa at a frame of 6’4, 230lbs. What jumps off at the film is his athleticism and speed in the open field along with his basketball skills of high pointing the ball well after sealing off his opponent from the ball.
Helms is Oklahoma’s 15th commitment for the 2022 recruiting cycle and the second TE of the class. According to 247Sports Composite, Kaden Helms is the No. 3 player from the state of Nebraska as well as the No. 15 overall TE. Riley’s Sooners haven’t really had a consistent pass catcher and blocker at tight end in the lineup since Kyler Murray was throwing the ball to Grant Calcaterra and that is no fault to either Austin Stogner or Calc because of their own health struggles. Once both Helms and Llewellyn enter the Bennie Wylie training program, both have the capability of being dynamic playmakers in Riley’s offense as tall, long armed, athletic tight ends.
While awaiting what is anticipated to be another huge recruiting announcement on Sunday, the Oklahoma football program picked up its first 2023 commitment on Saturday. Four-star running back Treyaun Webb announced his commitment on Saturday to play at Oklahoma. Webb, from Jacksonville, Florida, is rated as the No. 13 prospect in the state of Florida […]
