Freaks List
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It’s August and we are now less than a month away from the 2022 football season! After a month in July where we were previewing individual teams, we’re taking a bigger picture look at the 2022 season. In this post, we take a look at some of the biggest freaks in Oklahoma. Before we get into it, we want to give a tip of the cap to longtime college football writer Bruce Feldman, who has been doing a college football “Freaks List” for years. That inspired us and we’re looking at some of the freaks here in Oklahoma. Who knows, maybe some of these players end up on Feldman’s yearly list in the future. Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma throughout the month of August for more preseason content!
Bai Jobe
Bai
Jobe
6'5" | DL
Community Christian | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Defensive Lineman – Community Christian
(Committed To Michigan State)
We’re doing this list alphabetically but when you think of the freaks in Oklahoma, Community Christian 2023 standout Bai Jobe Bai Jobe 6'5" | DL Community Christian | 2023 State OK is going to be near the top of any list. He’s only played football for a little over 12 months and has emerged as not only the top prospect in Oklahoma but one of the best prospects in the country. Jobe is an athlete that has an incredibly high ceiling when you consider how much he’s grown over the last 12 months and how much he will continue to improve moving forward.
What Makes Him A Freak: The eye test. You don’t have to watch Jobe do very much, either on a basketball floor or the football field to realize that he’s a very special talent athletically. He’s getting better and better on the football field and there’s a reason why he’s emerged as the new #1 prospect in the state’s 2023 class. The sky is the limit for this special athlete that is just scratching the surface on his true potential. When you talk about athletic freaks in Oklahoma, the conversation might begin with the Community Christian star.
Camden Crooks Camden Crooks 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR Cushing | 2023 State OK – 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back – Cushing
Coming into the 2022 season, you probably won’t find another wide receiver who has better numbers over the last three years than Cushing’s 2023 standout Camden Crooks Camden Crooks 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR Cushing | 2023 State OK . The Cushing star has been making plays since his freshman season and he’s a big reason why Cushing is ranked as the #1 team in our 4A rankings heading into this fall. Crooks is a complete player that has made an impact on offense, defense and in special teams. We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of numbers he puts up this fall as a senior.
What Makes Him A Freak: The production. Few wide receivers have put up the numbers that the Cushing wideout has put up over the last three seasons. Last year, Crooks was once again a finalist for our Player Of The Year award after putting up monster numbers in just 11 games on both sides of the ball. We’ve made this comparison before and we’ll do it again as we believe that Crooks will be this year’s version of Gavin Freeman from Heritage Hall, who is now at OU. Crooks is a Power Five talent and has the production to prove it.
Chance Jordan Chance Jordan 6'0" | 270 lbs | DL Morris | 2023 State OK – 2023 Defensive Lineman – Beggs
Beggs 2023 defensive tackle Chance Jordan Chance Jordan 6'0" | 270 lbs | DL Morris | 2023 State OK has been one of the top 2023 defensive prospects in the class over the last several ranking updates. After a sensational junior season, Jordan earned All State 1st Team honors as he was one of the top defensive tackles in the state. Coming into this season, Jordan and the Golden Demons are hungry to make another run in Class 2A but they don’t want to settle for just another semifinal appearance. They have the talent to make a trip to Edmond in December.
What Makes Him A Freak: The first step. Here’s another comparison we’ve made to a former Oklahoma HS freak as Jordan reminds us of former Vian defensive tackle Solomon Wright, who’s now at OSU. What made both of these defensive tackles major problems was the combination of an elite first step and then brute strength. Like Wright, Jordan isn’t the biggest defensive tackle in the state but his first step always gives him the advantage against an opponent and he combines that quickness with power and he demands a double team, and sometimes that’s not enough.
Chance Wilson
Chance
Wilson
6'3" | 185 lbs | QB
Rejoice Christian | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Quarterback – Rejoice Christian
(Committed To Montana State)
From one Class 2A contender to another with Rejoice Christian. In fact, Beggs and Rejoice Christian will play in week two so go ahead and circle that match-up. Rejoice Christian quarterback Chance Wilson Chance Wilson 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Rejoice Christian | 2023 State OK is coming off a junior season that ended with him being a finalist for our Player Of The Year award. And he comes into this season as the preseason All State 1st Team quarterback. He put up massive numbers in the passing and running game last fall and there’s no reason to think that he’ll be slowing down any time soon.
What Makes Him A Freak: Legit track speed with a cannon. Rejoice Christian’s track team was outstanding this spring and Wilson was a big part of that, helping win multiple championships. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback who is just as dangerous running the ball as he is throwing it. And he can throw it all over the yard. While the passing is continuing to improve every time he steps on the field, the fact that he has that legitimate speed to go along with his size makes him an absolute nightmare to defend at the Class 2A level.
Cole Adams
Cole
Adams
6'0" | WR
Owasso | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Wide Receiver – Owasso
(Committed To Alabama)
Staying in Owasso and also staying on the offensive side of the ball with Owasso 2023 wide receiver and Alabama commit Cole Adams Cole Adams 6'0" | WR Owasso | 2023 State OK . The Owasso standout has started since he was a freshman and he’ll be a player that Owasso opponents are glad to see graduate. Adams quickly became one of the top prospects on the national stage earlier this year when he had a 72-hour stretch where Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M all extended offers. From there, Adams became much more than just a regional prospect.
What Makes Him A Freak: Playmaking ability. Adams is going to be a four year starter for the Rams and has been a playmaker from the start of his career. One game that really stands out to us was the first game during his sophomore year. In the first quarter alone, Adams threw a touchdown, ran for a touchdown and caught a touchdown. There’s no doubt that Adams is one of the best playmakers in the state but his ability to have a complete impact on the offense makes him and the Owasso offense so hard to slow down.
Dalton Person Dalton Person 5'10" | 150 lbs | WR Verdigris | 2023 State OK – 2023 Wide Receiver – Verdigris
Verdigris 2023 wide receiver Dalton Person Dalton Person 5'10" | 150 lbs | WR Verdigris | 2023 State OK is part of a massive 2023 class at Verdigris that have been playing for several years now. Person is the first of two Verdigris Cardinals on this list and he has high expectations for himself this fall and the Cardinals do as well. Verdigris is coming off a semifinal appearance last year and they won’t be settling for another semifinal run this year. They want to make it all the way to the championship game. Class 3A is going to be very competitive this year but the Cardinals are definitely in the mix.
What Makes Him A Freak: The hands. It’s all about the hands when it comes to the Verdigris receiver. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it here, Person might have the best hands in the state and if the ball is even remotely near his catch radius, he’s going to come down with it. We’ve seen him completely locked up by a defensive back and yet still find the correct window to make the play on the ball. Person is a hidden gem in the state’s 2023 class and definitely belongs at the next level and he’s earned his spot as a freak receiver.
Daniel Okoye Daniel Okoye 6'4" | 225 lbs | DL NOAH | 2024 State OK – 2024 Defensive Lineman – NOAH
In most years, the Tulsa-area home school program NOAH doesn’t get as much pub as the OSSAA-member schools but that should change this fall and moving forward. They have some big time prospects, headlined by 2024 defensive lineman Daniel Okoye Daniel Okoye 6'4" | 225 lbs | DL NOAH | 2024 State OK . The junior pass rusher is one of the best in the state and has emerged as not only one of the best in Oklahoma, but he’s now considered a national prospect, being recruited by top programs all over the country. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Okoye and NOAH this fall.
What Makes Him A Freak: Elite pass rusher. During the spring, we watched plenty of film on the NOAH standout but during May and early June, it was our first chance to check out Okoye in person. He immediately passed the eye test physically and then we watched him go to work. Lining up against a left tackle, Okoye has so many moves between speed and raw power that make him very difficult to stay in front of. He’s emerged as one of the best overall prospects in the state’s 2024 class and is primed for a big 2022 season.
Erik McCarty
Erik
McCarty
6'2" | 175 lbs | DB
McAlester | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Running Back/Defensive Back – McAlester
(Committed To Oklahoma)
Few players are going to be as motivated as McAlester 2023 standout and Oklahoma commit Erik McCarty Erik McCarty 6'2" | 175 lbs | DB McAlester | 2023 State OK as he goes into his senior season. He’s been one of the top players in the state over the last two years, including last year’s Player Of The Year. But the Buffaloes fell short of their ultimate goal of the state championship and McCarty has certainly not forgotten the sour taste of that loss. We think that McCarty is going to have yet another stellar season and McAlester will once again be in the championship mix this fall.
What Makes Him A Freak: Everything. Yes, that’s not exactly descriptive but McCarty was the top football player in the state last year and it was easy to see why when you looked at his offensive and defensive numbers and he even made an impact in special teams. McCarty is going into this season not only looking to produce at the same level as last year but he’s looking to end the season with the gold ball. Whether it’s at running back or safety, McAlester’s opponents need to know where McCarty is at all times.
Jacobe Johnson Jacobe Johnson 6'4" | DB Mustang | 2023 State OK – 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back – Mustang
It’s always interesting to see which prospects remain top prospects from their freshman to senior years. Some prospects fall off, some get passed by other emerging stars. For Mustang’s Jacobe Johnson Jacobe Johnson 6'4" | DB Mustang | 2023 State OK , he’s been a top ten prospect in Oklahoma since his freshman year and nothing has changed from then to now. Johnson heads into his senior season as one of the best players in Oklahoma. He announced earlier this week that he is ready to make his college decision later this month and he’s currently one of the top available prospects in the state’s ’23 class.
What Makes Him A Freak: Two-way threat. Not only is Johnson an impact player on both sides of the ball but he’s an impact player in two sports. In addition to being a top ten overall prospect in our 2023 football rankings. He’s also a top ten overall prospect in the state’s 2023 class for basketball and has been recruited by power five programs for both sports. While it appears Johnson is ready to pursue his future as a football player, there’s no doubt that he’s one of the best overall athletes in the state of Oklahoma today.
Luke Hasz
Luke
Hasz
6'4" | TE
Bixby | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Tight End – Bixby
(Committed To Arkansas)
We expect Bixby tight end and Arkansas commit Luke Hasz Luke Hasz 6'4" | TE Bixby | 2023 State OK to have a monster senior season this fall. We think his production will be much more reminiscent of his breakout sophomore season. This is crazy to say but Bixby was so loaded on offense that Hasz wasn’t needed as much last fall. They’ll need him this year as they move into 6A-1 and replace superstar running back Braylin Presley. Look for Hasz to become a frequent target within the Bixby offense this fall and show why he’s been a top prospect since that breakout sophomore season.
What Makes Him A Freak: Strength. From the minute he stepped back on the football field as a sophomore, the Bixby standout became a huge problem for defenses. The combination of catching and then pure strength makes Hasz one of the more dangerous tight ends to come out of Oklahoma in over a decade. Hasz is nearly impossible to bring down in a 1 on 1 situation for any linebacker or defensive back and he’s a red zone nightmare for opposing defenses. There’s a reason he’s one of the top overall prospects in the ’23 class.
Morgan Pearson Morgan Pearson 6'2" | 220 lbs | ATH Plainview | 2023 State OK – 2023 Wide Receiver – Plainview
Another 2023 prospect that has been a star since emerging as a freshman is Plainview’s Morgan Pearson Morgan Pearson 6'2" | 220 lbs | ATH Plainview | 2023 State OK . While he has become much more than just a wide receiver prospect, Pearson is still one of the best playmakers at that position. Pearson has been considered one of the top offensive prospects in the state’s 2023 class for several years now but things are opening up to him being much more at the next level. But first, Pearson and Plainview will attempt to make it back to the state title game for the second time in four years.
What Makes Him A Freak: The versatility. We wrote about Pearson yesterday in the “Top Available Prospects” and the biggest thing that separates him from other players is his versatility. He’s being recruited at four different positions to play D1 football, not to mention the fact that he has baseball offers from OU and OSU. Pearson has been one of the top wide receivers in the state over the last few years but as he’s added on more muscle to his frame, teams at the next level are starting to see him as an overall athlete and recruiting him accordingly.
Ravian Larry Ravian Larry 6'1" | RB Idabel | 2025 State OK – 2025 Running Back – Idabel
The only 2025 prospect on this list and the only full time running back, with the exception of McAlester’s McCarty, who plays defensive back as well. Larry had a breakout season last year and we first checked him out about halfway thru the year after seeing what kind of start he had in September. Larry already looks like the real deal and he’s one of several small school talents in the state’s 2025 class that have already gotten attention. We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of production he has this fall.
What Makes Him A Freak: High Ceiling. The 2025 class has quite a few running backs that have already emerged and the overall class has a chance to be pretty special. But it’s the Idabel standout that has risen to the top after an outstanding freshman season. You throw on the tape and you see a running back who looks like he already belongs at the next level and he still has three more years of high school ball. When you talk about high ceilings, you have to talk about Larry. He’s already great, where will he be in three years?
Reese Roller Reese Roller 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Verdigris | 2023 State OK – 2023 Linebacker – Verdigris
The other Verdigris Cardinal on this list is 2023 linebacker Reese Roller Reese Roller 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Verdigris | 2023 State OK . The Verdigris backer had a breakout season during his sophomore season and he continued that last fall as a junior. We’ve written about this quite a bit but one of the things that stands out about Roller’s career was early in his sophomore season where he had back to back games with five sacks. Ten sacks in two games. That’s just absurd and Roller has made it look easy when it comes to getting after the quarterback.
What Makes Him A Freak: The Field IQ. When it comes to the linebackers in the state, Roller is one of the more undersized prospects but it doesn’t keep him out of opposing backfields. Roller has put up monster sack numbers over the last two seasons and he’s done it against some of the better offensive linemen in the state. Roller uses a quick first step, excellent hand placement and a blend of power and speed to dismantle any offensive lineman trying to keep him out of the backfield. Those skills are why he’s the only linebacker on this list.
Will Smith Will Smith 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Choctaw | 2024 State OK – 2024 Defensive Lineman – Choctaw
The Choctaw Yellowjackets are hoping to become the new kings of Class 6A-2 with Bixby moving up to 6A-1. They appear to have the talent to do it on both sides of the ball and one of the new faces we expect to have a big year is 2024 defensive lineman Will Smith Will Smith 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Choctaw | 2024 State OK . The Choctaw athlete will be moving around from defensive end to linebacker and will line up all over the field as the Yellowjackets look to take advantage of his athleticism. We expect Smith to be one of the breakout stars of the 2022 football season.
What Makes Him A Freak: Athleticism. When we first decided to do this list, Smith was one of the first players that we thought of. The first time I saw Smith in person was on the basketball floor in January. It was apparent immediately that he was one of the best athletes on the floor. I immediately shot a message to Choctaw football coach Jake Corbin asking if Smith was also a football player. Smith has an incredibly bright future on the gridiron if he can use that raw athleticism to terrorize offenses as he’ll always be one of the top athletes on the field.
XaDavien Sims XaDavien Sims 6'4" | 275 lbs | DL Durant | 2024 State OK – 2024 Defensive Lineman – Durant
Earlier this offseason, we wrote about the new move in to Durant with 2024 defensive lineman XaDavien Sims XaDavien Sims 6'4" | 275 lbs | DL Durant | 2024 State OK , formerly of Sherman, Texas. At the time, we wrote that Sims would immediately become the state’s top overall 2024 prospect the second he stepped foot into Oklahoma and that’s where we’re at now. Sims is the #1 overall prospect in the state and he’s been recruited as such. The Lions are hoping to get a big boost from Sims and some other big names this fall as they look to become a winner in Class 5A.
What Makes Him A Freak: Power. The first time I saw Sims in person was in the winter of 2020, following his freshman season. Sims already looked like a freak as a freshman and I was told on that day that top programs like Alabama would be after him. That’s exactly what has happened. Sims is so strong at the point of attack and he doesn’t just have size and strength but he’s incredibly athletic to go along with it. That’s a terrifying combination of attributes when you’re an offensive lineman and you’re trying to keep him out of the backfield.