OSU’s Track Record of In-State Defensive Recruits Bodes Well for Collin Oliver

When Mike Gundy lands a highly touted defender from Oklahoma, it almost always means good things for the Cowboys in the next four seasons.

Collin Oliver’s commitment Friday made him the fifth-highest rated in-state defensive recruit OSU has landed since 2000. He is the highest rated since Gyasi Akem in 2014, meaning Oliver is rated higher than recent stars Jordan Brailford, Trace Ford and Calvin Bundage. Out of Edmond Santa Fe, Oliver roams the same high school halls Ford and Bundage used to.

Here is every in-state defender OSU has landed with a composite score of .8700 or higher.

Player	Score	Class	Position
Derek Burton	0.9376	2006	Defensive End
Nathan Peterson	0.9222	2004	Defensive End
Gyasi Akem	0.9163	2014	Linebacker
Daytawion Lowe	0.9053	2009	Safety
Collin Oliver	0.8901	2021	Linebacker
Trace Ford	0.8897	2019	Defensive End
Jordan Brailford	0.8894	2014	Defensive End
Calvin Bundage	0.8770	2016	Linebacker

That group of seven (not including Oliver obviously) includes three All-Big 12 selections, a combined 792 career tackles, 104 tackles for loss, 48 sacks, eight interceptions and 11 forced fumbles.

OSU hasn’t always hit on high-level offensive prospects from the state (see Tramonda Moore, Grayson Boomer or John Kolar), but when they Cowboys get a highly ranked Oklahoman defender, he is usually a good one.

The state is filled with defensive studs in the cycle. Oliver is ranked fourth in the state in his class and the three above him are on the defensive side of the ball. The state’s highest-rated recruit Kendal Daniels is a safety out of Beggs. He recently announced a top four of Clemson, Oklahoma, LSU and Texas A&M.

Then there’s Weatherford defensive end Ethan Downs. He’s the No. 162 prospect in the country and committed to OU.

Union’s A.J. Green is listed as a corner and a running back on recruiting sites. At the end of March, he listed a top eight of OSU, OU, LSU, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Michigan and South Carolina.

There is still a long way to go for Oliver, and his score will almost certainly fluctuate a bit before the final 2021 ranking. But, if he can have production levels similar to Nathan Peterson, Jordan Brailford or Daytawion Lowe, OSU fans will look back fondly on this recruiting get.