(This article will be updated as signatories become official)
STILLWATER – The February signing period is finally here and the state of Oklahoma is looking to put the finishing touches on its signing class of 2023!
Pokes Report has put together in-depth recruiting profiles on new high school additions, as well as transfers that have been added to the team since the December signing window.
You can click HERE to see the players from HS and JUCO who were added during the December signing period, which was 17 in total, as well as seven transfers.
–Quarterback–
Alan Bowman, TR QB, 6-3, 216 lbs, Grapvine, TX, Texas Tech/Michigan
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Commitment Date: 9/1/2023
Achievements: College: 2020 – 1st team All-Academic Big 12; 2019 – 1st team All-Academic Big 12; 2018 – Honorable Mention Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien QB of the Week, Davey O’Brien Great Eight (performance vs. Oklahoma State); High school: 2017 – District 8-5A General MVP; 2016 – District 8-5A General MVP in 2016
Key Stats: College: 2022 – 6 of 7, 60 yards, 1 TD; 2021 – 2 of 4, 9 yards, 1 int; 2020 – 150 of 232, 64.7%, 1,602 yards, 10 TDs, 1 int; 2019 – 101 of 154, 65.6%, 1,020 yards, 10 TDs, 7 ints; 2018 – 227 of 327, 69.4%, 2,638 yards, 17 TDs, 7 ints; High school: 2017 – 3,570 yards through the air to go with 38 touchdowns; 2016 – 3,329 passing yards with 42 touchdowns and only six interceptions; 2015 – 2,740 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions; 2014 – 1,754 passing yards and 12 touchdowns
Scouting Report: Bowman threw for 781 yards and five touchdowns to go 1-1 in his two appearances for Texas Tech at Oklahoma State (2018 and 2020). He will pick up the rust having played just five total games in his two seasons at Michigan. He was frequently injured at Texas Tech, including problems with a collapsed lung. When he was healthy, he sizzled and racked up huge numbers. He’s big and he’s athletic. He won’t be much of a threat handling the ball, but he is more than capable of moving around the hole and continuing to play. I like his wisdom and his football IQ level. He will be a strong positive influence with younger quarterbacks in the quarterback room and on the driving range.
–run back–
Elijah Collins, TR RB, 6-1, £216, Detroit (University of Detroit Jesuit), Michigan, State of Michigan
Michigan State University Athletics
Commitment Date: 01/14/2023
Achievements: University: 2019 – Third-team All-Big 10 honorable mention (average & PFF) All-Big 10 (coaches); High school: 2017 – Top RB Prospect in Michigan by Rivals.com, 247Sports and The Detroit News, The Detroit News All-State Division 1-2 Team, MLive Detroit Dream Team, First Team All-State selection by The Associated Press and Detroit Free Press (Division 2), Detroit Free Press All-Detroit Team; 2016 – Honorable Mention Detroit News All-State Division 1-2 Team, Detroit Free Press All-Detroit Team, Detroit News All-Metro
Key Stats: College: 2022 – 70 cars. for 318 yds, 6 TDs, 4.5 ypc, 14 recs. for 93 yds; 2021 – 18 cars. for 102 yards, 5.7 ypc, 3 rec. for 34 yards, TDs; 2020 – 41 cars. for 90 yds. 2.2 ypc, 4 recs. for 34 yds; 2019 – 222 cars. for 988 yds, 4.5-ypc, 5 TDs, 15 recs. for 99 yds; 2018 – 2 cars. for 8 yards; High school: 2017 – 134 cars. for 1,076 yds, 8.0-ypc, 9 TDs, 10 recs. for 102 yds, touchdowns, 73 tackles, 2 ints; 2016 – 721yds. rushing and 14 TDs, 19 rec. for 306 yards, 5 TDs.
Scouting Report: Collins graduated from Michigan State and went to Oklahoma State shortly thereafter. He’s a great full-back who can also find open spaces as demonstrated by what can be seen in the video. He is a good pass receiver and is an excellent pass protector, which will come in handy. Force personnel have been high on him since he arrived. His work ethic is excellent and he will set a good example, but Oklahoma State needs him to show that they still have a lot of tread on his tires.
-Wide Receiver-
Leon Johnson III, TR WR, 6-5, 207 lbs, Bothell, Washington, George Fox University
George Fox University Athletics
Commitment Date: 1/10/2023
Achievements: University: 2022 – AFCA DIII First-Team All-American, Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year, one NWC First Team selection, D3Football.com All-Region; 2021 – All-NWC honorable mention; High school: 2018 – All-Kings County honorable mention
Key Stats: College: 2022 – 55 rec. for 1,156 yards, 14 TDs, 1,205 all-purpose yards; 2021 – 30 recs, 540 yards, 3 TDs, 18.0-ypr; 2020 – DNP; 2019 – 25 recs, 450 yards, 6 TDs, 18.0-ypr; High school: 2018 – 24 rec. for 334 yards, 3 TDs, 5 blocked kicks, 17 tackles
Scouting Report: He is an all-around athlete who also played high school baseball and at George Fox. He is big and athletic but he will have to get stronger. There is no doubt that this is a range to bring a Division III All-American to distinction in the Big 12. He has a physical shot and is a very intelligent young man. I think he will help. He had an NFL scout pointing him in this direction, so the Oklahoma State staff isn’t the only one who thinks he could make this leap.
Arland Bruce IV, TR Slot/RB, 5-10, £198, Olathe (North), Kan., University of Iowa
Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
Commitment Date: 01/14/2023
Achievements: College: 2021 – Team Hustle Award; High school: 2020 – Des Moines Register Elite All-State team, first team All-State; 2019 – Kansas City Metro Player of the Year, First-team All-State; 2018 – Second-team All-State, First-team All-Conference; 2017 – All-Conference Honorable Mention
Key Stats: College: 2022 – 19 rec. for 187 yd, 9.8 ypr, 1 TD, 12 cars, for 47 yd, 4.3 ypc, 1 TD; 2021 – 25 rec. for 209 yards, 8.4 years, 1 TD, 10 cars. for 65 yards, 4.3 ypc, 3 TDs; High school: 2020-81 cars. for 660 yds. and 8 rushing TDs, 30 rec. for 451 yds. and 5 receiving TDs; 2019 – 2,479 yards and 43 touchdowns rushing, passing for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns; 2018 – 1,379 rushing yards, 1,209 passing yards, 35 total touchdowns; 2017 – 819 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns
Scouting Report: Bruce IV is a multi-talented athlete and has a lot of experience. He will step in and be able to do all the things and maybe more that Richardson has done in a similar role. In addition to his skills at the slot and running back, he wows the Oklahoma State staff as a kicker and punt returner to accompany Brennan Presley and Jaden Nixon. The ceiling on Bruce is very high.
Jalen Pope, Slot, 5-11, 180 lbs, Aledo, Texas
Oklahoma State football/Twitter
Pokes Report Ranking: 4 stars
Commitment Date: 01/15/2023
Achievements: 2022 – 1st team All-District 5A-3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram 1st team All-Area, Academy Sports and Outdoor State Championship Player of the Game
Key stats: 2022 – 64 rec. for 1,252 yards, 14 TDs, 19.6 yards; 2021 – 18 rec. for 343 yd., 6 TDs
Scouting Report: Just start with these numbers: eight receptions for 228 yards and three touchdowns. That’s what Pope did at AT&T Stadium in Aledo’s 52-14 win over College Station in the Class 5A-I State Championship Game to earn Player of the Game honors. Pope really is one of those lagging seniors as he poured it compared to what he had in the past. It’s a 4.49 out of forty that he excelled on the track for Aledo and he will race again this spring. He plays bigger than his height 5-11 and not only has good speed, but also better football speed.
Other schools considered: Tulsa, Air Force Columbia, Lafayette
Tykie Andrews, WR, 6-1, 175 lbs, Enid, Okla.
Chirping
Poke Report Ranking: 3 stars
Commitment Date: 01/14/2023
Achievements: 2022 – The Oklahoman 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-District 6A-I-1, Vype Top 100 and Mr. Football nominee, 1st Team All-Vype 6A-I; 2021 – 2nd Team All-District 6A-I-1
Key Stats: 2022 – 135 rec. for 1,551 yards, 17 TDs
Scouting Report: Andrews combines speed (4X100 meter relay anchor) and excellent ball skills from his longtime basketball job. He should have been drafted more heavily, but playing for a rebounding schedule under former multiple Oklahoma State All-American and first-round NFL draft pick Rashaun Woods. Woods has put a lot of himself into coaching Andrews and it shows when you watch him play. He is an excellent course runner who is able to position his body to be the best at getting the kick. I think this is a steal on the second day of signing.
Other schools considered: Air Force, Navy, Dartmouth, Drake
–Tight End–
Josiah Johnson, TR TE, 6-5, £240, Jacksonville (The Bolles School), Fla., University of Massachusetts
Mass athletics
Commitment Date: 1/5/2023
Achievements: College: Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team (Tight End); High school: All-District as Jr. and Sr.; He made the playoffs all four years of high school and helped Bolles School to a 49-7 record, also drafted for the Bolles School basketball team and was a two-time captain
Key Stats: College: 2022-23 rec. for 163 yards; 2021-6 cars. for 50 yards and 2 TDs and 11 recs. for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns; 2020 – 6 of 9 passing 39 yards, 12 cars. for 32 yards, 3 recs. for 48 yards; 2019 – 12 rec. for 139 yards and 2 TDs; High school: He amassed 1,775 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes on a Wing T offensive system during his senior season, during which he rushed for more than 300 yards and scored on the ground seven times.
Scouting Report: A former quarterback turned tight end is a lot more physical than you might think because he was a wing-T quarterback in high school who often found himself blocking the lead. He is a one year player at Oklahoma State. I expect him to help pitch the tight end with solid blocking and the kind of athleticism and size that can help as a receiver.
–Defensive Tackling–
Justin Kirkland, TR DT, 6-4, 330 pounds, Roy, Utah, Utah Tech
Sean Ellertson USA TODAY Sports
Justin Kirkland (55)
Commitment Date: 6/1/2023
Achievements: High School: He was a four-year varsity letter winner in football and a three-time All-Region selection in both offensive and defensive lines earned All-State honors in both OL and DL as a senior team captain in 2019, was All-Conference in both 2019 and 2018, also enrolled in basketball, tennis and track and field… graduated with a 3.88 GPA.
Key Stats: College: 2022 – 40 total tackles, 18 unassisted, 6.0 tfl, 2.0 sack, 1 fum.rec, 3 passes defended; High school: 61 tackles, 8.0 tfl, 1.0 sack, 2 fum.caused, 1 fum. rec and 2 blocked kicks; 2018 – 46 tackles, 6.0 tfl, 2.0 sacks; 2017 – 40 tackles, 3.0 tfl, 3.0 sacks
Scouting Report: Kirkland is a beast, and he went in and brought back to 6-4, 335 pounds. During testing he promptly performed 35 reps on the 225-pound bench press rep test. Here is a potentially dominant two-gap nose tackle that will get a dramatic push at the line of scrimmage. He’s built for what new defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo will want to get down there in the middle of the line of scrimmage. He is 21 after serving his LDS mission before starting college. He was more than competitive than you’d imagine picking up the rust his freshman season at Utah Tech.
