OU football gets 2012 verbal #9 in top ranked center, Ty Darlington

Early Friday morning some rumors started to leak out about a possible commitment from the nations #1 ranked center for 2012 Ty Darlington, but those rumors were quickly rebuffed by Darlington's father.  He said that no decision had been made yet, the key word apparently being 'yet' as SoonerScoop and OU Pest have learned that the decision is now official. 

Darlington joins Kyle Marrs as the second offensive linemen 2012 commit for the Sooners.  Obviously any time you can get a commitment from the #1 ranked recruit at their respective position it's always a good thing.  Heading into his senior year, Darlington is already listed at 6'3" 275 pounds which is around where both Ben Habern and Jon Cooperplayed during their time at OU.  Which means when he does arrive in Norman, he won't have nearly the taks that both Habern and Cooper did in having to add so much weight in order to handle Big 12 defenders.  So once he has a chance to get into a D-1 strength program like the one at OU, it will only help to further his physical development. 

In addition to his ideal size, Darlington has excellent feet for the position and as you'll see in the video below, is more than capable of pulling into space and eating up defenders down field.  Just outstanding agility for a kid his size, which Coach Patton and Coach Kittle will surely take advantage of once they get him on campus.  He could eventually shift to guard, depending just how much size he does add over the next couple years, but right now he looks like the prototypical OU center of the last decade. 

Darlington turned down offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, and Virginia Tech among others to become the latest member of OU's class of 2012.  Welcome to Sooner Nation Ty!!!