Oklahoma Sooners Football Recruiting / The Top 5 Commits that Got Away

In recruiting players will inevitably decommit. Many deplore this but the reality is that it happens a lot. Just over the past week or so Texas Tech lost longtime commitment and elite QB recruit Jarrett Stidham and Texas lost longtime OL commit Toby Weathersby.

Further there is always the recruit that was supposedly a "lock" for your school and end up going somewhere else. In light of that I thought that it might be interesting to look at the "Top 5 Commits that Got Away" from the Sooners. It doesn't necessarily mean that the players were committed, but most thought that these players were going to end up playing in Norman. So here are the players.

1. Robert Meachum

Meachum was the can't miss WR prospect from Booker T Washington High School in Tulsa, OK. He was a consensus 5 star recruit. Most assumed that was a lock to suit up for the Sooners but pulled a signing day schocker, but signing his LOI with the Tennessee Volunteers. Those who followed recruiting at that time, remember the message board meltdown, obscenities, and the multiple rescues of fans about to jump off the ledge. In fact many even said that Meachum had told the Sooner coaches the night before National Signing Day that he was headed to Norman. Many also said that his entire family assumed he would end up in Norman. Meachum to this day is known in OU recruiting circles as "the one who's name we don't mention" or "the one we don't talk about"

Meachum went on to a decent career as a Volunteer and was drafted in the 1st round (Pick 27) by the New Orleans Saints in the 2007 NFL Draft. Meachum has to date caught 176 passes for 2,885 yards and 27 touchdowns.

2. Justin Manning

If the name sounds familiar it should. Justin is the little brother of former Sooner DT DeMarcus Granger. He grew up around in, around, and through the Sooner program to speak. Most assumed that Manning would commit early to the Sooners, and anchor the DL just like Granger. This however was not the case. The Sooners were delayed in offering Manning (he still received his offer before his Senior year of high school began). There was something always off with Manning's recruitment. The reality was seen as Manning committed and signed his LOI with Texas A&M. There was a meltdown and Sooner fans were upset to say it nicely. This also most likely was the straw that broke the camel's back regarding Jackie Shipp as the DL coach for the Sooners.

According to former Sooner JD Runnels Manning is in the DL rotation for the Ag's

@CCMachine @42Sooners *rotated

— J.D. Runnels jr. (@Just_JD38) December 14, 2014

3. Arthur Brown

Arthur Brown's recruitment was a circus. He has an interesting mentor/handler/agent while in high school in Wichita Kansas. Brown had offers from across the country, but most assumed it would be a Sooner vs. Wildcat battle for Brown's signature. Brown ended up at Miami as a Hurricane. His stay was rather short at "The U" and he ended up back at KSU. His career was pretty decent at KSU and eventually found himself a part of the Baltimore Ravens

4. XLK (Xavier Lawson Kennedy)

XLK was a big big recruit (both literally and through the recruiting services. The Duncanville, TX native shocked the world so to speak when he announced his commitment to the Pokes on local Dallas TV. He was anointed as the DL savior of the Pokes defense, but never really amounted to much.

5. Myron Rolle

Myron was the do everything safety from New Jersey who's intellect matched his on field talents. Most assumed that the Sooners would be the team to beat, as they sold him on being the next Roy Williams and also the OU medical school. Rolle's decision to attend FSU was a shock to most  because all along Rolle had expressed academics first over football.

Honorable Mentions

Roy Miller- was at one time an OU commit, but ended up decommitting and signing with the Horns. He is currently a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Curtis Brown Rumor has it that Brown showed up to an OU basketball game for an unannounced unofficial visit intending to commit to the Sooners. The word was that the OU coaches were out of town and Brown left uncommitted. He soon committed to the Longhorns and even got a tattoo of the Longhorn logo on his stomach. Brown was a 5 star recruit and current a Pittsburgh Steeler.