Oklahoma fans got a surprise in the early evening of National Signing Day after Lincoln Riley said there were some big things to come at his morning presser— and he wasn’t lying:
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) December 18, 2019
Not long after, it became clear that Grinch and the Sooners were getting more help for their defensive back group after Roy Manning fired off another tweet:
Mood: pic.twitter.com/vaau0VBqAU
— Roy Manning (@CoachRoyM) December 19, 2019
There was quite a bit of mystery clouding the decision of Joshua Eaton since he had been closely tied to the Sooners since October— but as recruiting takes its turns, rumors of visits to Georgia and Oregon suddenly had many people and coaches unsure of Eaton’s status. Additionally, he had previously stated that he wasn’t signing until February— of course, until he made it official.
Four-star Aldine MacArthur CB Joshua Eaton will not be signing his paperwork on Wednesday
— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) December 16, 2019
Eaton has three official visits in mind before the dust finally settles, but says he is inching closer and closer to a decision for February
➡️ https://t.co/8V0NO2biu2 pic.twitter.com/SaFEqsiDTl
Since the start of my recruitment till now . I felt deep down in my soul that I would end up in Norman , Oklahoma. Well it’s finally official I’m COMING HOME #BoomerSooner
— JE 1 (@JoshuaEaton_1) December 19, 2019
C O M M I T T E D #RipGranny pic.twitter.com/tDvC6UstPA
Going into the 2020 season, consistent cornerback play will be one of the areas the Oklahoma Sooners need to improve upon the most. That is why four-star CB Joshua Eaton signing his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday for OU is such a huge win.
Once upon a time, Eaton — a Houston product out of Aldine MacArthur HS — was verbally committed to playing for Texas. He eventually backed off of that decision in October, and now he’ll be representing the other side of the Red River Rivalry. That’s especially good news for Oklahoma because he’s rated as the No. 53 recruit in the Lone Star State, the No. 27 cornerback, and the No. 354 player nationally. What’s even more telling is his impressive list of offers, including Alabama, Georgia, and LSU among many others.
It’s not unusual to see WRs and DBs play on both sides of the ball in high school, but Eaton has shown he’s actually more than adept on offense. That translates beautifully on defense when his tall, 6’2” body is manning up down the field. His hands and ball skills make him a dangerous playmaker when the ball is in his vicinity, and the Sooners are in dire need of that in the secondary. He’s also a very physical CB, so he shouldn’t need constant reminders to make his receivers feel him. Now, it’s uncommon for defensive backs to see the field as true freshmen, but keep an eye on Eaton next fall if given the opportunity.
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