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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking, grading every Big 12 football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; View of Oklahoma Sooners megaphones on the sidelines during the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Texas 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; View of Oklahoma Sooners megaphones on the sidelines during the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Texas 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Oklahoma got a huge boost late on Signing Day by landing five-star linebacker Caleb Kelly from California. To that point, the Sooners were ranked No. 23 in the nation and fourth in the Big 12 by 247Sports – both of which would have been the lowest for the Sooners since 2000.

As pointed out in our list of the Big 12 Winners and Losers from Signing Day, one of OU’s major issues in 2016 is the fact they signed just three players from the state of Texas. The Sooners also lost out on the top four players from the state of Oklahoma. In fact, OU signed just one of the top 32 players from the state while Oklahoma State nabbed three of the top seven. Also, Oregon signed No. 2 Terry Wilson and No. 4 Joshua Jacobs is headed to Alabama.

In 2016, the Sooners cast an even wider net than usual, bringing in three players from California, two from Kansas, Louisiana and North Carolina (including No. 9 pro-style quarterback Austin Kendall), and one each from Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington D.C. Yet, with a class that finished with a No. 20 overall ranking, OU failed to take advantage of its Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance.

Instant Impact Performer: LB Caleb Kelly

The crown jewel of the 2016 class is Kelly, a five-star outside linebacker ranked No. 25 overall and third at his position. With Eric Striker graduation and Zack Sanchez and Dominique Alexander both leaving early for the NFL Draft, expect the U.S. Army All-American to work himself into the mix for playing time this fall and quickly earn a starting role.

Underrated Signee: OL Ashton Julious

The offensive line was probably the biggest overall need for the Sooners after losing three starters to graduation. The No. 2 JUCO tackle in the nation, three-star Ashton Julious is a 6-foot-6, 341-pound early enrollee that will participate in spring practice. Julious likely has the best chance of Oklahoma’s five offensive linemen signees to break into the starting lineup in 2016.

Complete 2016 Oklahoma Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: Oklahoma needs to get back to basics by dominating in-state recruiting and making a significant impact in the state of Texas. And, while the addition of Kelly allowed the Sooners to finish on a high note, they still failed to fully reap the rewards that come with a conference championship and a shot at a national title.

Simply put, with the rise of TCU and Baylor, and some fairly positive signs coming from surprising places like Kansas and Iowa State, Oklahoma cannot afford to take a step back in recruiting and expect to maintain its place as a heavyweight in the conference.

Next: TCU

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