No recruiting class will have quite as unique of a story as the 2021 group. Because of COVID-19, the whole process was thrown out of whack like never ever before.
It didn’t stop Oklahoma from loading up and still earning the type of class it was hoping for with the 2021 prospects.
Before the group officially arrived last month, SoonerScoop.com caught up with some of them for one last final interview as they were getting ready to head to Norman for good.
Welcome to OU – Danny Stutsman.
One of the consequences of COVID shutting everything down was it became incredibly difficult to rewrite your rankings story heading into your senior season.
Whoever you were deemed to be as a junior was pretty much who you would remain during your final season, if you were even lucky enough to have a season.
Stutsman was a three-star prospect when he committed to OU. No matter how well he played or the big-time performances he had, that was his label.
It didn’t bother him, and you could tell when signing day came around that it didn’t bother defensive coaches Alex Grinch and Brian Odom.
In sizing up the class, the OU coaches were adamant that not only was Stutsman underrated, but he might have been the most underrated recruit in the country.
“Something like that means a lot,” Stutsman said. “We developed a great connection. I didn’t go to many camps, and I just focused on my craft and what I can do between the lines. It says they see the potential in me. Nobody knows better than they do about knowing what it takes.”
Even though Stutsman felt confidence about his OU selection, you couldn’t blame him for wanting to check out Norman at least once or twice before arriving in June.
Stutsman made that happen last summer when saw OU for the first time during the Sooner Summit, the mega-recruiting event orchestrated by freshman quarterback Caleb Williams.
Whatever doubt he might have had was wiped away.
“I think when you’re in a situation like that, there’s always going to be some doubts here and there,” Stutsman said. But after the Sooner Summit, I knew. This is the place I want to be at it.”
Stutsman already signed when he returned to campus for the spring game weekend. No buyer’s remorse, all it did was pump him up even more for when summer would come around.
“I loved everything about that second visit,” he said. “The worst part, honestly, was watching it from the stands. I started to like the school more, even more than before. I didn’t think that was possible.”
Stutsman had a great senior season, playing both offense and defense. Every week he’d put up the type of numbers that made OU fans super excited about him joining the defense.
As much as Grinch and Odom and the rest of the staff felt like Stutsman was undervalued in recruiting, they sure as heck weren’t going to say anything until after he had signed. They knew they had found a major steal in the class.
“There’s not a whole lot out that have better high school film than Danny,” Grinch said. “He’s explosive. He’s got combine numbers to kind of back up what you see on video. Comes from a great family. All those guys, I think we averaged about 20 guys a game playing on defense, this year, so the proof is, if you’re ready, we’ll put you out there.”
Stutsman said he played his senior season at 215 pounds and 10 percent body fat. He arrived last month, he said, at 230 pounds and said one thing he was fired up about was going through the strength and conditioning program and getting him to be his best.
“The whole thing, whole message during the winter and spring was Speed D,” Stutsman said. “They want you fast. Stay fast, stay agile and go make plays.”
Early word has been Stutsman impressing during his first month. You can always make the case he was under the radar in high school, but it doesn’t sound like that’s going to be a problem for Stustman with the Sooners.