OG Denzel Okafor (Apr 29)(Nov 14 COMMIT)

Discussion in 'Recruiting' started by Godz40acres, Apr 30, 2015.

  1. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    [​IMG]
    Denzel Okafor ..... Lewisville (Lewisville, TX)
    :hookem::hookem::hookem::hookem:-horn ..... OG ..... 6-4/295 ..... TEXAS
    Per BON:
    Okafor is a 6'3, 287-pounder rated as a low three-star prospect... However, a more telling sign of his value to college coaches is an increasingly-expanding offer list that now includes Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, [Oklahoma,] TCU, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Washington.

    Okafor can sink his hips and explode through defenders on contact and also looks like a knee bender with good pass sets against outside rushers. Working to the second level, his first two steps demonstrate good quickness before he chops his steps to acquire linebackers.

    And based on his film and overall build, he has a powerful upper body that aids his punch at the point of attack.

    Per HornSports:
    Okafor was very excited to hear from Texas wide receivers coach Jay Norvell this evening. "It feels amazing, I can't believe it!" Okafor told me in a text message. [He attended summer camp last year and] came away impressed. "Just the atmosphere and the city of Austin", he said. "I also love watching the Longhorns".

    Okafor has the size and versatility to play multiple positions among the line. Some see him as a guard while others see him at tackle, but Okafor said he's willing to play whatever position he's needed at.

    With the offers from big programs starting to pile up, Okafor detailed for me what exactly he's looking for in his ideal school. "Just a great winning team and a place where I can get a good education".

    Per Scout:
    "I have been waiting on an offer from Texas for awhile now, so it will definitely be one of my top options that I would look into and possibly see what I want to major in there and stuff like that," Okafor explained.

    "I do not know too much about them, I still have to my research, but I always enjoy watching them on TV all of the time. I like the big stadium that they have. I think Charlie Strong is a great head coach and I would really like to meet that guy in person."

    "It is just a good school to me," Okafor continued. "I have been wanting to go there since I was a kid. It has all changed now, because I still want to see more about that program."

    Jr Season


    Sr Season
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2016
  2. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    Definite on the second bit, but we got to work on the first part some....
     
  3. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Per OB via poster:
    "I had been in contact with a UT coach, coach (Joe) Wickline, since last year. He said to stay in touch, he would get up to see me. I kept working hard and he showed up on Wednesday," Okafor said. "He saw me practice and I called him that night. When I did, he told me I had developed a lot, had gotten a lot better since we saw you and they offered. It took me a year of work for that offer so it felt good."

    "They saw I used my arms a lot, my wingspan, my 7-foot wingspan," Okafor said. "I use that to keep defenders at a distance from me. He said that was something that was good and the way I extend my hands."

    "I'm using this summer to just cross out what I don't actually want to do. I want to major in kinesiology, so I want to research what schools can give me that."​

    ------------------------
    Anyone have any UT Kinesiology brochures you could send him?
     
  4. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

     
    Last edited: May 27, 2015
  5. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    TCU then?
     
  6. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Per a poster on another site:
    My son spoke with Denzel Okafor in a face-to-face yesterday. Okafor says his top three are TCU, Texas and OU. My son says he thinks Texas leads. I asked him why he thought that. "Its all he wanted to talk about."

    Okafor was a starter on the varsity as a sophomore. My son, a senior OL at the time, took Okafor under his wing. So they are close.

    I asked him what he felt was Okafor's best attributes and he quickly said "Its those arms. Those long arms. You can't get near his body because of those arms. Very strong. Very agile."​
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2015
  7. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    Ah! So it's Texas then! Very good! :hookem:
     
  8. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Denzel Okafor has offers from all over the country but has been locked in on two schools for quite awhile, TCU and Texas. Both are selling him on early playing time as TCU has multiple Senior OL and Texas will have multiple starting jobs up for grabs in 2016 as well. The Horned Frogs have been thought to be out front for awhile with Okafor as he was expected to make his commitment in late August or early September, but that didn’t happen which helped Texas.

    The Horns also made a big impression as HC Charlie Strong visited Denzel last week and had a great conversation with the big OL. “It was great to talk to him. We had a great conversation and I believe every word he tells me.” Okafor says. He also said that Strong told him “Just how beating Oklahoma was the next step to how Texas is progressing and how much they need offensive lineman” and Okafor has taken notice.

    He still plans to take all 5 official visits before committing. Okafor noted he may also be in Austin this weekend for the Kansas State game.
    [Per a poster on another site]
     
  9. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    :hookem: Good news!
     
  10. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Towards the end of our conversation, I asked Okafor to give me an assessment of my read on his situation. I told him, in my opinion, TCU has been his leader but it's almost as if he's looking for Texas to give him a reason to commit.

    "You're right. That's kind of what it is. I'm looking for a reason. Charlie Strong a great coach and I may even relate more to him than Gary Patterson," Okafor said. "He's calm, knows what he wants, what he wants to do. He'll get you there. I'm not saying Gary Patterson won't, but Strong has some really effective ways. I would love to play for a coach like Charlie Strong."

    One element that Okafor is considering is the number of young players Texas is playing. He knows guys like Jerrod Heard, Malik Jefferson, John Burt, Connor Williams and Patrick Vahe are going to be around for a while. On the flipside, TCU will be losing a good number of upperclassmen after this season, which has Okafor a bit concerned that the Horned Frogs might take a step back.

    "With TCU, they're a great team. Some people have been telling me, and I've been believing myself, TCU has done a great job the last few years," Okafor said. "This year, the thing is, their offense, they have a lot of seniors on that offense. They have Boykin, their offensive line is still good, but Doctson is probably leaving. If I become part of the Horned Frog family, I don't know what next year will be, with a brand new QB, a new offensive line, new wide receiver. Would you rather go there and see what happens, or go with a program that's developing currently? I'm seeing that with Texas a little. TCU is a great team, but I'm not sure I want to go there and not know."

    "I didn't think Texas was going to beat a ranked team like Oklahoma. The fact they did, that shows they're progressing," Okafor said. "All the recruits that are already going to Texas, they're building something up. The team is young, needs to develop, but them beating Oklahoma is a sign of that. That's really getting my interest."
    [Per a poster on another site]
     
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  11. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Looks like Denzel is ready to penzel in his commitment.

    11-05-15: Per the same poster above in response to speculation that this weekend's commitment may not happen until Saturday or next week:
    "Burton posted that the timing is entirely dependent on the local station and when they have an opening. Player is still entirely committed to Texas - but committment might not happen until after the weekend."

    Yes, my son spoke with the player last night. [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2015
  12. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    But we are losing recruits this year, don't you know? Especially OL and DL. Oh wait.
     
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  13. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Per a poster on another site:
    I spoke with Denzel Okafor at the game tonight [against Kansas]. I'll have to say he was the best looking physical specimen of all the recruits at the game tonight (they all passed right in front of me).

    Okafor asked me to keep everything on the down low. I have no idea what he was talking about.​
     
  14. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Down low. Got it.
     
  15. LonghornCatholic

    LonghornCatholic Deo Gratias

    Keepn it on the DL. Got it.
     
  16. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    New Hudl - Senior Season

     
  17. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    I am not in favor of the down low. Call me old fashioned, but I am adamantly in favor of the LOW DOWN. So I hope he can go low down, because I really dig the low down.

    However, if Denzel really likes the down low, then I'm down with it. :smile1:
     
    • Like Like x 3
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2015
  18. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

     
    • Like Like x 1
  19. Dionysus

    Dionysus Idoit Admin

     
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  20. BevoJoe

    BevoJoe 10,000+ Posts

    :hookem::bevo::texasflag: Welcome to UT!!
     
  21. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

  22. bystander

    bystander 10,000+ Posts

    Glad for the commitment but Rivals has him rated as 2 stars...

    o_O
     
  23. arieshorn

    arieshorn 1,000+ Posts

    Welcome to the 40 Denzel! :bevo::hookem::yippee:
     
  24. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    Congratulations and welcome.
     
  25. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller


    Per Horns247:
    "Texas is having a hard time right now, and everybody sees that," Okafor said. "But it's Texas. They have so much pride and tradition. That's what engaged me. Just give them time to grow, and they'll be great. I'm looking forward to being a part of something big once Texas gets big again in a couple of years."

    Okafor wanted to make his pledge on television but decided to just get it over with.

    Texas’ signature victory over Oklahoma — he was in attendance at the Cotton Bowl — played a role in Okafor’s decision. But the biggest factor in his final decision to pick Texas over TCU was his personal relationship with head coach Charlie Strong.

    "No offense to Gary Patterson, but Coach Strong is a humble guy, and his visions are clear," Okafor said. "People aren't giving him time, but he's working on it. Coach Patterson is a cool guy, but Coach Strong is a guy I can be comfortable with in the next four or five years. He's a really good coach."

    “They said that I can play guard or tackle and that he wants to work hard,” Okafor said. “They told me it’s possible to start as a true freshman, which is big for me.”
     
  26. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    [​IMG]

    Per HS:
    Okafor fits the Joe Wickline mold of player who is a little rough technically but has a great build with good weight. The Texas offensive line has been in need of an overhaul for quite a while and things seem to be on the right track with the emergence of Patrick Vahe and Connor Williams. Okafor will join Tope Imade in the offensive line class while the staff continues to pursue North Mesquite tackle Jean Delance. Okafor and Imade share the common bond of Nigerian heritage, which carries a proud history within the Texas program. If Texas could close on Delance they would have a solid offensive line class to mix into the current pool of young players already on campus.

    Film Analysis:

    At 6’4 290 lbs., Okafor has a dream build for an offensive lineman reminiscent of Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith. Since he carries no bad weight, it should be easy for Pat Moorer and his staff to build a prototype lineman from a physical standpoint. On the front foot Okafor is strong in the run game with strength to open holes and a motor that allows him to work second level. He moves well, but sometimes has trouble aligning himself with defenders in space. Okafor shows good versatility to play both guard and tackle with the ability to reach block, pull, and base block. Once Okafor engages he has the ability to overwhelm his man with his strength and leverage to drive him into the ground. Okafor will benefit most from pass rush instruction where he is pretty raw. Okafor uses his length well keeping his man from getting inside with good extension and hand placement. He also uses a good punch to deliver the blow and knock the pass rusher off balance. He does struggle with his kick slide and is a bit too narrow in his base which can cause him to get off balance and leave him susceptible to the speed rush or inside move. The good news is Okafor moves well and should be able to improve these things with proper coaching.

    Final Verdict:

    Okafor is a nice pickup who is underrated at this point as evidenced by his offer list. He’s athletic, has a great physical foundation, and shows versatility to play multiple positions along the offensive line. He’s a valuable acquisition at a position of need, and with proper coaching he could become a valuable piece of a young, athletic unit. Wickline prospects are difficult to project, but the ceiling on Okafor suggests he could be an all conference level player with a chance to play in the NFL.

    ----------

    I'm not so sure we're gonna land Delance. Been hearing rumblings that don't bode well for us at this point. But, that doesn't mean we won't. ;)
     
  27. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Per the poster on another site whose son played with DO:
    The most appealing thing with Okafor are his high, thick hips. Wick seeks out these types a lot as they have so much lower body power. Add in the fact that defenders have a horrible time trying to put their hands on him because of his long arms.

    I'll add that Okafor is not underdeveloped by any stretch. The kid's got a pair of pythons already. But he has such a large frame that he'll be able to add more bulk muscle without suffering loss of mobility or quickness.

    Okafor's 3-star rating is a joke. He's a stud and should be a mid-4 star. Ratings matter to the fans and are done by "experts" many of whom have never played a down of ball. That's all nice but the rubber meets the road in the realm of who the coach wants to recruit . . . and why.
     
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  28. UTExinPDX

    UTExinPDX 1,000+ Posts

    Welcome to Texas, Denzek! :hookem2:
     
  29. hornpharmd

    hornpharmd 5,000+ Posts

    He is a 2 star on Rivals. What is up with that?
     
  30. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

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