The Oklahoma Sooners are in for a pair of the top interior defensive lineman in the country.
Wednesday, Sports Illustrated All-American rolled out their Interior Defensive Lineman Watch List, and there were a few names OU fans might be familiar with.
Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound prospect from Lakeland, FL, was rated the No. 3 interior d-line prospect in the country.
A recruit that Alex Grinch and Calvin Thibodeaux are big fans of Dindy, and SIAA Recruiting Director John Garcia Jr. said it’s easy to see why the Sooners want him so badly.
“A physically imposing and highly coordinated athlete, Dindy has shocking straight-line speed. He lacks premiere bend off the edge, something that we’re anticipating will bump him down inside the tackle at the next level, but makes up for it in footwork and quickness,” Garcia and SIAA recruiting analyst Matt Solorio wrote. “Absolutely vicious tackler. Good pass rush moves; he’s even used “the hump” with some success. Dindy stuns his opponent by popping their shoulders up (some call it knock-back) and earning leverage.
“His junior year film is a clinic on quick get-offs. He has one of the fastest first steps in the country we've seen to date. He tested off the charts the summer prior to his junior season (4.89 forty, 10-foot broad jump), and according to our sources, he's only getting faster.”
Landing a player like Dindy would go a long way toward changing the perception around Oklahoma’s defense, which has taken massive leaps in a short time under Grinch.
Another Oklahoma defensive line target made the list in Owasso High School star Chris McClellan.
The 6-4, 290-pound lineman is being pursued by the who’s who of college football, including OU, Ohio State, USC, Florida, Oregon, Oklahoma State and others.
“Leanly built his way up to 290 on his way from defensive end to defensive tackle. Nice length. After watching his film, the first thing that sticks out is his long arms and his ability to quickly strike-and-shed blockers. He has good feet to match a very strong build. Great closing burst for a lineman,” Garcia and Solorio wrote. “It looks like he set up blockers for his moves, based on how effective some of his swims are. McClellan can get skinny through a gap when he needs to. Skilled when slanting into gaps. Fantastic pad level throughout his film. Active hands with a nasty punch. Easily manipulates blocker’s shoulder pads.
“Violent in every facet of his game. Solid tackler. He does most of his damage in between the tackles, slanting or stemming and disrupting. Every time the ball is snapped, he seems to have a plan for how he is attacking each blocker. Because he attacks with a plan in mind, he maximizes his already imposing physicality.”
McClellan continues to show the level of high school football being played in Oklahoma is garnering national respect in recruiting circles.
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