Early Signee Breakdown: Offense

RELATED: 2019 TU Signee/Commit List | TU Recruiting Scoop in Hurricane Alley

The 2019 recruiting cycle is the second year to include an early football signing period for high school seniors, which ran from December 19 to 21. Mid-term junior college prospects can sign through January 15, 2019; however, Tulsa has already collected its crop of early signees.

The Hurricane signed nine of its 11 commitments, as two prospects (LB Dorian Hopkins and DB Drew Rawls) have elected to wait until the regular signing period that begins February 6. Tulsa is expected to sign a total of approximately 14 to 17 recruits in the 2019 class, so there will be plenty to keep an eye on between now and February, and we’ll have every inch covered here at Inside Tulsa Sports. Stay tuned!

On offense, TU signed five prospects in the early period, filling needs at several positions. The Hurricane will likely add another offensive lineman and one or two additional skill players (possibly a tight end or running back) in the regular February signing period. Below is a deeper look at the early signees for Tulsa on the offensive side of the ball.

The Skinny: Lovick committed to Tulsa in June over offers from Air Force and Prairie View. As a senior, he rushed for 1,523 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. He also caught 27 passes for 342 yards and one touchdown, and he led the District in touchdowns and points scored per game.

Why he chose Tulsa: "Honestly, it just felt like home and the coaches welcomed me in," he said. "And the offense fits my playing style, and I feel like I can excel really well in Tulsa, Oklahoma."

The Skinny: Collier also committed to Tulsa in June. As his team's best athlete, he started at quarterback for the past three seasons. Collier rushed for over 1,600 yards and passed for over 1,500 yards as a senior and was named the District Offensive MVP. He earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors as a junior.

Why he chose Tulsa: "What made me decide to go to Tulsa is the moment I stepped foot on campus, they made it feel like I was at home," he told Inside Tulsa Sports. "It felt like family. The players greeted me like I’ve been there before.

"The environment in Tulsa is nice. I grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and that’s how it is in Tulsa. The campus is amazing. Just everything about it made me want to go there, especially the coaches."

The Skinny: Florez chose Tulsa at the end of July and was under the radar due to moving from Bay City to Clear Brook. As a junior at Bay City, he caught 40 passes for 388 yards and 3 touchdowns. In his senior season at Clear Brook, Florez was forced to play quarterback much of the season, but he still caught 21 passes for 371 yards, averaging 17.7 yards per reception. He also passed for 430 yards and a score, and he ran for 320 yards and seven touchdowns.

Why he chose Tulsa: "The main reason I committed to the University of Tulsa is two-fold. Not only do they have an extremely strong coaching staff and exciting high powered offense, they are also a great educational institution. I'm excited for the opportunity to be a contributing member of the program."

The Skinny: Baah was a three-year starter at Edison, playing on both the offensive and defensive lines. As a senior, he finished with 60 pancake blocks on offense and was credited with 39 tackles and two sacks on defense. Baah is ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the state of Oklahoma and earned first-team All-State and first-team All-USA Oklahoma Team by USA Today as a senior. He was also selected as the District 5A-3 offensive player of the year.

Why he chose Tulsa: “I felt like Tulsa was the place for me," Baah told NewsOK.com. "It's close to home, and I felt like it was a right decision because they have a great school, like an 11 to 1 teacher to student ratio, which is amazing for a college that is a D-I caliber and a private school, too. And they really wanted me.”

The Skinny: Jones was a two-year starter on the offensive line at Lewisville and earned first-team All-District 6-6A honors as a senior. He helped lead Lewisville to a 9-3 record as a senior and also picked up academic all-state honorable mention accolades.

Why he chose Tulsa: "I love the way the coaches make you feel like you're at home, and the way the coaches coach," Jones told Inside Tulsa Sports. "All in all, it just feels like one big family."