Tulsa Recruiting Overview: Running Backs
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TU loses shifty running back Eric Richardson, but returns part-time starter Uril Parrish, who was coming into form last season before an injury. The Golden Hurricane also returns two young talented backs and is recruiting a solid group of high school seniors. The following is a summary of ten running backs receiving interest from Tulsa coaches.
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5-foot-9, 188-pounds
Texarkana (AR) High School
Offers: Arkansas
Others interested: Tulsa, Arizona, Florida, Houston, Memphis, Vanderbilt
Brandon Barnett was recently placed at No. 4 in the Rivals.com Arkansas Top 12. This speedy back (4.4-second forty yard dash) is also very strong, benching 315-pounds and squatting 450. As a junior, Barnett ran for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns, while also putting up 304 receiving yards and three additional scores. He has run the 100-meter dash in 10.43-seconds, and he won the 100-meter dash in the Arkansas Track & Field Championships as a junior in the state's largest classification.
Arkansas has already offered Barnett and likely has an edge, as they signed his brother, Freddie, in the 2004 class. Tulsa coaches have stopped by his high school, but are yet to make an offer.
5-foot-10, 208-pounds
Little Rock (AR) Central High School
Offers: Arkansas
Others interested: Tulsa, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas State, Rice
Mickey Dean is another talented back from the Natural State, and he also reports an offer from Arkansas. Coaches from Tulsa, Tennessee and Alabama have all dropped by Central to visit, while Rice and North Carolina have also started showing interest recently. The solid back runs a 4.5-second forty yard dash and benches 275-pounds.
Dean boasts very solid numbers from his junior season, rushing 224 times for 1,252 yards and 20 touchdowns for the 14-0, Class 5A state champions. He has added 23 pounds since last season, increasing his bench-press max to 275. He also hopes to improve on his 4.5-second forty yard dash. Tulsa is currently outside of his top three choices, which include Florida, Texas and Alabama.
5-foot-11, 190-pounds
Wichita (KS) Heights High School
Offers: None
Others interested: Tulsa, Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Gary Chandler has been moving up the recruiting charts with impressive summer camp performances. The 5-foot-11 and 190-pound running back is considered a sleeper prospect in the Sunflower State and turned in a solid performance at the Iowa City NIKE Camp held on May 16. Chandler wasn’t a burner in the forty-yard-dash, clocking in at 4.69 seconds, but he seemed extremely fluid in drills and possessed a pair of soft hands in one-on-one exercises. He is waiting on his first offer.
5-foot-8, 175-pounds
Fort Worth (TX) Dunbar High School
Offers: None
Others interested: Tulsa, BYU, Kansas State, TCU
Neal Carr is an extremely quick and athletic running back that excels at both carrying the ball and catching it. He is currently being recruited by BYU, Kansas State, Tulsa and TCU. Carr recently transferred from Eastern Hills, where he played behind a senior, but still managed to rush for 397 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring runs of 60 and 80 yards.
The 5-foot-8½, 172-pounder had a very solid showing at the College Station NIKE Training Camp in May. Carr ran a 4.54-second forty yard dash in pouring rain, while also finishing fifth in the shuttle run (4.22-seconds) and sixth in vertical leap (34 inches). The shifty back is looking ahead to a stellar senior season.
5-foot-10, 180-pounds
Fort Worth (TX) All Saints’ Episcopal High School
Offers: Kansas State, Northwestern, Stanford
Others interested: Tulsa, Colorado, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Utah, TCU
Christopher Douglas had early interest from Tulsa, when Golden Hurricane coaches dropped by All Saints for a visit. However, several schools from the Big 6 conferences have jumped into the race. Douglas now holds offers from Stanford, Northwestern and Kansas State.
Last season, Douglas rushed for 1,730 yards and 22 touchdowns, while the previous year, he rushed for 1,296 yards and 16 touchdowns. On top of playing football, Douglas is also a track standout, running a 10.5-second 100 meters and a 21.8-second 200 meters.
5-foot-11, 197-pounds
Tulsa (OK) Booker T. Washington High School
Offers: Texas A&M, Florida
Others interested: Tulsa, Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State
Felix Jones is an athletic freak. Besides running a 4.4-second forty yard dash, he benches 255-pounds, squats an amazing 550-pounds and possesses a 39-inch vertical leap. Tulsa is one of many schools evaluating Jones, and although he is considering the Golden Hurricane, they are likely well down his list. Jones was recently rated as the No. 9 prospect in Oklahoma by Rivals.com.
5-foot-9, 177-pounds
Marietta (GA) Wheeler High School
Offers: Tulsa, Maryland, NC State, Auburn, Notre Dame, Oklahoma
Others interested: Georgia, LSU, Miami-FL
Richard Rich reported an early offer from Tulsa, but he also began piling up offers from the elite programs in college football. The Golden Hurricane appears to be well down the list for Rich, who rushed for 1,500 yards and 15 scores as a junior last season.
Rich is also getting looks at cornerback, and he was very impressive at the Atlanta NIKE Training Camp. He turned in a 4.44-second forty yard dash, a 4.37-second shuttle and a 29-inch vertical leap. Rich also benches 250-pounds and squats 475.
Other possibilities:
Deji Karim - Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City North
5-10 / 183-pounds / 4.4-second forty
Steven Harper - Mesquite (TX)
5-10 / 180-pounds / 4.5-second forty
Sam Pinson - Jenks (OK)
5-9 / 180-pounds / 4.5-second forty
Current TU running backs
Uril Parrish - Junior
Brandon Diles - Sophomore
Cauvey Jackson - Redshirt Freshman
Albert Harris - Junior (walk-on transfer)
Rodney Tucker - Junior (walk-on transfer)
Tulsa RB prospects committed to other schools
Kobey Lewis - Texas Tech
Lewis did not report an offer from Tulsa.
Jamaal Charles - Texas
Charles reported an offer from Tulsa, as well as Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Texas A&M.
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