Recruiting Fact or Fiction: Williams Nwaneri to OU, USC in a Lull, Kamar Mothudi to the Huskies

In today’s Fact or Fiction — Recruiting Edition — I look at three big recent topics from the recruiting trail and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Williams Nwaneri will pick Oklahoma.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Nwaneri is from Missouri, but he’s not going to the Tigers. He liked Georgia – he liked them a lot, in fact – but I don’t see him heading that far from home. And the Vols have done a great job with him as well, but his comfort level at Oklahoma can’t be matched. He’s a clear 5-star player and hugely important to this defensive class for Brent Venables, and I think he will pick the Sooners before his season starts. One team to keep an eye on is Oregon, who are expected to get an official from him in September even if he’s committed, and we all saw what Dan Lanning did at the end of the 2023 cycle.

https://twitter.com/TheUCReport/status/1649397792211607554

2. USC recruiting is a bit under par.

Farrell’s take: FACT

USC has done a solid job in 2024, but I’m not as impressed as I should be. Ryan Pellum has a chance to be a star, and they’ve done well at defensive back, but too many good players are leaving the state of California, and it shouldn’t be happening. With high expectations this season and a Heisman QB, the hype for USC is as high as it’s been since Pete Carroll, and yet guys like Zabien Brown, Dylan Williams, and soon Brandon Baker are getting out of state. The future move out of the soon-to-be-dead Pac-12 was supposed to be important and a recruiting boost, but I’ll admit I expected Lincoln Riley to do much better on the trail at USC.

2024 four-star wide receiver Ryan Pellum from Long Beach, CA (Millikan)

3. Washington pulls a stunner for LB Kamar Mothudi.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

There was a rumor put out there that Oregon didn’t have room for Mothudi and that Washington was swooping in to land him. Don’t believe it. While the Ducks do have Jaxson Jones and just landed Dylan Williams and are involved with a few others in 2024, I’d be stunned if they didn’t allow Mothudi in this class, and that’s honestly the only way he doesn’t end up at Oregon.